Special interests:

• Internal medicine which focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases affecting a pet’s internal organs.
• Use of ultrasound which uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images and diagnose diseases of the internal organs and deep tissue.
• Challenging and complicated medical problems that “motivate me to continue to learn and improve my skills as a diagnostician and clinician.”
• Alleviating chronic and often unrecognized pain in older and athletic patients. “Orthopedic disease and pain are more common than many think, and helping to identify and treat a pet’s discomfort is very rewarding!”

I knew I wanted to be a vet when:
Although I came from a family of engineers, I knew that was NOT my career path despite parental pressure! I grew up with pets of all kinds, and knew at a young age that veterinary medicine was my calling. Since I can remember, my education and focus were always geared toward becoming a veterinarian. I love science, particularly biology, and most importantly love every kind of animal. My friends made fun of me because I could not kill ants on the sidewalk. (That’s still true today!)

Pets in our lives:
Pets give our lives an incredible enrichment. Our dogs and cats bring us joy and pleasure that is indescribable. It is my job and mission to strengthen and preserve that bond. I can’t think of a better career than that.

Education:
University Of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, 2000.

Personal:
I was born in Colombia and lived in three different countries before moving to the United States. I grew up mostly in Illinois but I am a Badger at heart! I currently share my home with my husband, my dog and my cat. When I’m not working I enjoy playing soccer and scuba diving.

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains un-awakened." Anatole Frank French poet, journalist and novelist

Dr. Jean Huang is a veterinarian with Animal Care Center of Green Valley who treats canine and feline patients and has a special interest in internal medicine and pets with difficult to diagnose illnesses. (She says: “It’s like trying to figure out a puzzle – a 12-sided Rubik’s cube!”) Animal Care Center of Green Valley stresses early disease detection, preventive care and pet quality of life through its eight practice teams: Active Pets & Joint Heath, Early Detection & High Risk, Geriatrics & Arthritis, Allergies & Dermatology, Nutrition, Chronic Conditions, Dentistry & Oral Health and End-of-Life & Hospice.

Pet quality of life:

Ask Dr. Huang what is most on her mind when she treats pets and she will reply, “pain management and implementation of Fear Free practices.” Making sure pain and stress are minimized before, during, and following procedures, and throughout their lifetimes, is not only her responsibility as a veterinarian, but is essential to each pet’s recovery, health, well-being, and quality of life.

Experience / background:

Dr. Huang moved to Arizona to join Animal Care Center of Green Valley after working at veterinary hospitals in northern California. She says she easily gets cold so the desert climate suits her just fine! Though she originally wanted to be a human medical doctor, Dr. Huang switched to veterinary medicine due to her love of animals. She is fascinated by medicine and the complexity and constant growth and change of all living beings. She moved to Dallas with her husband in 2017, but is thrilled to be back in the Southwest and at Animal Care Center in particular.

Education:

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of California / Davis, 2003

Bachelor of Science, with honors, in Animal Science, Cornell University

Languages:

English, Mandarin Chinese and Taiwanese

Personal:

Dr. Huang was born in Taiwan and has lived in Georgia, California, New York and Germany. She says living in different countries has made her more open-minded to other cultures and traditions.

She has two cats and one dog: Cody, a sweet elderly grey tabby; Cleo, a goofy and sometimes clumsy Maine Coon; and BeBe, a lovable Pekingese Dr. Huang adopted from a former client at Animal Care Center. In her spare time, Dr. Huang can be found at the shooting range, hiking, reading thrillers and romance novels, and lectoring at Mass. She loves photography, the outdoors of the lower Sonoran Desert, and exploring new places with her husband, Nirmal.

“Animals don’t live as long as people because it doesn’t take them as long to learn how to live right.”

Dr. Jennifer Martin grew up surrounded by dogs and cats, and never forgot the deep comfort and love she felt from those childhood pets. Working in veterinary medicine simply made sense—Dr. Martin has never wanted to do anything else! She has enjoyed many wonderful years helping pets and their families live happier healthier lives.

Dr. Martin grew up in Southern California and attended the University of California at Davis. She has had to opportunity to practice in many areas on the West Coast, and has owned clinics in Oregon and the San Francisco Bay area. She recently moved to Green Valley to be closer to her parents, who have lived here for many years. She is enjoying discovering desert living!

In addition to conventional Western medicine, Dr. Martin has studied traditional Chinese veterinary medicine (“TCVM”) at the Chi University (formerly the Chi Institute) in Florida. She is passionate about integrative medicine including incorporating acupuncture into Western treatment plans. Dr. Martin also enjoys geriatric care, and using Fear-Free techniques to help fearful or anxious pets have a better experience in the clinic. Above all, she likes to know that she’s making a lasting difference in the lives of pets and their families!

