MEET DR. NANCY BUCHINSKI

Dr Nancy Buchinski knew as a very young child that she wanted to take care of and work with animals. Growing up Dr Buchinski's family always had pets-dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, turtles. But, this was especially true while her family was living in Louisiana while her father was stationed there in the Army. In that area  it was not at all unusual for pets to be abandoned. These dogs and cats frequently ended up at her family's home. Frequently the females that showed up were unspayed and pregnant. Due to this there was often a litter of kittens as well as a litter of puppies needing care. She often experienced kittens nursing on  dogs and puppies nursing from cats and learned at an early age about the care animals needed and the love they shared. The family would take care for the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens and when ready work to find homes for all of them. This early exposure awakened a wish to work with and help animals and headed Dr Buchinski to vet school at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Georgia.

 Dr Buchinski was born in Kansas while traveling around the world. She loved the Army "brat" lifestyle which gave her lots of chances to both see different places and to meet new people. She attended Clemson University for her undergraduate studies in Zoology before making the move to Athens, Georgia for Veterinary School from where she graduated with her veterinary degree in 1989 with surgical honors. Mountain Park Animal Hospital became her new home right out of school when she joined the previous owners as an associate veterinarian. In 1997 she and her husband Joseph took over as owners of Mountain Park. As both owner and veterinarian at Mountain Park Animal Hospital she stays very busy. Ownership is both a challenge and a source of enjoyment to Dr Buchinski. She loves working up medicine cases and performing surgeries while thriving on getting to know her extended family-the owners and pets that visit her practice. She loves being able to hand out snuggles, hugs and love to her patients while working to keep them healthy and to heal them.

 Her family includes two adult sons, Adam and Alec, who have grown up with the animal hospital being part of their lives.  Of course, love of animals has been passed on to both sons. It is not surprising that the Buchinski home is filled with animals and animal love. When not seeing patients and their owners at the hospital Nancy enjoys both giving and receiving lots of affection from her human children and her four-legged children. Currently the house contains 2 dogs and 3 cats-all of whom get along amazingly well. "Sadie" is a petite, sweet chocolate Labrador-cross who was abandoned at the animal hospital as a scrawny puppy and needed a "forever" home. "Rocky" is a very handsome (and he knows it) Boxer that came to Dr Buchinski as a 2 year old in need of a new family. He loves to try to be a lap dog and give and receive as much love as possible. The cat children include: "Gracie" a foundling that was brought into the hospital and was bottle fed and raised by Alec, and "Little Bit", a black and white cat that is the newest addition as a tiny kitten and still a bit shy.

 When she has free time Dr Buchinski enjoys: cooking, gardening, exercising, reading, needlepoint and spending time with friends and family.

MEET DR. SUSAN LECK 

Dr. Susan Leck was born in New Jersey, grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and moved to the Tucker area in 1983. She graduated from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine Cum Laude in 1991. Since then, she has worked as a small animal veterinarian throughout the metro Atlanta area.

After working here at MPAH for 11 years, she decided to try working in a practice dedicated to helping provide low-cost care for pets who would not receive veterinary services otherwise. This was fulfilling in the short term, but she realized her heart was back here at MPAH with the wonderful doctors, staff, clients, and patients that she has missed in her time away.

She is trilled to be back and looks forward to seeing old faces again and meeting new ones as we all work together to give our furry “kids” a happy and healthy life!

She currently has two fur babies of her own: Sophie, a 3-year-old Maltese, and Piper, a 6-year-old Yorkie whose play button is always in the on position!