Boulder cat parents, you are so fortunate!
I have known Fern Slack, DVM for almost ten years during the time she was practicing in Northern Virginia. In those years, she has not only taken care of all of my cats, but has also become a trusted source for information for articles about care health, nutrition and behavior.
Dr. Slack is an exceptionally gifted feline veterinarian. As a former veterinary hospital manager, I have worked with some of the best in the profession. When I left the practice I managed after eight years to focus on writing full time, I found myself at a loss. I needed to find a new vet for my two cats, and I wasn’t at all sure I was going to find someone who would live up to my admittedly very high expectations. Fern not only lived up to, but considerably exceeded them.
Dr. Slack is a brilliant diagnostician. She has an extraordinary ability to interpret unusual physical findings and lab results. In the years I’ve known Dr. Slack, she has diagnosed conditions that stumped even board certified internal medicine specialists. She combines this ability with the ability to explain her findings to clients in easily understandable ways. Her caring and compassionate bedside manner helps clients sort through the often overwhelming information so they can make decisions for their cats without feeling frightened or pushed beyond their comfort level.
As a certified veterinary journalist, Fern’s expertise and willingness to share her knowledge have been invaluable to me. She has provided quotes for articles published in Cat Fancy Magazine, Animal Wellness Magazine, and has written guest posts for my own website, The Conscious Cat.
Dr. Slack cared for my cat Buckley when she was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy several years ago. With the exception of periodic cardiac ultrasounds performed by a specialist, Dr. Slack helped me make all treatment decisions. I appreciated that she not only guided me through the medical issues, but that she always took into account that Buckley was a difficult to manage cat. Dr. Slack treats each patient as an individual. She also was incredibly compassionate when it came time to let Buckley go. She came to my home, and made what is always a difficult experience one that was filled with peace and compassion.
Dr. Slack’s move to Colorado is a profound loss for Virginia, and I envy all the cat parents in Boulder who will now have this wonderful vet care for their feline family members!