Dr. Frione is a Florida native who has always been passionate about animals. She obtained her DVM from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her clinical year at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine. Her veterinary interests include shelter medicine, nutrition, preventative care, rehabilitation, and soft tissue surgery. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Frione enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, and their family.
Favorite Quote: Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.
What challenges have you faced in your career, and how did you overcome them? Compassion fatigue is a very large challenge in the veterinary field. Too often, we cannot provide the care a pet deserves due to finances or reasons beyond our control. It becomes very disheartening when we know we have the ability to help a pet but are not authorized to do so. We try to focus on the good and the pets we can help.
How did the pandemic disrupt your specific role in the healthcare industry, and how did you adapt? In the beginning, the pandemic made it very difficult for us to get the necessary PPE (personal protective equipment) we use on a daily basis. Things like surgical gowns, gloves, and masks were difficult to come by and more costly to obtain. This was extremely difficult as we had to reserve our supply. We deal with infectious and zoonotic diseases, and this gear protects us and other pets from spreading these diseases. We had to reduce our surgical procedures in order for us to allocate supplies to sick and potentially infectious pets.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
What do you love most about working in healthcare? Being able to aid in the human-animal bond. Animals have always been a large part of who I am, and I love being able to educate clients and help keep pets healthy so their owners can experience the same love, loyalty, and friendship my pets have given me.
