By the time she was six years old, Dr. Wendy Ross had already mapped out her professional future.
Dr. Ross was curled up reading Black Stallion at her childhood home in suburban New Jersey when she decided to become a “horse doctor." When she finally saw in person how large a horse was, the dream shifted to smaller animals, but Dr. Ross' calling as a veterinarian remained the same.
Decades later, Dr. Ross is the founder and co-owner of Crown Veterinary Specialists in Lebanon, New Jersey, a 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital with more than 120 employees, including four surgeons and a growing list of board-certified specialists. The hospital is in the midst of nearly doubling its size.
"I knew I was supposed to do this," Dr. Ross said. "For me, it's faith. It gave me the confidence to build when others doubted I could do it. It carried me through economic downturns, competition and expansion."
Building Crown from the ground up
Dr. Ross' professional journey in veterinary medicine wasn't linear. As an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania, she worked in the animal behavior department. But once she reached veterinary school, her focus shifted to veterinary orthopedics.
After graduation, she entered private practice and then completed a surgical residency to become a board-certified surgeon. She worked for a surgical practice for a decade, but her plans to buy it did not work out. So, Dr. Ross launched a mobile surgical service in 2002, where she performed surgeries at local veterinarian offices.
Her timing was fortunate; a previous local mobile surgeon had opened a stationary practice, leaving a vacuum. Within days of sending introductory letters to local veterinarians, appointments were booked. While her mobile practice was successful, Dr. Ross missed having colleagues from whom she could learn on a daily basis. In 2010, Dr. Ross opened Crown Veterinary Specialists.
The challenges abounded at first. Primary veterinarian offices already had long-established relationships with emergency hospitals in the area, so they wouldn't make referrals to Crown. She focused instead on direct marketing with postcards to households, fliers in local businesses and other tactics.
Once clients came to her practice, Dr. Ross knew there was only one way to succeed: to offer a higher standard of care and a culture of collaboration for veterinarians at the practice. It starts every morning as her team gathers for rounds, discussing cases across disciplines, and providing clients with insights to come up with more accurate diagnosis and treatment options.
The cost of care and the emotional toll
Veterinary medicine has evolved dramatically since Dr. Ross was in school. Ultrasounds that once required a university referral are now standard in emergency settings. Advanced imaging, critical care monitoring, and specialty surgeries have raised the ceiling of what's possible and the price tag.
Dr. Ross finds it best to be direct with clients.
"It's our responsibility to tell you what's absolutely best [for your pet]," she said. "But it's not our job to push that. If an owner cannot afford an MRI, the conversation shifts. What are the alternatives and what can be done today?"
Crown does maintain a small veterinary care fund, supported by donations and partnerships to bridge gaps when possible. The hospital also works with financing companies to help families manage large bills. She strongly recommends pet owners, if possible, get pet health insurance to help cover bills.
The emotional toll on emergency veterinarians is particularly costly as they often see pets and their people at their worst moments. Crown employs a social worker for both grieving clients and staff to help them heal.
When cases end badly, Dr. Ross allows herself a moment.
"You may need to cry about it, at first," she said. "But then you go back. The next patient needs you just as much."
Working with TD
Dr. Ross came to TD initially to refinance a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan for the construction of her office in 2014. She has since worked with TD on all aspects of finances for her practice, such as the purchase of the expensive and complex equipment required for an emergency veterinary hospital.
TD is financing the expansion of Dr. Ross' facility that nearly doubles the size from 8,800 to 16,000 square feet, mainly to add emergency and critical care space.
"There are times we have to close the ER because we are full," Dr. Ross said. "To turn a patient away that you could help because you don't have room, that's heartbreaking."
"At TD, serving our communities is at the heart of everything we do, and the work Dr. Ross and her team are doing is vital to the community they serve,” said Daniel Croft, Head of Healthcare Practice Solutions Group, TD Bank U.S. “Our deep experience working with veterinary businesses allows us to understand their specific needs and long-term goals, and we’re proud to support Dr. Ross as she grows her practice in line with her vision.”
Dr. Ross has been working closely on financing the expansion with Kyle Kudla, Senior Relationship Manager, TD Bank U.S. Kyle is also a longtime client of Crown, most recently with his three Labrador retrievers.
Kyle said working with Crown has been a wonderful experience because Dr. Ross "is just awesome at what she does. The practice provides the very best in veterinary care and serves the community. It's been a great opportunity to work with Crown along its journey."
"He’s been very supportive throughout the years with everything we have tried to do," Dr. Ross said. "Kyle understands us very well not only as business, but also as a pet owner. That knowledge is incredibly helpful in doing business with TD."
Crown’s expansion includes doubling the size of its ICU and treatment areas which will enable the practice to hire more veterinarians in specialties and expand offerings such as geriatric pain management and physical rehabilitation.
“Our goal always has been to provide the best care for our patients,” Dr. Ross said. “This [expansion] will allow us to do just that. I am excited about our future and the opportunity to serve more patients.”
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