COVER STORY | By M.G. Angulo | Photos by Alisa Murray Photography –
Dr. Michael Moore, Dr. Zachary Clark, Dr. Mark Buvinghausen and Dr. Megan Dunn.
Dr. Michael Moore is a man who understands that pets are more than animals; they are members of the family. They are loved deeply during their lives, rejoiced over and mourned over when they pass, and this special bond is why he and his staff at Foster Creek Veterinary Hospital always take a personal approach to their work.
“I take pride in customer service,” Dr. Moore said. “When people come to my practice, I want them to feel as though they are going to a friend for help. We treat everyone like family because we’re all part of one community. We’re trustworthy and caring. Our medicine is great, but our customer service is excellent.”
Since 2010 Foster Creek Veterinary has stood proudly at 4716 FM 359 in Richmond, but in 2018, the practice will expand, going from a 2,500 square foot facility to a 14,000 square foot facility that will feature all of the same services the hospital has provided, plus a few more.
“I had been practicing in the Sugar Land and Stafford area at a veterinary hospital, which wasn’t called Foster Creek Veterinary Hospital,” said Dr. Moore of his 12 years before moving his practice to Richmond. “Then the historic Schultz store came up for sale, and I knew I wanted to work where I lived. I wanted to take care of pets of my neighbors and friends. Plus, I love the area.”
The new facility, while located on the same property, will be in a completely new building, not the historic Schultz building. Dr. Moore said the decision to close the historic building for a larger one rested solely on Foster Creek Veterinary’s ability to increase its service to customers. The Schultz store will not be torn down, but put up for lease, he stressed.
“There is no doubt the old Schultz store is an important historical landmark in our community,” Dr. Moore said of the building that was built in 1929 and purchased and run by the Schultz family from 1946 through 1994. “Everyone loves the historic building, but when we first opened, we only had one doctor, and now, we have more. In our new clinic, we will have more space to develop a practice that reflects the hub of our community and will better serve our patients.”
Supreme Services
Dr. Michael Moore with Bella.
Foster Creek Veterinary offers a state-of-the-art surgery room that is complete with the highest level of safety procedures and recovery time, incomparable training and experience of the support staff and the best equipment in patient monitoring. Some of that equipment includes the SurgiVet Vital Signs Monitor, which is used in addition to anesthetic monitoring, making the tool ideal for diagnostics such as EKG, blood pressure and measuring blood oxygen saturation. Additional equipment includes a state-of-the-art veterinary Cardell Monitor capable of monitoring EKG, blood pressure and pulse oximetry. Blood pressure monitoring can also be performed during surgical and non-surgical procedures with an extremely accurate Doppler system. To ensure the well-being and successful recovery of all of their patients, Foster Creek Veterinary surgical staff has extensive anesthetic monitoring and surgical case management experience.
“We are a full-service hospital for small animals who require medicine or surgery,” Dr. Moore said. “And if there are conditions out of our scope, or if we need a second opinion, we offer referrals to specialty hospitals. We want what is best for our patients. It is the way we care that sets us apart.
“The clinical aspect is important to medicine and surgery,” Dr. Moore said. “But when you’re letting go of a pet, it’s like letting go of a family member. It is a mourning process that we want to help make easier.”
One of the ways Foster Creek stands out in patient care is when a critical decision has to be made regarding a pet. They consult with patients’ families and discuss important aspects of their pet’s future, including expectations and quality of life in their bereavement room. This room “will have a softer touch that’s not as clinical,” said Dr. Moore. “We can sit on the couch to discuss difficult decisions. This will be the place where we can have tough consultations or let a patient go.”
Foster Creek Veterinary also now offers four full-time doctors and one part-time doctor, one of whom works on reptiles. While the animal hospital and services are growing, the same high-quality services that have always been offered will remain, Dr. Moore stressed. Patients can still expect to have access to vaccinations, dentistry, radiology, surgery, microchipping and the full-service, on-site pharmacy featuring the latest in medication.
Foster Creek Veterinary also offers an in-house laboratory that allows staff to perform laboratory testing, including complete blood counts, serum chemistries and urinalysis, with same day results. And if an animal needs additional comprehensive testing, Foster Creek has access to outside labs.
Dr. Michael Moore.
Dr.Michael Moore and his wife Kim stress the reason Foster Creek Veterinary Hospital has such a strong rapport with the community is because of their own roots to Fort Bend County. Both Dr. Moore and his wife are 1989 graduates of Dulles High School in Sugar Land, were raised in Missouri City and both of them are graduates of Texas A&M.
“When we decided to raise a family, we wanted to return home to Fort Bend County,” shared Dr. Moore.
Dr. Moore is a lifetime member and past board president of the Arc of Fort Bend County, where he has volunteered since he was in high school.
The Moores, along with their two children, live in Richmond near their new 14,000 square foot state-of-the-art Foster Creek Veterinary Hospital location scheduled to open in 2018. For more information, visit www.fostercreekvethospital.com.
Where Every Patient Matters
Dr. Megan Dunn with Ricky.
Patient care. This is a phrase that Dr. Moore considers heavily because given his particular field, he has two types of patients: the pets and their owners. To ensure that both parties are completely confident and satisfied, Foster Creek is adamant about clear communication, understanding each patient on a personal level and making patients as comfortable as possible.
“Patient care is the key to this practice,” said. Dr. Moore. “When it comes to veterinary medicine, there are always so many choices, and it’s important for us to convey to our clients what all of those choices are, from an emotional standpoint to a financial one.”
Dr. Moore knows not every pet is the same. Some pets live in the home and treated like a member of the human family, while other pets live primarily outdoors. There are pets who are solely emotional companions, while others are work animals, so it is important to the Foster Creek Veterinary team to take an individualize approach to each patient.
“When I sit down with a patient, I take in as much information as possible,” Dr. Moore said. “I want to give our clients the best choices for their pets because everyone is different. And that is why we are not a ‘cookbook veterinary hospital.’ There are a lot of different approaches we can take to meet all of our patients’ needs.”
A Love for Community
Devyn Thumann with Coco.
As a native to the area, there was no question that Dr. Moore was going find a way to have Foster Creek Veterinary involved in the local community. Community, he feels, is anchored by individuals, schools, organization and businesses. This is a relationship Dr. Moore both reveres and honors.
“This is where my wife and I live, this is where my kids go to school,” Dr. Moore said of his 15-year-old son Mason, who attends Foster High School, and his 14-year-old daughter Rylee, who attends Briscoe Junior High.
“It is important to me that Foster Creek Veterinary is a strong supporter of the community,” Dr. Moore said. “Especially because when I treat someone’s pet, it’s usually someone I know, like my kid’s teacher, and I love that.”
Foster Creek Veterinary is known for its support of the Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo and Future Farmers of America (FFA). “I really try to support the youth in our community, especially those looking to be in the agricultural industry,” Dr. Moore said. “It’s always been important to my wife and I to give back.”
For more information about Foster Creek Veterinary Hospital, visit www.fostercreekvethospital.com or call 832-363-1227.