DVM
Dr. Dorton attended Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2003. Once she graduated, she stayed on to assist teaching senior students' technical skills and to support a recently acquired criticalist to the intensive care unit.
She and her family relocated to Georgia in 2004 in order for her husband; Bret, to pursue his education and career. Her career in Georgia has included working as a Chief of Staff in a corporate setting as well as in private practice.
Dr. Dorton prides herself on treating her patients as if they are her own and partnering with patient owners to offer the best care possible for their fur babies. Her areas of special interest include Dermatology, Endocrinology, and Behavior.
Can you share your career journey in veterinary medicine?
Hi, I'm Jennifer Dorton. I'm an associate veterinarian here at Cumming Veterinary Clinic. I graduated in 2003, and we moved from Iowa to Georgia for a small animal practice so my husband could go to school here. From there, I went into a larger, more corporate setting and worked up to a chief of staff position. I was there for about seven years, then decided to go back to small animal practice, where I stayed for about four years. I came over here about eight years ago because of the technology and the growth opportunities available.
Have you always had a strong connection to animals?
I've always had an affinity for animals, and people don't believe it, but it's in my baby book that I can't leave pets alone. I always had to have one. I have six Pekingese, six cats, and four rats. The six Pekingese are named after a popular boy band and their manager.
What do you love most about being a veterinarian?
My favorite part of the job is not just the pets. I enjoy the clients that come with them and how attached they are. I enjoy treating them like I would my own and am not afraid to get on the floor with those pets to make them more comfortable. An example of why I enjoy what I do so much is Bozo, a patient I have here today. I have taken care of Bozo for many years, and he has followed me to this location. He's now an older soul, and we had to remove several masses from him, which was very scary for his pet parent. I knew he was stressed when he dropped the dog off, but he's much happier and very thankful that he brought Bozo to us.
What do you enjoy about working at this clinic?
The best part of working here is the team that we have. We have an outstanding nurse team that I could not do without. They are trustworthy and have great instincts. The other advantage of being here is the technology provided for us to make our job easier surgically, medically, and even during physical exams.
What certifications or professional roles are you involved in?
I am part of the AHA, which is a certification for the best standards in veterinary medicine that we have here. I'm also involved with the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association. The role I'm probably most proud of is what I call a domestic engineer. I have to take care of home as well as I do here.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my family. I have all three of my kids living at home with me now, adult children, as well as a one-year-old grandchild. I enjoy spending so much time with them.
How do you approach working with pet parents?
My goal in working with our pet parents is to include them in the processes we have to do for their pet. We can offer the appropriate recommendations in terms of diagnostics, vaccines, or preventions, but we have to keep in mind that they are part of our team. That is their fur baby, and sometimes they don't have the means or ability to do things at a certain time. I feel my job is to make them comfortable with what they can do and find a path we can work on to give their fur baby the best life possible.
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