On the road with Dr. Donita McCants

Most people enjoy driving around in their car, but Dr. Donita McCants brings it to a whole new level.

She’s not road tripping. Or navigating traffic in her big white van for fun. Nope! Instead, Dr. McCants can be found in the driver’s seat as she travels to and from her four-legged patients’ homes. Serving the Orlando, Florida area, she is what’s known as a mobile vet – the incredible owner of a veterinary hospital on wheels!

How does she do it?

By proudly running a business called Dr. Donita's Veterinary Concierge Services. After graduating from The University of Georgia and later Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. McCants decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and dive into entrepreneurship. In 2021, the vet van was officially opened.

Today, she is a mother herself, partner, competitive bodybuilder, and above all devoted veterinarian committed to helping animals (on their own turf!)

Introducing, spotlight, Dr. Donita McCants.

Why offer “first-class door-step” pet care?

The most agonizing – yet also easiest – career decision Dr. Donita ever made was choosing to start her own mobile veterinary business.

“Unfortunately, in vet school I wasn’t taught how to run a business,” she explains. “I joined clubs like the Veterinary Business Management Association while in school because I knew entrepreneurship was the route I wanted to take. But that was just a few pieces to a very large puzzle of ownership.” Soon, it became clear that getting a new venture up and running would take ambition...and lots of it.

Luckily, Dr. Donita is a goal-oriented person. She is a fitness enthusiast, after all! Right away, she sought out the advice of an accountant and business advisor.

The result of becoming her own #boss? (too informal? Or kind of trendy/fun? )
A more flexible schedule. Better work life balance. And more time spent with her son

Stephen and fur baby, Axel Rose the Bernadoodle.

But the benefits of Dr. Donita's Veterinary Concierge Services are even greater for pets. Cats and dogs get to be seen in their homes. This makes for a less stressful experience. Often, pets are terrified of the strange sights, smells, and noises that accompany a busy veterinary office. Some get sick in the car, and still others are geriatric or have mobility issues that make travel difficult and uncomfortable.

For Dr. Donita, the solution is simple: go to where her patients are.

Routine wellness checks, vaccinations, sick visits, emergency calls...you name it, she’s ready to hop into the van! In fact, mobile services are so in demand that in February 2022, she is expanding her fleet with a Mercedes sprinter van to include surgical procedures such as spays, neuters and dental cleanings.

Empathy: the superpower of veterinarians

When it comes to qualities Dr. McCants admires, empathy is at the top of the list.

She shares, “Being empathic shows that my heart and soul is pure, people can feel that and know that you’re a genuine person. Being empathic can be a blessing and a curse as a vet, but honing that superpower is how veterinarians thrive.”

As a mental health advocate, Dr. Donita McCants also points out this should include being empathetic with yourself. The veterinarian field has astronomical stress, burnout, and suicide rates.

At the end of the day, self-care and empathy will help veterinarians to be, what Dr. McCants calls “forces of awesome!”