Meet Our Team
OWNER DOCTORS
Dr. David Tester
Dr. Tester is the “Founding Father” of both Prairie Animal Hospital. Only 4 years after graduating with his DVM from Washington State University in 1973, Dr. Tester created Prairie Animal hospital, which fortunately for all of us, has been growing and prospering ever since. Dr. Tester enjoys working at Praire Animal Hospital because of all the great staff members. He likes working in the veterinary field because he likes people, animals and the variety of medicine. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family which consists of 4 children and 9 grandchildren and he enjoys his favorite hobby wood working.
Currently residing in Hayden, Dr. Tester and his wife, Becky, care for an array of pets, including 9 cats, 3 dogs, 12 horses 40 chickens and 1 bird.
Dr. Jon Bloxham, 1973 graduate of Washington State University Outside of work, he enjoys fly fishing, gardening, photography, horseback riding, river floating and international travel. Dr.
Dr. Jim Meyer, 1971 graduate of the University of California at Davis. He also enjoys fly fishing, downhill skiing, travel, and is an avid
ASSOCIATE DOCTORS
Dr. Elesa Anderson
A native of Northern Idaho, Dr. Anderson was born and raised in Moscow. She attended Moscow High School and graduated in 1974, then went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of Idaho in 1979 with a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Resource Management. Dr. Anderson graduated Cum Laude from Washington State University of Veterinary Medicine in May of 1985. For the next 11 years she practiced throughout Oregon and Montana until 2002, Dr. Anderson made her way back to Idaho, settling in the Coeur d’Alene area and beginning practice at Prairie Animal Hospital.
In her free time, Dr. Anderson enjoys spending time with her Labradors, Meghan and Annie and her 2 cats. She enjoys any outdoor activity including water sports, hiking, biking, fly fishing, boating and cross-country and downhill skiing. She is also the volunteer veterinarian for the Idaho Disaster Dogs. The thing she enjoys most about the veterinarian field is that every day offers something new and she really enjoys helping animals.
Dr. Mary Widman
Dr. Widman joined Prairie Animal Hospital in 1992. Dr. Widman was reared on the family farm n Rosalia, Washington and is very proud of her agricultural heritage…”farmers should be on the endangered species list”.
She graduated from the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983. Since then she has been a general practitioner seeing livestock, horses, dogs and cats. She is privileged to continue to live on the home farm with the best and most talented mother in the world. Dr. Widman cares for many chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, peafowl, 7 cats and big dog friend “Toby = Mr. T”
Dr. Widman likes to trail ride with her Arabian “Ace” and Appaloosa “Pete”. This is called aroma therapy. She enjoys all outdoor activities, live theater, and a variety of musical entertainment. “my goal in life is to be the kind of person my dogs think I am. I’ve got a fantastic dog to adore me and cats to ignore me-just t keep life balanced and in perspective”.
Dr. Mary Ellen Prince
Dr. Prince is a 2008 graduate of Washington State University. In her spare time, Dr. Prince is an avid runner and endurance rider. She enjoys hiking and camping, as well as gardening and caring for her farm. Dr. Prince has been with our company since June of 2008.
Dr. Lucy Shoemaker
Dr. Shoemaker graduated from Colorado State in 2006. She started with Prairie Animal Hospital in March of 2011. In her spare time she runs a large animal mobile practice.
Dr. Twilla Seefeldt
Dr. Seefeldt was born and raised in eastern South Dakota, she completed her undergraduate degree from South Dakota University. She recieved her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1999. After serving as a veterinarian in the United States Army, she embarked on a career as an emergency and critical care veterinarian, working primarily in the DC/Baltimore and Seattle areas. She joined the Prairie Animal Hospital family in April of 2011. Although she is interested in all aspects of veterinary medicine, her passions include feline medicine, the human animal bond, and Traditional Chineses Medicine. She completed her acupuncture training with the International Veterinary Society (IVAS) last year and is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her furry children River and Marley. She also enjoys running, biking, skiing and many othe outdoor activities.
Office Manager- Linda Summers
Linda attended Pierce College in Tacoma Washington and graduated in 1974 with an associates degree in veterinary technology. She has been with Praire since 1993. Linda is married with 4 boys, 2 grandaughters. Her pets include 3 horses, 3 dogs, and 3 cats. When she is not at work she enjoys yard work, and riding horses with her husband. The thing she enjoys most about the veterinary field is learning something new everyday and that it is very rewarding working with animals.
