About Us

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     Dr. Laura Kretchmer is a published, internship trained emergency medicine veterinarian. In 2001,  she earned a B.A. in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. During her undergraduate education, Dr. Kretchmer completed an internship as a large animal caretaker at a wildlife refuge for exotic big cats. During her senior year of undergrad, she performed research investigating the role of captive breeding in mammalian conservation at several zoological parks. After obtaining her bachelors degree, Dr. Kretchmer worked as a veterinary technician in both general and emergency practices for several years before moving on to work at the University of Maryland Medical School Teaching Facility in Baltimore, Maryland.  While at the University of Maryland, she worked in Obesity and Diabetes research for two years prior to vet school where she was acknowledged in several published scientific journals.

Dr. Kretchmer then attended the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. During vet school, she completed a Fellowship in Epidemiology with the University of Maryland where she performed a personal research project investigating a Salmonella DT104 Outbreak in a Quarantined Population of Australian Finches. She presented her research during a National Wildlife Rehabilitators Conference. During her senior year externships, Dr. Kretchmer spent time practicing zoological medicine at several large zoological parks including the The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and the Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia. She presented her personal research project to the Veterinary Medical Team at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo investigating various anesthetic protocols in non-human primates, as well as, giving updated recommendations for anesthetic protocols based on the most recent scientific research. Dr. Kretchmer then completed externships in pathology at The Brooksfield Zoo, The Shed Aquarium, and The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Her personal research project in pathology, investigated common reproductive disorders of non-human primates. This project was then presented to the Pathology Team responsible for the three zoological facilities. Also, during her senior year, Dr. Kretchmer completed a governmental administrative policy rotation at the Food and Drug Administration in Rockville, Maryland. In 2008, she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. 

In 2009, Dr. Kretchmer completed an intense, year-long Emergency and Small Animal Medicine rotating internship at Anne Arundel Veterinary Emergency Clinic in Annapolis, Maryland. Between 2009 and 2020, Dr. Kretchmer worked almost exclusively in small animal emergency and specialty hospitals while also providing occasional relief services in general medical practices. Between 2016 and 2018 she volunteered with several veterinary cardiology groups in the region. In 2018, her additional knowledge gained with the cardiologists led her to publish an article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association titled ECG of the month in a patient with atrial flutter. Dr. Kretchmer’s current veterinary medicine interests include emergency medicine, cardiology, and veterinary ultrasound.

Most recently, Dr. Kretchmer realized the need for the community to have an alternative option for exceptional and experienced veterinary medical care for their pets when their primary care veterinarian is unavailable. In December of 2020, Dr. Kretchmer opened the doors of Urgent VET Care to the community. She loves working with the talented referring veterinarians in the area, the dedicated community of pet parents, the loveable patients she treats, and the exceptional and experienced team she has built at Urgent VET Care. 

 Dr. Heather Preston joined Urgent VET Care in the summer of 2021. She completed her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, earning a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science with a pre-veterinary concentration. She then moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend the Ohio State University for veterinary school. After graduation, she worked in small animal general practice for eight years before joining our hospital. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, staying active, and spending time with family and friends.

    Dr. Danielle Allen joined Urgent VET Care in January of 2022 as an internship-trained emergency and critical care veterinarian. She completed her undergraduate degree from Bridgewater College in 2007, earning a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a pre-veterinary concentration. During her final year in undergraduate studies, Dr. Allen completed an internship with Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences working closely with veterinarians in a regional health laboratory. She then completed her DVM from Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 with a focus in small animal medicine and surgery. 

     After graduation, Dr. Allen worked as a small animal general practitioner in Virginia and Maryland for five years prior to completion of a year-long focused emergency and critical care internship at an emergency and specialty hospital near Baltimore, Maryland. Following her internship, Dr. Allen stayed on working as a Staff Veterinarian, practicing emergency and critical care medicine at the emergency and specialty hospital for an additional year. Between 2019-2022, Dr. Allen transferred back to general practice in Bel Air, Maryland while providing occasional relief services for local veterinary emergency hospitals. When not working, Dr. Allen enjoys spending time with her husband and children visiting amusement parks and zoos.