Veterinarian
Originally from Michigan, Dr. Vineyard left the Midwest and moved to San Diego to pursue her career in Veterinary Medicine. She has worked in several small animal practices in the San Diego area. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology as well as Animal Science at MSU. Dr. Vineyard is an active member of the American, California, and San Diego Veterinary Medical Associations as well as one of the very few Certified Veterinary Acupuncturists practicing in the San Diego area. She has a special interest in surgery, internal medicine, integrative medicine, chronic pain management and acupuncture.
Her passions include cooking, walking her energetic pups, and rooting for MSU sports teams. In her downtime, you can find her attending as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as possible!
She shares her household with her loving husband, Ben. The house is ruled by Mony (the wise springer/border collie mix), Wiggles (the always in motion Labrador… her name is very fitting), Skid Mark (a very sweet domestic shorthair), and Lucille Bald (a Sphynx that loves to cuddle, but also nibble on your ear).
When asked what her favorite part of her job is, she replied “Being able to share in the bond between pets and their people.”
You naturally want to know whom you’re entrusting with your pet’s care. We love bragging about our incredible team and want you to get to know them better. This month, we’re highlighting Dr. Sarah Vineyard, Colony Veterinary Hospital’s owner and medical director. Dr. Vineyard is also a certified veterinary acupuncturist, with a passion for providing integrative medicine to her patients. We dug a little deeper to get to know the talented veterinarian behind the white coat—check out our interview with Dr. Vineyard.
Question: When did you decide you wanted to become a veterinarian?
Answer: I decided I was going to become a veterinarian at the ripe old age of 4 when I learned that helping animals was an actual adult job. I spent the next several years perfecting my craft of building nests for birds and rescuing abandoned baby bunnies, eventually advancing to volunteering at my local humane society. I made it to the big leagues when I landed my first job as a veterinary assistant at the age of 16, and later continued working at various veterinary hospitals during my undergraduate studies at Michigan State University. Eventually, I left snowy Michigan for sunny California to attend veterinary school at Western University of Health Sciences, graduating with both a veterinary degree and a veterinary acupuncture certification. The rest, as they say, is history.
Q: How did you land at Colony Veterinary Hospital?
A: I’d always wanted to work at a hospital that really understood what an important role pets have in their families, so I could design my care around the many factors that made each pet so special. I love problem-solving and making the most comprehensive and up-to-date care available to my patients. And, I particularly love sharing in the little moments and hijinks that make each pet so loved by their family—like the patient who ate an engagement ring right before the proposal. I’d never found a hospital that truly allowed me to embrace all of these aspects, so I decided to create one myself!
Q: What’s your favorite part about being a veterinarian?
A: Protecting the love our pets bring us is why I do what I do.
Q: Tell us about your pets.
A: I live with my heart dog, Mony, whom I adopted off the El Cajon streets my first year in practice. He is the best combination of sweet and perfect. I also share my home and the covers with a rambunctious Lab named Wiggles who fits her name perfectly. Last, but certainly not least, is a sweet-as-pie kitty, whom I raised as a bottle baby in veterinary school, named Skid Mark—you’ll have to ask me the story behind his name.
Q: Tell us about your human family members.
A: My love for Mony is rivaled only by my love for my husband, Ben, who was my high school sweetheart. He puts up with my long work hours and endless chatter about my most adorable patient of the day with good humor.
Q: What’s something about you that might surprise others?
A: I’m a HUGE Bruce Springsteen fan and travelled alone to New York City to see him on Broadway.
Q: What’s your favorite food?
A: This is where I should say salads, right? Just kidding—I love sushi!
Q: What’s your favorite kind of music?
A: I listen to everything from old-school rap to classic country, but I love classic rock the best.
Q: What’s your favorite kind of movie?
A: I love a good documentary or drama.
Q: What’s your biggest fear?
A: That I’ll run out of hours in the day and not get to learn and do everything I want to.
Q: What’s your favorite hobby?
A: If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. So, ironically, work is my favorite hobby, but I also love to cook.
Q: What would you choose between city life and wide open spaces?
A: I’d say half of each, which is why I love San Diego so much. You can do city things in the morning and be hiking by afternoon.
Q: What would you like to accomplish in the next five years?
A: I’d like to become certified in veterinary chiropractic and rehabilitation.
If your furry pal would benefit from acupuncture or other forms of integrative medicine to help manage their pain and other chronic conditions, Dr. Vineyard is the veterinarian for you. Contact our Colony Veterinary Hospital team to schedule an appointment. And, ask her the meaning behind Skid Mark’s name!