NO BITE: New veterinarian opens shop

Talk about a total transformation.

Last year, the building at 101 Twilight Trail — between the donut shop and the new EMS station — was Texan Car Care. It had been there for decades and, well, it looked like a garage with oily hydraulic lifts, broken-down, disassembled vehicles and tools scattered all over the place.

Today, that same building is home to the shiny, new Apollo Veterinary, a spacious, modern office with a welcoming waiting area, numerous private exam rooms and state-ofthe-art equipment.

The expansive glass front of the clinic actually used to be the bay doors of the garage.

Apollo Veterinary is the dream of Dr. Mike Walker, a 2017 graduate of Texas A&M who worked double shifts at clinics in the Austin-area for years while he saved to open his hospital in Wimberley.

“I always loved Wimberley,” says Dr. Walker—“Just call me Mike.” “I didn’t want to be just another storefront in Austin. Now I can go into H-E-B and see my clients.”

Apollo Veterinary is named after his grandfather

Apollo Belvedere Walker. “Isn’t that the greatest name?” Mike asks. There’s another Apollo in the picture, Mike’s nine-year-old border collie who often roams around the office like he owns the place.

Dr. Mike expected the Apollo clinic to open in April of this year so in February he quit his other jobs to concentrate on Wimberley. As often happens in these strange times, there was delay after delay and he ended up opening in mid-September.

Open concept Mike brings what he calls an “open concept” to veterinary care. “First and foremost is transparency,” he says. “We want you to be involved in every part of your pet’s care.”

Basically, that means customers are welcome to observe their pet’s treat

Open concept ment, ask questions and be part of the process. Pet owners are invited into the exam rooms, although, Mike points out, there are procedures some will find unappealing. During a procedure a staff member will text the pet owner with updates, such as: “Ranger’s doing well and headed into recovery.”

At many offices, your dog or cat will disappear behind closed doors and will later emerge — accompanied with the bill. “A lot of vets don’t show you what you get for your money,” says Mike. “They (customers) don’t get a chance to see what is involved.

“I only know of a couple other clinics who do it (the open concept),” he adds.

About 80 percent of the patients at Apollo are dogs; the rest are cats. Mike has gone out on calls for larger animals, but pretty much he specializes in household pets. He will make house calls. Unfortunately, most of those house calls involve what he calls “end of life issues.” If your pet snake has the croup or your parakeet is under the weather, the folks at Apollo will help you find a specialist.

The most common ailment? In order: skin issues, vomiting and diarrhea. There has been a rash of snake bites of late and plenty of porcupine quills to re move. “You wonder why a dog would mess with a porcupine,” Mike says, shaking his head. “That’s a battle they are destined to lose.”

Mike lives here in Wimberley and, typically, is on call for emergencies until 9 p.m. or so. If, for example, your dog tangles with a rattlesnake in the early evening. Customers call in and the doctor will meet them at the clinic. “Snake bites are definitely emergencies,” he says. staffed for 24/7. If it’s something that needs to be monitored, we’ll get you to a critical-care facility,” he says. “Staffing a 24/7 clinic is a whole new ballgame. You have to pay a lot more to have people stay overnight.”

Mike spent four years in vet school at A&M and emerged as a general practitioner. He does it all: sets bones, pulls teeth, stitches up cuts. “Should I open up a brain to pull out a tumor? No. But we do almost everything else.”

The clinic features the latest equipment including digital x-rays and an on-site lab for blood work. Apollo is part of a veterinary support network. So if there is a complicated issue, x-rays or ultrasounds can be quickly transmitted to a specialist who will aid in the diagnosis or treatment.

It’s rare to hear the phone ring. The clinic subscribes to a phone-answering service that frees up the staff. “I want my client concierge to focus on you guys (the customers),” Mike explains. “I find that constant ringing stressful — for me, for my clients and for my staff. We don’t want people standing there while we’re talking on the phone.”

Fast reflexes Mike can’t recall being bitten by a dog he was treating. He attributes that to a calm, reassuring atmosphere and fast reflexes. “Some of my best patients are rotties and pit bulls who shower me with kisses,” he says.

Fast reflexes

Those fast reflexes were on display with Scrappy, a little pooch who lived up to his name and was being treated for injuries from a dog fight he got into. Scrappy was being probed and prodded and seemingly took it all in stride, then suddenly let out a high-pitched yelp and snapped. Both doctor and nurse reacted with the quickness of a cat.

The office, a complete remodel, a well-stocked pharmacy, and the latest gadgets don’t come cheap.

“We’re not paid like MDs,” he points out. It’s his business, but he has partners who helped purchase the real estate.

In an age when many vets are part of large corporations, Dr. Mike wants to keep things local. “I wanted an office with a personal touch that has some high technology,” he says. After a procedure is performed, the staff — Including Dr.Mike — will come into the exam room, sit on the floor next to the furry patient, and carefully explain what was done, share x-trays and lay out future treatment.

“I have been dreaming of opening this for 10 years,” he says. “I always like to challenge myself and grow. I always have goals in mind. I think small businesses run this country and I’m proud to be part of it.”

On a recent evening, he was in the office until 10 p.m. assembling his shiny, new, stainless steel kennels. “I had a few screws left over,” he says, “and some doors were missing.”

So Dr. Mike Walker now has his own clinic, where he’s doctor, dentist, pharmacist, personnel manager, furniture assembler, coffee brewer and payroll clerk. He’s also the bearer of good news — and sometimes bad news.

Apollo Veterinary is located at 101 Twilight Trail. The phone number is 512-648-6477. Appointments can be made on-line at www.apollovetwimberley.com.