Jill M. Patt, D.V.M.,

Alta Mesa Animal Hospital Medical Director

In May of 2000, after returning to her home town in the Valley of the Sun, Dr. Patt began practicing at our hospital and is our hospital’s medical director.  Throughout her life, her home has been filled to overflowing with “little critters” of all types. She has a true love of animals and as long as she could remember she wished to become a veterinarian and worked towards that goal. She was fortunate enough to attend WSU where she completed her bachelors in Veterinary Science, graduating Magna Cum Laude.  She also obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from WSU where she was a member of the Veterinary Honors Society of Phi Zeta and again graduated Magna Cum Laude.

The primary focus while obtaining her DVM was small and exotic animals. The term “small animals” in veterinary medicine is used to refer to dogs and cats. While the term “exotic animals” indicates birds, reptiles, rabbits, ferrets, rodents, and other “unusual” pets. Because she has kept, shown, raised and basically spent her life with all of the above types of animals she felt that this “non-traditional” species tract was the perfect choice for her. Her ultimate goal in the practice of veterinary medicine is to provide her furry, feathered, or scaly patients with the care and attention their guardians would expect for themselves.

Dr. Patt is actively involved in education and has taught animal nursing and clinical pathology in the Mesa Community College Veterinary Technician Program as well as being involved in the Community Education program within the college.  This affiliation allows our hospital to bring programs such as “Pet First Aid” to our clients.

Additionally, Dr. Patt has authored a web site devoted to small and exotic pet care which can be viewed at: www.littlecrittersvet.com.  Her web site includes extensive educational information in addition to a large photo gallery. We are utilizing her web site for our exotic pages and our photo album.  We invite you to tour our pages.

Her critters are all valued family members and include a zoo of sorts including her three dogs; Lily a Pomeranian, Ella a cavalier king charles spaniel and Huey a boxer – the baby.  She has several cats and birds mostly rescued including her 25yr old Cockatoo Ditto (shown) and her 17 year old cat Sadie (shown) who has one eye, few teeth and is a total of 4 lbs of all love.  She also has an assortment of reptiles and other critters including box turtles, desert tortoises, lizards and others.  She has a deep understanding and empathy of the human-animal bond and the enrichment our pets provide to our lives.

Andrea Swisher, D.V.M.

Associate Veterinarian, Alta Mesa Animal Hospital

Born and raised in the Valley of the Sun. She attended Arizona State University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She then went on to spend four years in the Pacific Northwest where she attended Oregon State University and received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. While in vet school, she stayed active in many clubs and received several academic and non-academic honors.  Deciding to become a veterinarian was a life altering decision as it granted her the ability to fuse her passion for animals with the knowledge, skills, and ability to treat them medically. Her professional interests include surgery and internal medicine, and her passion lies in pain management.  She is devoted to her responsibility to grow and learn continually as new knowledge is discovered in the field of veterinary medicine. The love of her life is a Great Dane she rescued in vet school named Gabby who keeps her very busy. She also has a cat named Pumpkin that found her way to her porch and her heart while she was in Oregon  and a yellow lab named Penelope that was a rescued parvo puppy and now the baby of the family. In her free time, she enjoys staying active by running, hiking, swimming, or taking Gabby & Penelope to the dog park. She also enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, watching movies, or just relaxing at home.  She is very close to her family and enjoys spending time with them.