Makayla Balogh DVM

“Like many, my love for animals first sparked from my family and my own childhood pets. My dreams for what I wanted to be when I “grew up” always inevitably revolved around becoming a veterinarian. Later on, I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to study abroad as a youth exchange student with Rotary International at the age of 16. After being placed with a French host family with two veterinarians as host parents, I gained my first true insight into the profession through spending many afternoons after school observing in their small animal practice. I was instantly hooked and knew this truly was the profession for me. Upon returning home to the United States, I committed to taking my own first steps in the profession of veterinary medicine through a high school internship at a small animal general practice. Being able to witness and promote the human-animal bond continues to draw me forward each day in this career.

As my interests in surgery began while working in small animal clinics as a veterinary technician, I actively sought out as much extra surgical experience as possible during veterinary school. I then spent my first two years post-graduation from veterinary school in mixed species general practice in Montana. Through my work at this rural practice, my passion for surgery continued to grow through my daily interactions with patients and their owners. Seeing the profound positive impact in quality of life surgery may have for both pets and their families alike helped further shape my career goals into pursuing surgery as a specialty.”