Providing Quality Healthcare for Animals of All Kinds

Pet People - Doctors Bill Niederee, Jerry Shrader, and Sandi Hayek are pictured with the rest of Countryside Veterinary Hospital's full-time staff. "It takes a lot of us to keep the clinic running smoothly," Dr. Niederee says. "We are lucky to have such good people in every aspect of our operation."

Everyone knows the feeling. The day ahead is full – meetings, reports, conference calls, deadlines. But most of us can take comfort in knowing that we will not be asked to remove a couple of sticks clogging the rear end of a 4-and-a-half-foot iguana.

Bill Niederee, DVM, doesn’t enjoy the same comfort. Niederee is owner of Countryside Veterinary Associates, 2900 N. Main, where he practices with Jerry Schrader, DVM, and Sandi Hayek, DVM.

While the surgery to remove the bowel obstruction from the big iguana is just part of a vet’s life, it is a bit out of the ordinary. An ordinary day could involve neutering a kitten, fixing a dog’s broken leg, treating an injured horse or tending to a momma cow in trouble on the farm.

The full-service veterinary clinic provides surgery, dental care, medicine, supplies, boarding and grooming. It also has up-to-date equipment for in-house diagnostics such as a blood chemistry machine, ultrasound and radiography.

Large Animal Care - Dr. Hayek assists Dr. Niederee with the treatment of a one-ton bull. "Large patients like this require extra precautions. We always like to have two set of hands."

From the large animal to the family pet, “we can do it all,” Niederee said, noting that some specialty cases are referred to Kansas State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. “I go to farms and may have to rope a cow so she doesn’t run away. We tie her to the pickup and fix the prolapse, for example. I can do a C-section out of the back of my truck.

“In the clinic here, we walk boarded dogs on leashes at least twice a day,” Niederee continued, commenting on the range of services. “It gives them the human contact and also helps maintain the potty training like at home. Not all clinics provide this service. Most let dogs out in turnout pens.”

While each of the Countryside vets handles a variety of circumstances, Niederee tends to most of the large animals. The clinic hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday; its territory covers a 30-mile radius and emergency on-call services are provided 24/7.

A Long History - The clinic that now houses Countryside Veterinary Hospital has been around for a very long time. Originally housing Reynolds Veterinary Clinic, the building has gone through a series of additions to become what it is today.

The business began as Reynolds Veterinary Hospital and was owned by Jay Reynolds, DVM. Originally, Reynolds worked in a garage near 10th and Williams; he built the current North Main location, which opened in 1947.

“There have been several additions over the years,” Niederee said. “Dr. Reynolds sold it to Jerry Schrader in 1959; Jerry had worked for him for a few years. I bought it from Jerry in 1994. Virtually all the vets in town have worked here at one time or another.”

In addition to the veterinarians, Countryside has five full-time employees – a groomer, receptionist, secretary, veterinary assistant and kennel supervisor. Five part-timers help with a variety of duties.

Routine Care - (above) A patient at Countryside Veterinary Hospital receives a haircut from a member of the staff. (below) Another patient receives routine vaccinations from new vet Sandi Hayek.

“We are fortunate to have good people in these jobs,” Niederee said. “This can be very emotional and stressful, and also happy and sad. It is not just sitting at a desk. You may have to keep a couple of dogs apart or a cat from clawing somebody’s shirt.

“We had 35 applications for the receptionist job recently,” Niederee noted. “We never have fewer than 25. That’s huge. But this is not a job where you sit around and pet the animals all day. Just answering the phone can be a challenge.”

The clinic is busy throughout the day, but there are mad rushes at 8 a.m., noon and 5 p.m. “As much as you may love the animals, you also have to connect with the people,” Niederee said. “It takes a special person to wear both hats.”

Schrader has 53 years of experience and Niederee 22. Hayek, a recent graduate, rounds out the team with her knowledge of the most up-to-date information. Niederee graduated from K-State in 1989 and spent a couple of years in practice at Scott City before returning to his hometown. He worked with Dr. Jerry Weil at Animal Medical Center from 1991-94.

Schrader, another Great Bend native, graduated from K-State in 1957. He practiced in Iowa and Arkansas for a few years before returning to Great Bend. Hayek grew up on a farm south of Friend, Neb., and graduated from Iowa State University this year.

“It is a big plus having Sandi here,” Niederee said. “She has fresh access to knowledge, and information about the latest treatments, equipment and methods. This lets us really take care of the clients at a comfortable level.

Doctor at Work - Doctor Shrader operates on small domestic animals being spayed. "Having your pets spayed and neutered is always a good idea," Dr. Niederee says. "It hels with the animal's behavior, it keeps the pet population under control, and the procedure takes only a few minutes."

“And we have two surgery tables, which is more efficient,” he added. “We always do surgeries in the morning so the animals have all day to wake up from anesthesia.”

All three veterinarians share the same philosophy. “We never want to turn any pet away even if the owner cannot pay at the moment,” Niederee explained. “We are happy to set up an installment plan. The pet will be seen by one of us. If they come in the door, I’m going to do the best I can with the knowledge I have. All we ask is that people communicate with us. Just call me if you are having a problem.”

The philosophy seems to be working. Countryside has thousands of patrons, many of them generations of the same family. (When he was a kid, Niederee used to take his hunting dog to Countryside.)

“We do get attached to the animals,” Niederee remarked. “We get used to seeing them. My kids even know the names of people’s pets. They help walk dogs, water the animals. It’s just the life of a vet’s kids.”

Extra Attention - Caring for large animals such as bovine, livestock, and horses is a big part of what the veterinarians at Countryside Veterinary Hospital do. A large system of pens and hydraulic lead systems allow the doctors to safely treat large animals in the back of the clinic.

House calls also are part of the business, and in some cases, the vets would prefer to be at a family’s home. If an animal has to be put to sleep, “we can spend more time and be more compassionate at their home, instead of here when other clients are waiting. It is quieter and less stressful at their home.”

In addition, when a family is faced with having no one to care for their pets during an emergency, Countryside will pick up the animals and take them to the clinic. “That’s maybe not done in the big cities, but that’s what we do here,” Niederee said.

While Niederee and everyone else at Countryside loves animals, there have been times when the critters are not so loveable.

“I have had mostly small lacerations or bites,” Niederee said. “But I have also been knocked out, kicked in the head. One time, a Doberman had all four canine teeth in my arm. I couldn’t pull away because that would have made it worse. I had to wait for help to pull his jaws apart. I am cautious; if I get hurt, I can’t work.”

Countryside Now Offers Online Shopping

Countryside Vet customers can make life easier on themselves by shopping online. Dr. Bill Niederee notes that animal lovers can save a trip and enjoy competitive prices by visiting www.countrysidevetgb.com.

“We work with our distributors and hope more people will shop online,” Niederee said. “They can place an order and it will be delivered to their home. If a prescription is involved, we are available to give approval.”

Products include carriers and kennels; collars and leashes; supplies for dental, dietary, ear and eye concerns; toys; nutritional supplements; and over-the-counter medications.