ABOUT US
At West End Animal Hospital, we are passionate about providing exceptional care for your pets. Our team of skilled veterinarians and staff are dedicated to ensuring that your furry friends receive the best possible treatment. Privately owned since 1986, we offer a range of services including wellness exams, vaccinations, diagnostic imaging, surgery, and dental care.
Our state-of-the-art facility includes a surgical suite, in-house pharmacy, and a radiology suite with the latest technology in digital x-ray, ultrasound, and dental x-ray. We have an extensive in-house laboratory that allows important diagnostic tests to be run immediately, rather than the usual 24-48 hour wait associated with off-site labs.
Our clinic sets itself apart from the rest, not only through our quality medicine, but also by our community service. We have a long history of providing discounted medical care and fundraising efforts for rescue groups in Alachua County.
OUR DOCTORS
Dr. Erin Dickerson, a native of Gainesville, began volunteering at West End when she was 15, then worked as a receptionist and later as a veterinary technician. In 2011, Dr. Dickerson graduated with honors from the University of Florida with dual majors in Biology and Animal Sciences, and a minor in Chemistry. She was accepted to the UF College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated with high honors in 2015, and immediately began work at West End as a veterinarian. She is especially interested in internal medicine and surgery.
In 2023, she was given the honor of purchasing the clinic from Dr. Deborah Cottrell and looks forward to continuing and building upon the principles of high quality medicine, compassion, and integrity that the practice was founded upon.
When not at work, Dr. Dickerson enjoys spending time with her husband and friends, and her 3 pets (2 dogs, 1 cat). Her hobbies include running, obstacle course racing, home design, camping, and hiking.
Dr. Erin Dickerson
Dr. Fred Schirmer earned his undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of Florida. He was accepted to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked as a microbiologist until he graduated from vet school in 1988. He has been a crucial part of West End Animal Hospital since 1989.
When not at work, Dr. Schirmer enjoys spending time with his wife (a teacher), nine children, and seven grandchildren, as well as Annie, his ferocious guard dog, and multiple grand-dogs and cats . Together they enjoy Gator football, traveling to the beaches and mountains, and family gatherings at holidays.
Dr. Fred Schirmer
Dr. Claire Stevens grew up in Southern California and graduated with a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior from the University of California, Davis in 1999. She received her DVM degree from UC Davis in 2005. She completed a year-long internship at East Bay Veterinary Specialists in Walnut Creek, CA in 2006 and has since practiced in California, Texas and Colorado doing both emergency medicine and small animal general practice. She particularly enjoys dermatology, internal medicine, and feline medicine. She has been an invaluable part of the West End team since 2012.
Dr. Stevens has been married since 2006 (her husband is also a vet at the University of Florida). They have a human son, who is always at the top of her list of “hobbies”, but she also enjoys cooking, 80’s movies, hiking, veggie gardening, and traveling when she gets the chance.
Dr. Claire Stevens
Dr. Meredith Montgomery grew up in Alachua County and received her undergraduate degrees in Biology and Spanish at Duke University. After college she worked as a biologist and earned her Master of Science in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at University of Florida. She graduated from University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015. After graduation, she completed a rotating internship at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, MA. Since completion of her internship, she has worked in high quality high volume spay neuter, shelter medicine, general practice, and taught veterinary students. She particularly enjoys low stress handling, surgery, shelter medicine, geriatric medicine, and urgent care.
When not at work, Dr. Montgomery enjoys spending time with her husband and two rowdy children, their dogs and geriatric (adorably grumpy) cats. Her hobbies include hiking, traveling, and drinking as much good coffee as possible.
Dr. Meredith Montgomery
Dr. Deborah Cottrell founded West End in 1986. She envisioned a clinic that would not only provide high quality care, but one that would go above and beyond to serve its community as well.
Since its opening day, West End has served the rescue groups of Alachua County with both veterinary care and fundraising efforts. Some notable programs include Poker for Pets, which raised over $40,000 for local rescues, and Operation PitNip, which provided free spay/neuter surgeries for over 1,750 pitbull-type dogs.
Dr. Cottrell also dedicated her career to educating the community about the importance of bats to our ecosystem. She and her husband, Iaon, installed the bat house in front of our clinic, which can hold 20,000 bats.
After a long and successful career, Dr. Cottrell is now retired.
Dr. Deborah Cottrell
ONLINE PHARMACY
MOBILE APP
Download Our Free Pet Portal Mobile App!
With the PetCare by DaySmart Vet mobile app, you can easily:
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Book, confirm, or cancel appointments
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Online booking is available for wellness visits (no medical concerns) or technician visits only (nail trims, boosters with up-to-date annual exam on file, etc). To schedule an appointment for a sick pet, a surgery, or a drop off, please call or text us directly so that we can triage your pet's case and offer the most prompt care
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Appointment requests are checked daily during business hours. Once reviewed, you will receive confirmation of your requested appointment time.
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Pay for appointment deposits and invoices
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Quickly access pet vitals and medical records
To get started, simply download the PetCare app for iPhone or Android, create an account, and select "West End Animal Hospital" as your veterinarian within the app.