Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Cassandra and Josh Bates.
Hi Dr. Cassandra and Josh), we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I always knew I wanted to become a veterinarian. When my cat was sick and we would take him to the vet, I knew that I wanted to be the doctor that would help animals when they were sick. So I worked hard throughout high school and college to get into a very competitive veterinary school at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I became a veterinarian in 2014 and went to work at Trousdale Co. Vet. Services in Hartsville, TN for 9 years. When Dr. Enoch decided to retire at almost 90 years old in 2023, Dr. Bates and her husband bought the clinic from him in order for it to continue to serve the community that it had served for over 60 years. We renamed the clinic Sumner Springs Veterinary Clinic in honor of the community that we serve.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a very difficult road. The courses to get into vet sch0ol are very difficult. Veterinary school is also extremely difficult. There are lots of challenges in veterinary medicine, but it is a great field to work in.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a small and large animal veterinarian. I see a lot of healthy and sick animals on a daily basis in the clinic. I do routine surgeries like spays and neuters but also some more complex soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries. We also do house and farm calls. We see horses, sheep, goats, cattle and some pigs. We try to do most anything that anyone needs for their pets.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
We took a huge risk buying the clinic as individuals and not a huge corporation. Many small veterinary clinic these days are selling to big veterinary corporations. It is difficult being a veterinarian and running a veterinary business. We want to help everyone we can while at the same time have to make money to pay our employees and all the bills.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: Enoch Vet Clinic
