text: Meet Our Downtown Madison Veterinarians and Staff - City Dog Vet
  Medical and Surgical Canine Excellence
  City Dog veterinarians have over 100 years of combined experience providing devoted care to Madison-area dogs and their owners.
  "I'm thrilled to be a part of the City Dog Vet team. Being dog-only allows us to focus our skills, energy, and time on one species so we can provide the highest quality care."
  - Dr. Lembcke
  Get to know Dr. Anna Lembcke
  Dr. Lembcke has been a leader and role model in her field, having a role as Chief of Staff Veterinarian at her prior position with a global leader in a nationwide group of veterinary hospitals.
  She has mentored countless veterinarians and technical staff in all areas of veterinary medicine, surgery, and animal care. She was the Banfield Madison Doctor Rounds Coordinator in Chicago for many years, where she led discussions and case rounds for Madison based veterinarians to share discussion and knowledge between peers. She served as a liaison between her veterinary school and other graduate level health programs as a representative for the Center for Health Interprofessional Program.
  Throughout her career, she has had particular interests in dentistry, dermatology, and kidney disease.
  7 Years Being a Dog Doc
  University of Minnesota – College of Veterinary Medicine 2009-2013 | DVM Degree
  2 Mischievous cats, Sammy and Spalding
  Dr. Lembcke is currently in search of her next canine companion.
  Hiking at state parks • Having a good beer at a local brewery • Checking out local restaurants • Farmers market shopping • Trying new recipes • And… rooting for the Vikings
  "I am so happy to be a veterinarian at a dog only veterinary clinic. My life has always been about dogs, and I can't wait to meet you and your dog at City Dog Vet!"
  - Dr. Estelle
  Get to know Dr. Leslie Estelle
  Dr. Estelle was awarded AAHA's 'Senior Student Clinical Proficiency in Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery'. She was also awarded the Royan Canin USA "Scientific Services Veterinarian of the Year" for 2017.
  After almost 10 years of providing compassionate care with particular focuses in dentistry, senior care, and nutrition, Dr. Estelle accepted a position at a global leader in pet health nutrition as a Scientific Services Veterinarian. She provides continuing education seminars to veterinary professionals, case consultations for challenging medical cases, and is a leader in the "Women's Veterinary Leadership Forum".
  Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Estelle has a strong interest in supporting women early on in their veterinary careers to gain confidence in their clinical and leadership abilities and is a promoter of diversity and inclusion in all aspects. She's also an active member of AVMA, AAVN and Wisconsin's VMA.
  15 Years Vet-ing
  ER and Surgery Internship | VCA South Shore Animal Hospital, Boston, MA
  One beloved senior mixed breed dog, Birdie
  Traveling and experiencing new places • Trying new foods • Live music • Anything on the water • Badger sporting events • Great restaurants
  Over the last five years, I've provided relief work to the Madison area due to my passion for staying connecting to clinical veterinary practice. I am so happy to be a veterinarian at a dog only veterinary clinic. This will allow veterinarians to provide laser focused, compassionate canine care to dogs in a progressive, client and patient focused clinic.
  In addition, my colleagues and I collectively are able to provide a continuity of care with the shared belief that it is a privilege to care for every life stage of your dog's life. My life has always been about dogs, and I can't wait to meet you and your dog at City Dog Vet!"
  – Dr. Estelle
  "I joined the City Dog Vet team because the needs of dogs and cats differ, and the needs of urban dwelling dogs are different still. It's amazing how far our profession has come."
  - Dr. Koeppl
  Get to know Dr. Mark Koeppl
  Dr. Koeppl founded the first animal ER hospital in Madison which he sold and retired from in 2014. While at this hospital, he developed the first blood bank for dogs in the city. Since then, he continues to be semi-retired but enjoys continuing to practice veterinary medicine.
