Gretchen Kuchenmeister, DVM
Dr. Kuchenmeister played competitive Division 1 collegiate volleyball while earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. She then earned her DVM degree from the University of Wisconsin, and the following year, she attended a rotating medical and surgical internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Kuchenmeister then completed a fellowship in veterinary surgery before completing a three year residency in small animal surgery, both at the University of Wisconsin. She went on to practice surgery in a private specialty clinic in Waukesha, Wisconsin for one year before moving to Kansas to specialize in soft tissue surgery, teach veterinary students and perform clinical research. Dr. Kuchenmeister’s position as assistant professor in small animal soft tissue surgery at Kansas State University lasted for two years before she moved to Portland, Oregon to start a family. She performed emergency surgery at the Emergency Veterinary Clinic of Tualatin, Northwest Veterinary Specialists, and Dove Lewis, and worked part time at Cascade Veterinary Referral Center while raising three young children.
Dr. Kuchenmeister then settled into a 12 year career at Northwest Veterinary Specialists where she performed elective and emergency soft tissue surgeries. During this time, she attended an advanced course in thoracoscopic and laparoscopic surgery. Over the years, she also attended courses by Infiniti Medical in stenting techniques as well as both beginning and advanced courses in endourologic, respiratory and vascular interventional radiology at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Kuchenmeister initiated and developed the Interventional Radiology service at Northwest Veterinary Specialists, the only service of its kind in the Portland area. The service expanded when Dr. Reeder joined the practice, and both doctors attended the advanced endourology course together. Since then, Drs. Kuchenmeister and Reeder have cultivated a team-based approach to all available minimally invasive procedures.