TECHNICIANS/ASSISTANTS
DeEtta Mrock
After completing the Veterinary Assistant program at Apollo College, DeEtta joined the Prairie team in 2005. She is married and has 2 children and 2 beautiful grand-daughters. DeEtta has experience with a wide array of animal species, having grown up in Colorado raising horses, dogs and cats. Currently, she cares for her fish and three dogs Dharma, Lola and Marney. In her free time, DeEtta enjoys camping, fishing, gardening and hiking with her dogs. When asked what she enjoys most about being a veterinary assistant, DeEtta says that, “when pets come in sick and go home well, its such a rewarding feeling!”
Karen Foley
Karen has been with Prairie since 2007. As a member of the kennel staff she spends all her time caring for the patients that are boarding with us. Karen has grown up surrounded by all sorts of animals and enjoys being able to help care for them now. She enjoys spending time with her St. Bernard and blue heeler. Karen spends lot of her time traveling to Montana where her family has a farm filled with cattle and horses. “I like working in the kennels because I get to meet new people and their
Molly Givens
Molly started at Prairie in September of 2010. Molly has attended NIC and is now currently enrolled at Penn Foster College. She is working towards a degree in veterinarian technology. She enjoys working with animals and seeing the bonds with owners and their pets. Molly has a boxer named “Butkus” and a cat named “Phoebe”. She loves spending time with her family and being outdoors, playing sports, fishing, and camping.
Missy Klinkefus
Melissa (“Missy”) Klinkefus has been at Prairie since 1998. Originally from Tekoa Washington, Missy moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1995 where she met her husband, Will. She currently lives in Athol with her husband and daughter, Andrea. Sharing her 10 acre “mini-ranch” are her 3 dogs “Rex”, “Benny” and “Foos”. The cats “Tucker”, “Baxter”, “Moose”, and “Patch”, a horse named “Ginger”, and “donkey”, “Skeeter” the goat, and the 2 sheep “Rammy” and “Little Stuff”.
Missy is multi-talented, serving as both an assistant and occasional receptionist at Prairie. When asked what she likes most about her job, Missy says she “loves working with the animals. I enjoy seeing them from puppyhood thru adulthood and being able to help them thru hard times.”
Nicole Kuchinski
Nicole started with us in 2008. Nicole enjoys treating the sick patients and educating the clients on their pets conditions and some preventative care.
Nicole shares a home with her husband Aaron, her daughter Grace, the two dogs “Sadie” and “ready”, and two cats. Nicole enjoys camping and other outdoor activivities.
Stephanie Cash
Stephanie grew up in Kellogg, Idaho and graduated high school in Priest River. She attended school at North Idaho College. She has been at Prairie since 2003, and has swiftly and successfully worked her way up from kennel attendant to head veterinary technician
Stephanie lives in post falls with her husband, Cody and her two Border Collies, Patrick and Doug. At Prairie, Stephanie enjoys being able to treat the patients, train the staff, and educate the community.
Megan Leonard
Megan joine
d Praire in 2010. She is a graduate of Carrington college veterinary assisting program of 2010. Megan loves animals and she enjoys educating others about pet care. Megan has 2 horses, 3 goats, 1 three-legged cat and a great dane mid. She is a 4-H leader for photography, vet science, dogs, cats and goats. Megan's hobbies include photography, leather craft, horseback riding and hiking.
Amanda Nielsen
Amanda started working for Prairie Animal Hospital in 2008. She attended highschool at Lakeland and spend some time in Reno Nevada growing up. Amanda loves working with the animals and enjoys how everyday is so different. Amanda shares her home in Rathdrum with her husband Mark and their daughter Rylee. They have 3 dogs and 1 cat. Amanda enjoys camping, fourwheeling, horseback riding and spending time with her family.
Cindy Kindler
Cindy started at Prairie Animal Hospital in 2002. She has always loved animals, her love for animals is why she enjoys her job so much. Cindy has worked in the real estate and Alaska fishing industries, but feels her home is here with the animals. In her free time Cindy enjoys gardening and caring for her own pets which consists of 2 dogs, 1 cat, 8 rabbits, 4 red hens and several ferral cats that live near her home.
Kasey Corning
Kasey started with us April of 2008. She started in kennels and has worked her way up to being a technician. Kasey lives in Montana but makes the commute once a week to be here with us. She injoys spending time with her family and pets. Kasey enjoys horseback riding.