  36 Years Doctoring Dogs
  Good craft beer • Puttering around the farm • Travel • Armchair archeology • Insects • Birds • Sampling a wide variety of video and music
  Dogs: 2, Lily the Costa Rican German Shepherd, and ole Tucker, the Australian Kelpie.
  Dominique Chickens: a flock
  Ducks: a paddling
  Bison: a herd
  "I'm excited to get back into general practice where I can build relationships with clients and their pets. I enjoy practicing high quality medicine with a strong group of supporting staff.""
  - Dr. Wirth
  Get to know Dr. Dave Wirth
  Dr. Wirth's veterinary career took him from his first job in Las Vegas, to Janesville WI, and then to Massachusetts where he joined Bulger Animal Hospital in North Andover. There he practiced mixed specialty practice including general practice, ER, surgery, and ophthalmology.
  He trained specifically in soft tissue, orthopedic, and ophthalmic surgery before he decided to focus his career solely on ER medicine. In 1997, he moved back to Wisconsin where he worked for multiple ER practices and began his own traveling surgery service.
  In 1999, while still practicing ER medicine, Dr.Wirth founded Midwest Pet Insurance which underwrote pet insurance for cats and dogs in south central Wisconsin. Two decades of experience culminated to create Veterinary Emergency Service in 2003, where he continued to work as an ER doctor and also managed the practice with locations in Middleton, Madison and Janesville.
  The practice, which included specialists in surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, critical care, oncology and anesthesia was sold in 2018. Since then, Dr.With has enjoyed his well-earned free time but also has returned to general practice with periodic shifts in ER medicine. He has particular interests in ultrasound, endoscopy, and surgery.
  27 Years Doctoring Dogs
  University of Wisconsin Madison – Major in Microbiology
  DVM from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine
  Cats: 2, Jem a 5 year old grey tabby and Radley a 1 year old orange crazy cat.
  Enjoys outdoor activities including golf, biking, swimming, running, skiing and snowboarding and getting away to his place in Colorado.
  "City Dog Vet provides specialized care for dogs and exceptional service for their people. I'm honored to have an incredible team of long-time colleagues and friends as doctors and staff for the Madison community at City Dog Vet."
  - Dr. Luther, Founder of City Dog Vet
  Get to know Dr. Katarina Luther
  Founder and owner of City Dog Vet, Dr. Katarina Luther, has been a Madison-area veterinarian for nearly 20 years. She completed her college studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, then worked for Nestle-Purina in their pet food division. After two years in the industry, she decided to follow her long time calling to be a veterinarian. Dr. Luther returned to Madison to attend the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.
  Following graduation, Dr. Luther's areas of interest in practice were soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries, critical care and internal medicine, and tailored preventative wellness. From early on, she was passionate about client service, staff collaboration, and practice management.
  After practicing five years in a local companion animal hospital, she formed an independent business to serve multiple practices in the Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago areas. She provided relief veterinary medical, surgery, and ER care, as well as staff management roles at several hospitals.
  In 2015, Dr. Luther purchased Cat Care Clinic, on Madison's west side. The practice has grown substantially since its founding in 1987. In 2018, she expanded to include a second location downtown on East Washington Avenue. Cat Care Clinic employs over 30 staff members and was honored with a Best of Madison 2020 award.
  In 2017, Dr. Luther founded a non-profit organization, Guardian Whiskers, whose mission is to form and support community programs that foster wellness and literacy by utilizing the power of the human-animal bond. She is passionate about providing experiences with pets and mentorship to those (particularly children) not able to have a pet of their own. In early 2020, while still seeing her beloved cat patients on a part-time basis and managing the Cat Care Clinics, Dr. Luther decided to bring canines the benefits she's seen from her experience with focused feline care all these years and open a brand new clinic, "City Dog Vet".
