Meet the RRVH krewe
We are a friendly, compassionate team dedicated to strengthening the human-animal bond.
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We are a friendly, compassionate team dedicated to strengthening the human-animal bond.
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Hi! I’m Dr. Courtney Wheeler, the practice owner of River Road Veterinary Hospital. I’ve dreamt of becoming a veterinarian since I was a child, dressing as a veterinarian to my school’s Career Days and spending as much time as I could with animals until I was able to attend Ross University of Veterinary Medicine. I graduated with High Honors and completed a year of clinical rotations at Colorado State University. I’ve enhanced my patient care by becoming certified in Veterinary Medical Acupuncture – Ask me about this therapy at your next visit!
In 2022, I was able to make my dream a reality with the purchase of River Road Veterinary Hospital and have been working diligently to refresh and progress our already wonderfully established practice with the most innovative and progressive veterinary medicine available.
My husband Chase and I welcomed our sweet baby boy, Carver, into our family in 2022. We live with our beloved yellow labs, Cadeaux and Cheerio, and our kitties, Millie and Minnie. I also love to ride my horse, T, in my free time.
On a personal note, I would like to thank our incredible clients for supporting Chase and I in this time of growth. As a New Orleans native, I’m thrilled to pursue my goals in providing our community with top-tier veterinary care. Together with our family partnered business, Pawlins, I believe we are bettering the lives of pets and their people.
Hey y’all! My name is Dr. Ben Brignac and I’ve had the privilege of practicing at RRVH since 2019. Growing up here in New Orleans, I spent my summers volunteering at a local animal rescue and working as a veterinary assistant until traveling to St. Kitts and attending Ross University of Veterinary Medicine and completing my clinical rotation at Colorado State University to receive my doctorate in veterinary medicine.
I enjoy community events, spending time with my dog Hazel, practicing yoga, traveling, Mardi Gras, and Saints football! Working with animals has been a passion of mine from a young age and I feel blessed to have made my aspiration to become a veterinarian a reality. It is incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to help pets live their happiest, healthiest lives. Every day I appreciate getting to know my clients and witnessing the positive impact we can make on the bond they share with their pets. I’m proud to practice here at RRVH and hope to meet you and your pet soon!
Hello! I’m Dr. John Trahan. I was born here in New Orleans and grew up in Metairie. Growing up, I was always an animal lover and especially loved to visit the animals at the zoo. After getting my Animal Science degree at LA Tech, I went on to complete my veterinary degree at LSU’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2016. I then moved to Phoenix, AZ, for a small animal internship, and stayed there until I moved back home to Louisiana in 2022.
I enjoy all aspects of veterinary medicine and have a special interest in soft tissue surgery, dermatology, and internal medicine. More than that, I truly value building relationships with my patients and their families. I love getting to know each animal’s personality and quirks, and I take pride in being able to provide compassionate care to them throughout their lives.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me hanging out with my wife, Ankitha, and our dog, Ruxin. He’s the best of boys! I also love spending time outdoors – whether it’s fishing, hunting, or traveling. I’ve been practicing my cooking skills lately (and the eating skills too, of course!) I’m a huge sports fan and love playing all kinds of sports, as well as cheering on my favorite teams – like the Saints, Pelicans, and LSU. I root for all Louisiana teams I see!
This spring of 2023, I joined the team at RRVH. I look forward to growing with this amazing hospital and caring for your pets!
Lily came to live with us in the fall of 2022. She has been on a weight loss journey since then and so far has lost 3lbs! We were able to turn around her diagnosis of Diabetes just by implementing and sticking to a new diet for her. We’re so proud of our girl!
Chase is our practice manager and co-owner. He and Dr. Courtney Wheeler enjoy their time with baby Carver and their pets Cadeaux, Cheerio, Millie, and Minnie.
His favorite things about working in veterinary medicine are seeing cute lab puppies, being able to work alongside his wife, Dr. Wheeler, and managing the best team!!
Matt is our supervising technician. He has a cat named Swiss Roll and a golden retriever named Ryder.
My favorite thing about working vet med is…
Having a hand in the care of the pets we see, and how much our clients appreciate what we do for them and their pets. Being able to say that we are directly involved with a sick pet’s recovery is very fulfilling. and it goes without saying; the chihuahuas.
Jen is our marketing director. She has 5 pets: Maple, Lucille, Cookies, Stevens, and Green Phillip.
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is…
The ever-evolving knowledge you acquire everyday – no matter how long you’ve been in this field – and of course the strong bonds created with the patients, their pet-parents, and work family!
Madison is working towards her dream of becoming a veterinarian!
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is…
Meeting puppies and kittens and being able to watch them grow into adulthood all the way to their senior years!
She has a big beautiful pup named Koda and 3 cats named TK, Chuck, and O’Malley.
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is…
Helping sick babies get better and I like to be an advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves!
Lyi has a boxer named Maggie and a cat named Fluffy!
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine…
I love checking in on our sick patients after our veterinarians have treated them and hearing that they’re feeling better!
She has two pups named Zasha and Lala!
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is…
Being able to bond with patients and their owners! And also being able to work alongside a great team!
She has 7 dogs and a cat named Loki!
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is…
To educate pet owners and ensure that the pet is living their best life possible. To know that I have done my absolute best to help this pet thrive and be happy and healthy. I love fostering and helping pets find their best quality of life.
Haylie has a senior rescue chihuahua named Pixie!
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine is…
I love meeting and playing with all the patients. i always treat them as my own
Emilie has a goat named Mocha, a cat named Kiwi, and two horses, Streak and Frost!
“The thing I enjoy most about veterinary medicine is to help as many as we can and touch the lives of many pet owners and their pets as well!”
Zoe has two dogs named Sage and Zayne and a kitty named Finn!
What I love most about working with animals is…
connecting with them, and making each visit a good experience. Animals have so much love and working here allows me to make sure animals are safe and healthy to be the best companions they can be!
Rickina has two dogs named Atticus and Isla!
My favorite thing about working in veterinary medicine…
“I love getting to see patients get top level care. Especially when we have highly anxious animals and we get to work with them when they come in and show them that it’s okay to be scared and help them through their anxiety and hopefully make their experience better. I love to see when they come in again and aren’t anxious or at least keep improving with their anxiety level lowering.”
