Dr. Kate Wissel
Medical Director
Dr. Kate Wissel joined the team at Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital in 2012 after spending six years working as an emergency veterinarian at the Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital in Woburn, MA. Originally from New York, Dr. Wissel decided she wanted to become a veterinarian in the first grade, shortly after abandoning her dream of becoming an olympic dolphin rider. She spent many of her early years working on a family farm in Vermont, riding horses, and working as a veterinary assistant. Dr. Wissel began her formal education at Colgate University earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with honors. After graduation, Dr. Wissel worked on wildlife research projects in South America and Africa before spending time assisting with wildlife rehabilitation in Guatemala. She then began working toward her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, where she developed a special interest in soft tissue surgery and anesthesia and spent countless hours volunteering for low-cost clinics on Native Nations and in Central America. After graduating with her DVM, Dr. Wissel completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Services in Rochester New York, where she developed a love of emergency medicine and critical care. After completing her internship, Dr. Wissel pursued these interests during her years as an emergency veterinarian at MVRH, meanwhile further developing her longtime interests in soft tissue surgery and high-risk anesthesia. During this time, she also continued to travel as a veterinarian with the Humane Society, providing much-needed services to underserved communities around the world.
Dr. Wissel made the career change to general practice in 2012 in hopes of developing a closer relationship with her patients and clients, and she has not been disappointed. Her professional interests include soft tissue surgery, high-risk anesthesia, pain management, urgent care, endoscopy and getting new pet owners off to a good start with their pets. She continues to volunteer for various international and domestic veterinary groups, and loves speaking to students about wildlife and veterinary medicine. During her free time, Dr. Wissel and her husband are busy chasing after their two children, one dog, two cats, five fish and four chickens. Occasionally she finds time to rock climb, run (slowly), ski, travel, and continually move plants around her garden.
