Stager-Staats' love for animals becomes her career

Alpacas, cheetahs and bears, oh my! 

The job of a veterinarian is not for the faint of heart, and it’s rarely boring. Though she resides in the Beaver State, Kenzie Stager-Staats was once a Superior Bobcat, and now she’s living out her dream of caring for animals of all kinds.

After graduating in 2015, Stager-Staats left Mineral County and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana. Then she attended Oregon State University for four more years completing medical school. Now she is a doctor of veterinary medicine.

“I think I always wanted to be a vet. There were a few times I thought about being a lawyer or getting into animal training but for the most part I have always prioritized being a veterinarian,” Stager-Staats recalled. “I even remember first looking into veterinary schools when I was in Bryon Quinlan's office and looking at all of the requirements to get in.”

She shared, “I have always found fulfillment in my pets. In high school, I think I was more preoccupied about what the outcome of working with animals would be, such as winning competitions. As I have grown, I am much more passionate about the connection I create.” 

Whether its running with her dog or watching her daughters pack around their family cat like a baby, Stager-Staats has always been drawn to animals. 

She said, “I love playing with my 9-month-old filly and watching her run and buck before coming back to me for attention. It has made my own pets more special to me and has also made my interactions with clients more personal and compassionate.

Stager-Staats works at a mixed animal practice called Parkway Animal Hospital in Roseburg, Oregon. Her patients range from exotics like guinea pigs and parrots all the way up to horses and cows. She also volunteers at a drive through zoo where she interacts with animals like tigers, bison, lions, rhinos, and bears. 

A typical shift for Stager-Staats starts around 8 a.m. with appointments for things like puppy vaccines, euthanasia’s, sick pets, or farm calls in their Vet truck. She explained, “Then on my surgery days I do any spays, neuters, dentals, c-sections, or other surgeries that need done.” 

Twice a month Stager-Staats goes to the zoo to assist with practices like darting animals for medical procedures, doing pregnancy ultrasounds, wellness exams, or training with the animals.

She remembered, “My craziest thing has probably been a cheetah who had a flipped stomach, or gastric dilatation and volvulus, that I got called to do surgery on. The procedure itself isn't too complicated but doing it on a cheetah at 9:00p.m. was crazy and such a fun night.”

Stager-Staats expressed, “The best part is never knowing what I am walking into. A basic wellness exam can turn into a pet who has been sick for weeks, a euthanasia can turn into some simple treatment and a pet going home, surgeries can be routine or anything but. One minute I am working with a kitten, the next I am ultra-sounding a cheetah. There is always a new challenge, a case that is confusing me or just a little puppy to snuggle with. Working through each obstacle and seeing how I grow as a doctor is the best part.” 

Much to her surprise, Stager-Staats has discovered a deep appreciation for what pet owners would consider their worst reason for coming to the Vet, a euthanasia. She articulated, “I find a great sense of pride and fulfillment in being able to end an animal's suffering and also bring my clients a sense of peace. The hardest part is probably knowing an animal is suffering or has a disease and the owner isn't willing to do the recommended treatment. When it is a financial concern, I do what I can and I know my clients are doing their best, but when it is a matter of an owner being in denial or keeping a pet alive because they aren't personally willing to let go, that's when it gets hard.”

Her greatest advice for high school students hard at work back in Mineral County, would be to learn effective study habits. 

Stager-Staats noted, “My biggest challenge in school was trying to find a way to study where I really retained information well. I spent a lot of my first year of vet school experimenting with different methods and I wish I would have figured out sooner what kind of learner I am and what methods work best for me.” 

Her other suggestion, “Would probably be to get into the field early by either being an assistant or volunteering. I had quite a few classmates end up leaving during school just because they didn't actually like it and they hadn't done a lot of shadowing beforehand to see how they felt.”

When she’s not saving the day, by helping sick animals Stager-Staats loves to surf, rock climb, and do triathlons. 

She added, “I also love to read and just recently got a baby horse that I am very excited about. But being a mom takes up a vast majority of my time so that is where most of my non-working hours are spent.”

Down the road, her ideal career path would be to become a reproductive specialist, specifically for zoo animals. 

Stager-Staats revealed, “I have a passion for conservation and endangered species so I would really love to work in captive breeding programs that focus on producing animals that can be reintroduced into native populations of endangered animals.”

    Operating on a Cheetah with a flipped stomach has been one of the most exciting moments as a Vet so far for Stager-Staats. (Photo courtesy/Kenzie Stager-Staats)
  

    A perk of working with animals is always the snuggles, whether it's puppies or alpacas. (Photo courtesy/Kenzie Stager-Staats)