Dr. Lori Teller hasn’t slowed for a second since serving as the 2022-2023 president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. She’s a clinical professor at her alma mater, the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and the chief of primary care services, which exposes fourth-year students to general practice. Dr. Teller also oversees Texas A&M’s telehealth program, and she is working on a textbook chapter on telemedicine and access to care, as well as a journal article. She remains involved in advocacy with the Texas Veterinary Medical Association and the AVMA. To top it off, Dr. Teller serves on the board of directors for the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and recently was named the chief veterinary officer for Guardian Vets, a veterinary triage service.
1. What does a day in your life look like?
No day in my life looks like any other day. Some days, I’m on the clinic floor, I’m teaching, I’m putting hands on animals, I’m seeing patients. Some days, I am sitting at a desk writing a journal article, a grant application or a CE presentation. Some days, I am on Zoom or in various meetings, depending on the topic. I do have some constants. Most days start with some form of exercise, such as cardio and weightlifting. I love snowshoeing, hiking — those kinds of things, depending on where I am.
2. Given all you do, do you get to spend much time with your family?
I do. I am very organized, so that’s key to getting lots of things done. Being able to spend time with family and friends and being able to read a book or snuggle with a dog are key to my happiness and well-being.
3. Did you imagine your current career when you were a young girl?
I dreamed of being a veterinarian when I was 5. About the time I turned 12, my dad said, “If this is what you want to do, you need to know it’s not all about playing with puppies and kittens and riding horses. There’s work involved. You need to find out what it’s really like to be a veterinarian.” So, I called our local family veterinarian and asked, “Can I hang out with you over the summer?” And he said, “Sure.” Every day, my mom dropped me off at 8 in the morning and picked me up every afternoon. I did that every summer until I was 16 and could get a paying job after school.
4. What job did you get at 16?
At the same practice in Houston. Once I had my driver’s license, I worked after school during the week and on Saturday mornings as a veterinary assistant, receptionist and kennel person.
5. Did all that set your trajectory to an undergraduate degree, veterinary school and veterinary medicine?
Yes. I went to college, came home on breaks and worked at the clinic, and then applied to veterinary school. The two owners of the clinic were two of my recommendations. About my third year of veterinary school, that practice planned to add a fourth veterinarian. I called and asked if they could wait another year until I graduated. They said, “I think we can wait another year.”
6. What do you remember about starting at Meyerland Animal Clinic?
Drs. Tom Vining and Karen Werner were my actual employers, now retired. Dr. Irwin Mark was one of the founders. When I got accepted to veterinary school, Dr. Mark said, “Lori, you’re going to be a great vet. I have one piece of advice for you. When you sit in class and they tell you something is white and you know it’s black, you just answer ‘white’ on that test. When you get out to practice, you do it the way you know is right.” I got through vet school that way.
7. One of your early mentors was your dad. What about your mom?
My dad was a physician, so he understood my attraction to medicine and science. My attraction to animals came from my mother. She was also very supportive, as she had to drive me back and forth until I got my license.
8. Did you ever want to be a practice owner?
I spent some time as a manager, and there was a plan for me to buy in. About three years after graduation, we started doing all the things you do to make it happen. The day before we were supposed to sit down with accountants to go through the books and crunch numbers, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And so, that obviously put a lot of that stuff on hold. I went through the breast cancer treatment when my son was 3. As we were navigating the treatment, my husband was starting his medical practice and our son was diagnosed with some learning challenges. With the temporary pause in ownership, we decided we could only handle so much, so I continued as an associate.
9. Did you grow up with animals?
We had dogs, cats, guinea pigs, gerbils, fish and birds. We did not own a horse, but I had regular riding lessons and spent a lot of time at the barn. My mom was a volunteer docent at the Houston Zoo. She was part of the outreach, so she took various small animals to schools to educate students on wildlife, animal care and habitats.
10. Whenever you hit the public stage, you exude a “Howdy!” feel while wearing comfortable shoes. What sparked that approach?
Part of it is that I want people to feel joy in the profession. When I introduce myself to students, I say to them, “I do not take myself very seriously, but I take what we do very seriously. It’s very important that we have a good time while taking care of patients.” That is important to me. Also, I’m long past trying to wear heels and stuff that’s not comfortable.
11. What is your biggest veterinary mistake, regret or disappointment?
I can tell you my biggest veterinary mistake, and I use it as a teaching moment. When I was a young practitioner, a sick cat came in, and I couldn’t really find anything wrong with it. We did a physical and some basic diagnostics, wrote it off as a virus or something, and sent the cat home. I got a report a day or two later that the cat ended up at the emergency clinic. The cat was not moving air in its lungs. They ended up having to euthanize it. The day after that, the client was on my appointment list and wanted to talk with me. He was super upset, and rightly so. I was young and petrified, and it turned out he was a medical resident. He said, “My wife and I thought long and hard about suing you and filing a complaint with the state board” — all the terrible things we have nightmares about. He said, “But I know, as a resident, that I’ve made mistakes, and we’re not going to file a complaint. We’re not going to sue you, but I want you to never, ever miss this again.” I expressed my sympathy and gratitude and swore up and down that I would never miss that again. I try to be extra aware when auscultating sick cats to honor my promise to him.
12. Any other life lessons learned?
When my son was in his early 20s, I looked at him and said, “I’ve always wondered if you thought less of me because I was not the Parent Teacher Organization president and not a stay-at-home mom. You didn’t always have a home-packed lunch and that kind of stuff.” I was gone traveling for some of the organized veterinary medicine stuff. He sat there with his mouth wide open. “What are you talking about?” he said. “I am so proud of you and so happy you’re my mom. You were there for me when I needed you to be there for me. You let me grow.” Those things that keep you up at night sometimes don’t need to.
13. Do you have any special animals?
My husband and I recently experienced a great loss — our dog, Tucker. On top of that loss, our other dog, Gracie, is going through chemo. They were very close, and Tucker was very protective of her. I know they stay in my heart and make me a better person.
14. What trends in veterinary medicine do you find most concerning or exciting?
Most things we do can be both exciting and concerning. I think artificial intelligence is an augmented reality and virtual reality. All those kinds of technologies will be the next really big thing to impact how we practice. Also, I think we will see more precision medicine in veterinary medicine. It’s becoming a bigger thing on the human side.
15. Do you binge-watch TV shows?
I do not. When someone asks, “Did you see this show or watch that series?” I’m like, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
16. Does music play a role in your life?
Music is super important to me, and the lyrics can be pretty meaningful as well. When I was AVMA president, my president’s column always started with a music verse. I discovered early on that music could set my mood. I realized that if I listened too long to mellow, depressing music, it sapped me. I also found music with high energy to be great for exercising.
17. You exercise daily. Do you do anything else for self-care?
I read a lot. I’m happy reading a book and snuggling with one of my pets or my husband. He’s good to snuggle with. I guess I should throw that out there. I also prefer small gatherings and having dinner with family and friends.
18. How would you finish this sentence? Relationships are …?
Relationships are essential to my life and well-being.
19. What’s your hope for the veterinary profession?
That the new and mid-career folks recognize the tremendous impact they have on others. Veterinarians tend to underestimate their impact. I hope they can appreciate the difference they make in so many people’s lives.
20. Did you set any 2025 goals?
I’m not a resolution maker. Sometimes, my goals are putting one foot in front of the other and checking stuff off.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine opened in September 1916 with 13 students. It was renamed College of Veterinary Medicine in 1963.