Sound Equine Doctors and Staff
My Promise to My Customers
I believe that when trust, honesty, and fairness are given, these gifts are returned. My practice is oriented towards wellness and I enjoy a professional yet personalized relationship with my clients and patients.
I believe that being an advocate for the animal, while respecting my clients' goals and needs, results in a unique and enjoyable client/patient relationship. I know that my clients help me in my pursuit to provide excellent patient care, and I welcome your suggestions on how I can better serve your needs.
My goal is to serve clients with integrity and understanding, and to serve patients with competence and compassion while providing state-of-the-art veterinary care, measured against high current standards. Quality equine care requires a knowledgeable, experienced, and responsive veterinarian.
Dr. Hills
Dr. Cary Hills is originally from the East Coast where he grew up on a farm in rural Connecticut. He graduated from Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 with a DVM + thesis. He is a member of the Phi Zeta Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hills' professional affiliations include membership in the AVMA, AAEP, AERC, and the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association.
His first few years of practice were spent in mixed and racetrack practice in and around Vancouver, BC. From 1998 -2005, he worked in Southern Oregon at a busy multi-veterinarian equine practice. Dr. Hills bought Sound Equine Veterinary Hospital in late 2005.
Dr. Hills enjoys his work and loves horses. He considers it a privilege to have their care and welfare entrusted to him. His particular areas of interest are preventative medicine, performance and lameness work ups, diagnostic imaging, surgery, reproduction, and ophthalmology. He also enjoys working as head/support veterinarian on endurance riding competitions.
Dr. Hills lives in Indianola with his wife Jennifer and their daughters Clara and Esther. He enjoys fishing, hiking, woodworking, and exploring the Northwest with his family.
Dr. Smith
Dr. Claire Smith grew up in Iowa City, Iowa, where she owned, trained, and rode horses at a dressage stable. She competed in horse shows and received instruction from nationally and internationally known riders. Dr. Smith graduated early from high school and moved to Southern California where she worked for Mette Rosencrantz.
After seriously considering making a career of riding, Dr. Smith started pre-veterinary course work in California and then enrolled in veterinary school at the University of Wisconsin. In addition to the regular curriculum, she completed nine externships at some of the top equine hospitals and practices in the country.
Following graduation Dr. Smith accepted a surgical and medical internship at Oregon's Willamette Valley Equine Hospital where she gained additional experience in anesthesia, pain control, surgery, hospitalization of critically ill patients, neurologic cases, emergency and trauma medicine, neonatal foal care, imaging, and other areas of modern equine veterinary practice.
Her significant other, Brad, is an internal medicine doctor for small animals. His office is in Tacoma, Washington. Between them they have three cats, one dog, and two horses.
Teresa Heather
Teresa has been a Licensed Vet Technician in Washington State since 2001 and has been working in the animal care field since 1992. Teresa's favorite areas of veterinary medicine are animal behavior, surgery and dentistry.
Outside of the veterinary hospital, Teresa enjoys spending time with her husband Bill and their Australian Cattle Dog, Scooter.
Teresa owns a Quarter Horse named Duff who enjoys trail rides and sorting.
Her other Quarter Horse, Jane, is a cutting horse who also loves trail riding.
However, it's TNT, Teresa's Miniature Horse, who runs the ranch.
Although he is retired from showing he's still in his prime. When Teresa isn't taking care of her horses, she enjoys photography.
Brittney Lovitt
Brittney's bio is coming soon!
Laurel Larson
Our receptionist, Laurel, joined the team at Sound Equine Veterinary Hospital in July 2008. Laurel grew up on a farm in Oregon, and then joined the Navy and was a Hospital Corpsman First Class. As the receptionist she does a little bit of everything and then some. She currently resides in Port Orchard, and is looking forward to having horses in the near future.
Drea Bergquist-Bowen
As Practice Manager, Drea brings decades of business and customer service experience to Sound Equine.
She is a horsewoman with a passion for making a difference in the lives of humans and horses.
In addition to supporting Sound Equine, she is an Equine Facilitated Learning Specialist and a
professional Health/Life Coach and is certified in Equine Touch and Healing Touch for Animals.
"I feel blessed to share my professional skills and personal passions with the Sound Equine Veterinary Hospital practice.
It is really exciting to be a part of the team that I feel is providing the highest quality and most diverse equine care on this side of the water."