Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 20

Georgians AT WORK By H.M. Cauley
Meet Chanda
Thompson,
large-animal vet
C
handa Thompson's mom was the first to realize that
her daughter, at just 8 years old, was destined to be a
veterinarian.
She recognized this after a bone-chillingly cold night at
the family's horse farm in Barnesville. A new foal had lost its
mother, so Thompson did what any big-hearted animal lover
might do.
" I brought it into the house, " Thompson says. " My mom
woke up on Saturday morning to find me and the baby foal
watching cartoons in the living room. That's when she knew I
was going to be a vet. "
As a teenager, Thompson showed halter horses, which
involves leading the horse by the reins, rather than riding. She
and her sister also barrel-raced, taking horses through quick
turns at high speeds. But she gave up those pastimes to pursue
her mom's prediction.
" I had to pick between school and studies or horse shows
every weekend, " she says.
After graduating from Lamar County High School in
Barnesville, Thompson headed to Auburn University in Auburn,
Ala., for a biology degree and then on to Tuskegee University in
Tuskegee, Ala., for veterinary school.
She finished in 2010 and returned to Barnesville to work in
area clinics. Five years later, she was ready to be her own boss.
" I took my husband's truck, bought a trailer to put all my
vet stuff in and started traveling up and down the road, " she
says. " I made house calls for animals large and small. "
As the practice grew, she found a vacant lot and got
permission to use it as a regular meeting place.
" Just me and the vet tech, we'd be there at 9 in the
morning, and people would bring their animals for checkups or
to get medicine, " she says. " In the afternoons, I'd do house
or farm calls. "
In December 2016, Thompson and her husband, Chad,
were raising their 17-month-old when she learned she was
pregnant with twins. It was time to set up a permanent shop
with an associate and relief vets.
" I always thought I'd be an all-equine vet, but it turns out
I'm more of a mixed-animal one, " she says. " I get to see
everything: goats, cows, chickens, dogs, cats, pigs. We do a lot
of cow work, and I have a livestock barn so they can come to
us. We've seen a 50-pound tortoise. At some point I do want to
write a book about all the fun and crazy things I've seen as a
veterinarian. "
One of Thompson's favorite anecdotes took place several
20 Georgia Magazine October 2024
Chanda Thompson, owner of Thompson Veterinary Services in
Barnesville, tends to a mother goat and her babies. Thompson had
planned to be an all-equine vet but now is " more of a mixed-animal
one, " including many farm animals.
years ago after the holidays, when she received an urgent call
from a dog owner. She went to the house and found the animal
on its side in serious distress. Thompson took the pet to the
clinic and ran tests that showed a distended stomach.
" I induced vomiting and noticed a very fermented smell, so
I called the owner to see if they had any idea of what she might
have eaten, " she says.
Turns out the owner had cleaned out the fridge of holiday
leftovers, including eggnog.
" I realized my patient was drunk, " she says. " I hooked her
up to IV fluids, and the next morning she was totally fine. We
had a good laugh over that. "
Thompson also takes her love of animals home, where she
has cows, 10 horses, six dogs, two goats and three cats-one for
each daughter.
" We ride [horses] for fun now, " she says. " That's the best
part of this job; it's been a lot of fun. "
H.M. Cauley is a freelance writer from Atlanta.
COURTESY CHANDA THOMPSON

Georgia Magazine - October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - October 2024

Contents
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - Intro
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - Cover1
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - Cover2
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - Contents
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 4
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 5
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 6
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 7
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 8
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Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - 38
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - Cover3
Georgia Magazine - October 2024 - Cover4
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