Lake Emma Animal Hospital

by Jill Duff-Hoppes

Over the past year, Lake Emma Animal Hospital’s proactive leadership has hired two more veterinarians to meet increased demand for pet care – which has been one of the byproducts of the pandemic.

The newest additions to the hospital are Dr. Elizabeth Wilder, who joined the team in February 2021, followed by Dr. Eric Lesmes, who came on board in October.

Dr. Nichole Crainick, the hospital’s medical director, and Jen Grefenhaus, the practice manager, attribute the surge in demand for veterinary services to two pandemic-related factors.

First, many families have adopted dogs and cats during the ongoing COVID crisis. Second, more people have also worked from home over the past two years, which has put them in close quarters with their pets for longer periods of time. In turn, that has meant more opportunities for folks to notice health and behavioral changes in their pets. All of which has translated to a bigger workload for the caring staff at Lake Emma Animal Hospital.

The arrival of Dr. Lesmes and Dr. Wilder couldn’t have come at a better time, and not just because of the pandemic. One of the hospital’s other veterinarians, Dr. Caroline Hecker, is on maternity leave, so the extra help has been especially valuable.

“They’ve both been great additions to the team,” Jen says. “We needed more appointment availability to take care of the community and keep up with the demand.”

Irwin-inspired

Both Dr. Lesmes and Dr. Wilder knew from an early age they wanted a career caring for animals.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Lesmes has lived in Central Florida since he was a toddler. His family settled in Lake Mary when he was 12 years old, and by then, he had a keen interest in animals. That was thanks in large part to the television show The Crocodile Hunter starring    Steve Irwin, the late Australian zookeeper and wildlife expert.

“I was obsessed – that’s all I would watch,” laughs Dr. Lesmes, who lives in Lake Mary with his wife, their son, a dog, and three cats. “I was the kid who was catching snakes in the neighborhood and showing them to everybody.”

Dr. Lesmes earned a biology degree at Rollins College and his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Midwestern University in Phoenix, Arizona, graduating in 2020. To him, Lake Emma Animal Hospital stands out because of its quality of medicine, training, professionalism, and communication.

“Lake Emma Animal Hospital has a good reputation in the community,” Dr. Lesmes says. “Our clients trust us and are loyal. One of my favorite parts of the job is meeting all the clients and connecting with them.”

Seeing Is Believing 

Dr. Wilder, a native of North Carolina, agrees with her colleague’s assessment.

“Lake Emma Animal Hospital doesn’t cut corners on taking care of the pets,” she says, “and that makes me feel better about the care I’m able to provide. The clients here are very, very dedicated to their animals, and it makes me want to work harder to take good care of them.”

Dr. Wilder has a vivid childhood memory that practically guaranteed she was destined to be a veterinarian. When she was in fifth grade, her hometown vet allowed the curious youngster to watch her family’s dog being spayed.

“I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” she says. “Since then, I’ve always said I wanted to do that, too.”

Dr. Wilder earned a biology degree at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, graduating in 2019. She is married with two stepchildren, four cats, and a horse who lives with her parents in North Carolina.

Dr. Wilder and Dr. Lesmes aren’t the only newcomers to Lake Emma Animal Hospital. The practice has also added veterinary nurses, veterinary nurse assistants, client support liaisons, and animal care technicians to ensure that clients get the appointments and services their pets need.

The hospital currently has more than 50 team members, which is in stark contrast to its early years. Dr. John Dee started the practice in 1989 with just three people – including himself.

“Anytime you hire doctors, you have to hire support staff, and we’ve hired throughout the hospital,” Jen says. “This is the biggest our staff has ever been.”

To learn more about the practice, visit LakeEmmaAnimalHospital.com.