Our Staff

• Gene Moon

  
  Dr. Moon was born and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia. After completing a tour of duty in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division, he returned to Virginia to complete his Bachelor of Science degree at VCU, and went on to obtain his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine. He has also received post-graduate certificates for completing a six-month General Surgery course at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine; V-MCVM's Surgical Procedures of the Canine Hindlimb; and the ASIF Orthopedics course at The Ohio State University.
  Dr. Moon co-founded Gayton Animal Hospital in 1983. He is a member of the AAHA, AVMA, VVMA, and the American Heartworm Society. He also served for two years on the Board of Directors of the Richmond Academy of Veterinary Medicine.
  He enjoys all aspects of practice, but has a particular interest in surgery.
  In his spare time, Dr. Moon relaxes with his wife, Peggi, and the other two loves of his life --- his adorable Cavanese pooches, Caper and Moxie. He is an avid reader, enjoys good music, and likes to travel with his family. He is also PADI certified for open-water SCUBA-diving, and has been awarded a brown belt ranking in Taekwondo.
  
  

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• Samantha Tisnado

  
  Dr. Tisnado has been practicing in the Richmond area since 2000, and joined the GAH staff in 2008. She grew up in Richmond and attended the Collegiate Schools. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her veterinary degree from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She enjoys soft tissue surgery and internal medicine. Dr. Tisnado currently lives in Goochland. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and many pets.

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• Heather O'Sullivan

  
  Dr. O'Sullivan joined the GAH team in late 2006. She graduated with honors from St. George's University School of Veterinary medicine and then spent a clinical year at North Carolina State University. Her special interests include exotic animal medicine and internal medicine. She is the founder of the Richmond chapter of the national non-profit organization, Feeding Pets of the Homeless. A native of Savannah, Georgia, she currently lives in the West End with her husband, Anthony, son Aiden, and their Labrador, Coonhound, and two cats. When not working, Dr. O'Sullivan enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and working with her charity organization to help feed the homeless animals of Richmond.

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• Tracy Lord

  
  Dr. Lord graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, where she first became interested in alternative forms of medicine. She was certified in veterinary acupuncture through the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and completed Chinese herbal training through the same organization. In 2004, Dr. Lord was certified in animal chiropractic through the Healing Oasis.
  Dr. Lord has been working exclusively as a holistic veterinarian for over 10 years. She uses acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies, spinal manipulation, nutrition, homotoxicology and other supplements in daily practice with the goal of improving health and well-being for her patients. Treatment protocols are patient-specific, with an emphasis on quality of life.
  Dr. Lord is able to treat  a variety of conditions, ranging from the healthy pet whose owners want a more natural approach to health-care, to arthritis cases, chronic liver or kidney disease, cancer and asthma, to name just a few.
  The majority of patients enjoy their treatments and are excited to come back. Frequently, owners report improvement , not only for the specific problem for which they originally sought treatment, but also in the pet's overall attitude and condition. 
  Dr. Lord is very excited to be a part of the Gayton Animal Hospital team, and looks forward to developing a lasting relationship with you and your pet.

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• Chris Shand , LVT

  
  Chris, a native of Richmond, is a graduate of St. Gertrude High School. After earning a degree in English from Virginia Tech, she spent eight years working for the federal government.
  In 1985, she resigned from the government to reinvent herself --- the end result being an associate's degree in Veterinary Technology in 1987. She joined the Gayton staff that June, and has been here ever since.
  She spends her free time reading "who-done-it's", going to movies, and caring for her cats and dog.

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• Burke Owen , LVT

  
  Burke has been an employee at GAH since 2000, starting as a part-time assistant while attending art school at VCU. His love for animals gradually got the better of him, and he enrolled in the Veterinary Technician program at Blue Ridge Community College, graduating in 2008. He enjoys all topics related to animal behavior, and is a member of the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians.
  Burke also claims to be a black belt in the mystical art of Ninjitsu, and is able to conjure gale-force winds from the palm of his hand.

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• Vickie Barter , LVT

  
  Vickie is a native of Virginia who joined the Gayton Animal Hospital team in November, 2011. She was a groomer and veterinary assistant before obtaining her AAS & LVT in May, 1990. Life has allowed her to stay in her field and focus on her passion for puppy socialization, behavior, and obedience, for over 28 years. Her motto is "Don't blame 'em, train 'em." Outside of work, Vickie enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris, RVing, wine tasting, hiking, and reading. She also has a 3 year-old Labradoodle named Nikita.

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