Vicki Paul
Vicki stated with our company in the fall of 2001. She has been working in the field of veterinarian medicine since 1993. She has lived in this area for over 30 years. What Vicki enjoys most about her work is seeing the bond between people and their pets as well as the bond between the team of staff members and doctors. Her special interest's are in neonatal care. In her free time she enjoys reading, scrapbooking, four wheeling, camping, and spending time with her family espically her grand-daughter Elleah.Vicki's family consists of her husband, 2 dogs and 6 cats.
Chelsie Roberge
Chelsie was born and raised in north Idaho. She started working in kennels in 2003 while attending North Idaho College. She graduated from the University of Idaho with a bachelors in animal science. Chelsie family consists of her husband, her daughter and her two dogs Sunny and Hank. Chelsie loves every good, bad and furry aspect of her job.
Pam Hushagen
Pam joined our team in may of 1996. She started in the kennels and worked her way up to technician.
RECEPTIONISTS
Linda Hendrickson
Linda has been with Prairie since 2006. Originally from Sebastopol, California, Linda is a busy mom of 6 and has 3 grandkids. She is a published author and artist, and devoted mini-zoo-keeper of 4 dogs, 7 cats, 5 cockatiels, and a bunny that lives in the bathtub.
In addition to keeping up with her work and family, Linda finds time for quilting, gardening, reading, cooking, and even used to do some teaching. She also still does freelance design and painting. Linda is Prairie’s resident artist capturing the love and characterization of our fuzzy patients on greeting cards. Linda’s favorite part of working at Prairie: “I start my day with puppy kisses, kitten purrs, and warm furry hugs”.
Suzanne Lynott
Suzanne joined the Prairie team in 2002. She enjoys working with the clients and their pets. She feels like the staff at Prairie is apart of her extended family. Suzanne grew up as the daughter of a Navy serviceman, traveling frequently and calling many places “home” in her childhood. After living in the Bay Area of California for several years, she then moved to the Coeur d’Alene area. She currently resides in Athol with her husband, Don, and her son, Josh. Suzanne and Don also have a daughter, Stephanie.
Life-long animal lovers, the Lynotts currently have dogs, cats, horses, goats and steers all living together on their 10 acres. In addition to spending a lot of time caring for her animals, Suzanne enjoys camping, horseback riding and spending time with her family. She also enjoys gardening.
Susan Royston
Susan has been a receptionist at Prairie Animal Hospital for 9 years now, but has been working in veterinary medicine for 15 years. She is originally from Kellogg but has also lived in Post Falls and currently resides in Athol.
Susan has been with her husband, Larry for 23 years now. She keeps plenty busy with her 5 dogs (Chavo, Slap-E, Chevy 3X, Brutus and Vienna), 4 cats (Doyl, L.C., Jackson and Bug), and 2 rescued parakeets. In her free time, Susan enjoys fishing and camping, especially up the North Fork river.
When asked what Susan likes the most about Prairie, she says its hard to choose only one thing. She enjoys the fact that, “every day is different!” Susan says, “I enjoy seeing the animals from babies grow to adults, and seeing the sick go home healthy.” She also enjoys the stories that pet owners have to tell, and likes working with the doctors and staff at Prairie.
Tiffanie Thomas
grew up in Texas and Alaska,and then moved to the Coeur d’Alene area when she was a freshman in high school. She joined the Prairie team in 1995. Tiffanie is a busy mom of three girls and wife. In between her work at Prairie and duties as co-leader of her girls’ Girl Scout Troop and 4-H, Tiffanie is an avid reader, enjoys camping, photography, and scrap-booking.
Tiffanie and her family share their home with 5 dogs, 2 cats, 2 parakeet, 2 Guinea pigs, 4 goats, fish and a crab. When asked about her work at Prairie, Tiffanie says “I enjoy working with the compassionate and honest doctors and staff at Prairie and knowing I’m helping people at some of their happiest and saddest moments with their pets.”
ACCOUNTANT
Monica Keough
Monica grew up in Potlatch, Idaho but has been in the Coeur d’Alene area since 1980. She has been a bookkeeper since 1979, and joined the staff at Prairie in September of 2000. Monica devotes a lot of time to her family Jordan, her husband, her two sons, the dog "Worley" and the cat "Nemo". In addition to working and spending as much time as possible with her family, Monica enjoys reading Christian fiction and non-fiction, going to her family’s concerts and sporting events. Monica recently started playing softball again, and says she is “really enjoying the camaraderie and exercise!” Her goals are “to raise healthy, happy children who can give back what they have been given.” She also strives to “stay healthy and live long enough to follow my grandchildren around to their concerts and sporting events!” When asked what she values the most about working at Prairie, Monica says she likes “the variety of responsibilities and the coworkers I have grown to appreciate and love.”
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