  18 Years Animal Doctoring
  University of Wisconsin Madison – BS Animal Sciences
  One classic tabby cat, Regis
  Proud grandma to her daughter's Frenchie, Luna
  Getting outside for a walk on a path • Spending time on the water • Hanging out at great streeteries in town • Design and decorating both at home and in her clinics • Watching her three teens learn and experience life
  Supporting Allstars
  "Positive reinforcement is your best friend when trying to implement desired habits or behaviors."
  Julia is a born and raised Madisonian. She's traveled all over the US and even studies in Australia, however her heart has always been in Madison. She loves being at the center of it all at City Dog Vet and helping care for the dogs of our great city.
  Julia has worked over eight years in demanding positions in both critical care veterinary medicine and general practice. She is Fear Free certified, a RECOVER CPR certified instructor, and prides herself in continuous continuing education. Her current project is obtaining NAVC Nutrition Coach and Human Animal Bond certifications. Other special interests include behavior, dentistry, geriatric care, pain management, and physical rehabilitation.
  Julia shares her home with two adorable happy pups, Amelia (the pretty pug princess) and Bella (the silly, snorty Old English Bulldog). She also has a clowder of cats, a Red Tail Boa (Freya), a Moroccan Uromastyx (Spike), and 9 tarantulas!
  Julia's tip for dog owners… "Positive reinforcement is your best friend when trying to implement desired habits or behaviors". She's always willing to help with your dog's challenging habits.
  Julia is an animal lover through and through!
  Pups: Ameila, the pretty pug princess and Bella, the silly, snorty Old English Bulldog
  Cats: a Clowder!
  Snake: Freya, Red Tail Boa
  Lizard: Spike, a Moroccan Uromastyx
  Spiders: 9 Tarantulas!
  Aside from taking care of her critters, she loves spending time with her hubby, exploring wineries, riding her motorcycle, and volunteering as a wildlife rehabilitator.
  "Enjoy the time you have with them, it's never long enough!"
  Gina is currently in the MATC veterinary technician program and scheduled to graduate in 2021. She's a devoted dog-person and thrives on being in a dog-focused environment at City Dog Vet. You'll see her often with and her best buddy, Grace (the loving, goofy, one-eyed Stafforshire Terrier) at her side.
  Gina grew up in Clearwater, Florida but has lived in Wisconsin since 2006. She loves the snow!
  Gina's words of wisdom for dog parents: "Enjoy the time you have with them, it's never long enough!" ❤️
  Grace, the loving, goofy, one-eyed Stafforshire Terrier
  In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with Grace, horseback riding, being an Aunty of 7, going to the zoo and farmers market, trying out food trucks, and cheering on the Badgers!
  "Fruits and veggies can be a healthy alternative to treats! Feel free to reach out to the clinic for a list of doggo friendly fruits and veggies!"
  Olivia is an all-around assistant at City Dog Vet, with a never ending smiling face. She's currently a sophomore at UW-Madison, majoring in biology for pre-vet. While she studies and works part time at City Dog, she also finds time for doing work in a lab researching dog and human prostate disease.
  Olivia grew up in the small town of Mount Calvary, WI and loves that there's always something to in Madison and great places to eat. She loves being in the center of town helping care for Madison dogs too!
  Olivia's dog tips: "Fruits and veggies can be a healthy alternative to treats! Feel free to reach out to the clinic for a list of doggo friendly fruits and veggies!"
  Sammy, the sweetheart cat
  When Olivia isn't in the lab or clinic, she's on the volleyball court!
  "You are your dog's entire world, so cherish every moment!"
  Callie has been with City Dog Vet since before we opened our doors in the summer of 2020. She's doggo-obsessed and has been ever since her family got their first Old English Sheepdog, Charlie.
  She now another Sheepdog, Cash and a Bernadoodle, Chaz (who she says earns the prize for "Most Zoomies Had"! Callie is currently a student at UW-Madison where she is majoring in zoology, with certificates in environmental studies and global health.
  Although she was raised in Stoughton, she has always loved being in Madison and enjoys Concerts on the Square, Taste of Madison, farmers markets, and all our city offers.