Dr. Martin has two adult children, Marlena and Mick, as well as three wonderful step-children, Claire, Guillaume, and Julien. She and her husband, Francis, share their home with several pets: Felix, a slightly neurotic Terrier mix, a charming retired clinic cat named Miss Gruntle, and Bun Bun the rescued rabbit. In her spare time, Dr. Martin enjoys cooking, relaxing with a good book, swimming, and practicing yoga.

I believe my patients should live their best lives, as comfortably and pain free as possible. To support this purpose, I think preventative medicine is key.

It allows for early detection of changes consistent with disease which improves the chances that treatment will be successful.

My two biggest passions, when it comes to veterinary medicine, are internal and alternative medicine. I like to bring together western and eastern medical philosophies and practices to offer the best options for my patients and their humans.

I am a certified veterinary acupuncturist (CVMA), and in the future I would like to expand my knowledge in botanical medicine.

Dr. Pedley graduated from Colorado State University in 2004 and came back to Tucson in 2013. She was born in Colombia, and moved to the states when she was a teenager to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

The pets in my daily life are three crazy cats (that keep me on my toes), and one Cocker Spaniel.

Recently I read this quote that reminded me of how important pets are in our lives:

“Pets are humanizing. They remind us we have an obligation and responsibility to preserve and nurture and care for all life.” — James Cromwell

Special interests:

• Surgery in all forms from soft tissue to oral surgery to orthopedic procedures “are my true love”. “I have been very fortunate to have been able to perform these procedures for our clients as well as clients referred from other veterinarians.”
• Use of ultrasound which uses high-frequency sound waves to capture images and diagnose diseases of the internal organs and deep tissue. “I enjoy using ultrasound, which is an effective and marvelous tool, to figure out more advanced and complicated cases.”
• Educating clients about their pet’s health. “I enjoy having the time to spend with clients and educate them about physiology anatomy and medicine so that together we can solve their pet’s problems together.”
• Understanding and sharing knowledge of pain management. “has been a focus of my career.”

I knew I wanted to be a vet when:
From the time I was around 11 years old, I knew that this was the career for me. My best friend’s dad was a veterinarian and I started out by helping him on his rounds of the farms in our area. I would work for him on weekends and school breaks because I was fascinated by the animal world. I loved fixing the broken animals!

Pets in our lives:
A recent well controlled study done at Mayo Clinic determined that the presence of a pet in the home was a significant factor in increased success and survival in cancer and transplant patients. So science has confirmed what all of us pet people suspect: pets make our lives better and longer! I am honored to have the opportunity to help them help us.

Education:
University of Minnesota 1986 (Top 10)

Personal:
I was raised in Green Bay Wisconsin but was tired of the cold and the grey so I moved to Arizona in 1986. I joined the Animal Care Center team in 1993, became a partner in 1996 and was owner from 2004 through 2017. During my free time I enjoy golf, ATV riding, and water skiing. I spend a large number of weekends supporting my wife’s passion. She is a professional barrel racer and trainer. We share our home with our dogs Molly , Pearl, and Stevie, the cat, along with a herd of horses.

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." Immanual Kant German Philosopher

In memory of our Friend and Colleague. You will be missed.

Special interests:

•Tailoring of modern anesthesia techniques to provide confidence in performing high quality care with good outcomes for patients of all ages. It should no longer be in our collective dialogue that a dog or a cat is ‘too old’ for anesthesia.

•Dental care as part of total patient care. Animals use their mouths for so much of their day-to-day tasks. The pathologies our dogs and cats have vary a lot from the human experience. There are challenges in both prevention and in-hospital treatment to assuring well-being for the pet to have a comfortable and all executive function possible for the mouth.

•The application of Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine for general practice. Research and release of new health related information is on-going and can be confusing. I take interest in going past the headlines to see how confident we can be in the care we provide in getting us true answers in diagnosis and disease resolution or success in disease management.

I knew I wanted to be a vet when:

I had early exposure to veterinary medicine through my Uncle who had a practice in Ohio. I stayed focused on the path to becoming a veterinarian. I have a curiosity and passion for learning about our world and am humbled by how domestic animals let us share in theirs and respond to our medical care.

Pets in our lives:

Pets teach us so many valuable lessons about being human. Pets are a resource of companionship that dates to prior to recorded history. There is a co-evolution which continues to be demonstrated in behavior studies and genetic studies year after year.

Education:

Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 2001.

Washington State University, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Internship, 2001-2002.

Personal:

I grew up in the motor city, Detroit, MI. My curiosity about the biological world has me ever-learning. I have companionship of family, dogs and cats. I also get the joy of living with and learning from Guinea Pigs and Chameleons. Outside of veterinary medicine I embrace the Arizona landscape for recreation opportunities on foot, the roads on two wheels 🚴🏼, and the skies for adventure. I continue to aspire to desert gardening; learning from and committing to practices that bring edibles and ecology to the backyard.