Brenda Bouffard grew up in the company of many pets including dogs, cats, rabbits, lizards, mice and gerbils. At an early age, her love for animals was matched only by her love of the sciences. She loved her advanced placement classes in high school sciences. In the large campus of UMASS-Amherst, she found a niche in the Zoology department where she taught beginning biology laboratory. Brenda was torn between working with animals and practicing medicine. Teaching and understanding more about what drives people (psychology), were also enjoyable. Practicing veterinary medicine seemed to be a perfect marriage of science, medicine, animal care, teaching and helping people. Much to the dismay of her pre-medical advisor, Brenda set her goal to get accepted into veterinary school.

Brenda was able to achieve that acceptance from multiple veterinary colleges immediately upon graduating with honors form UMASS-Amherst with a Bachelors of Science degree in Zoology and a minor in psychology. While at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Brenda chose to take large as well as small animal electives to round out her clinical skills and knowledge. Although large animal medicine and surgery were fascinating, her love of companion animal medicine and surgery was first and foremost.

As a veterinary student, Dr. Brenda Bouffard volunteered at an inner city veterinaryclinic designed to reach out to low income pet owners who loved their companions but had little financial ability to care for them. She grew to appreciate the conflict that exists between the strength of that love between owner and pet and the devastating helplessness in not being able to do everything that pet may need due to finances. This experience still impacts on how Dr. Brenda Bouffard interacts with clients and pets today. While treating a pet, she is also helping people attached to that pet. Sometimes this help comes in the form of shared treatment planning. Treatment options are discussed and chosen together with a client based on a client’s goals, abilities and limitations.

Dr. Brenda always tries to maintain a “We can do it!” mentality. Dr. Brenda Bouffard graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995. She has a special interest utilizing ultrasound technology to enhance early detection of disease, which allows timely treatment and better outcomes for many conditions including heart disease, liver and gall bladder disease, kidney and bladder disease to name a few. The foundation of Dr. Bouffard's beliefs are based on honoring the human-animal bond by helping pets to become (and remain) physically and socially healthy and enjoyable members of the family. Dr. Bouffard is a cat and dog owner herself as well as a wife and mother of three wonderful childrens.