Continuing Education
Maggie Mezzles, DVM and Sandra Brackenridge, LCSW
Dr. Mezzles grew up in Texas and is a proud Aggie (WHOOP!). She graduated from Ross University in 2011 and subsequently completed a rotating internship at Oklahoma State University, two surgical internships (ASEC Los Angeles and LVVSC Las Vegas), and a research fellowship at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio.
Her surgery residency was completed at Summit Veterinary Referral Center in Tacoma, and she is excited to be back home.
Her specific areas of interest include soft tissue cases, especially wound management and surgical oncology, as well as the growing use of minimally invasive procedures.
Outside of work, Dr. Mezzles enjoys music and theater, watching and playing sports, quilting, traveling, and doing anything that involves being in the water. She is eager to return to Texas with her husband and two Scottish Folds.
Sandra Brackenridge, LCSW recieved her Master's degree from Tulane University School of Social Work. She has been practicing Clinical Social Work in various settings since 1983. Her special interest in the human-animal relationship led her to become the Coordinator of Counseling Services at LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. There she developed one of the first Veterinary Social Work progams in the country which included an internship in Social Work, a Pet loss counseling program, a model animal-assisted therapy program, and a counseling service for students.
She has published extensively about Pet loss, working with Veterinary Clients, and stress management for the Veterinary Practice Team. She left LSU to teach Social Work at Idaho State University from 1994-2008, continuing as an Associate Professor of Social Work at Texas Woman's University until 2017.
In 2013, Sandra established a Veterinary Social Work internship at CVSEC, and in 2017 Sandra joined CVSEC as an employee to continue to develop their VSW program and suprervise the internship. Services of the CVSEC program include support for any Client in need, end of life/caregiving/bereavement support, a Pet loss support group, and support for Staff in prevention of compassion fatigue.
Sandra provides consultation to other Hospitals interested in developing VSW programs of their own. Sandra also practices privately, providing supervision toward the LCSW, and general counseling. She also provides tele-counseling to veterinary professionals.