Ruff Day Staff

My name is Dr. Heather Misener and I founded Ruff Day Veterinary Services.

I graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012, then went on to complete a yearlong rotating internship at a premier multi-specialty hospital in Southern California. At the time of my internship, I had a very strong interest in biomechanics, and had considered the rigorous path to becoming a veterinary orthopedic surgeon. After my internship, I spent two years working in emergency medicine, then transitioned into general practice, where I served as Medical Director for three years.

I had a life-changing experience in the Fall of 2017, when I became very ill, and I needed to make a lot of serious lifestyle changes.

I learned a lot about harnessing my own body’s healing mechanisms and training them to work in concert toward a full recovery. Around the same time, I discovered the blossoming fields of veterinary rehabilitation and acupuncture, in which the practitioner utilizes physical medicine to help return the patient’s systems to more normal function (called “homeostasis”). I found myself at a crossroads: my own illness and recovery, my discovery of this relatively new field of veterinary medicine, and my own senior dog developing age-related mobility problems. My desire to learn everything I could to help Ralphie put me on a very clear path towards providing effective complementary healing for pets.

I have since become a Certified Veterinary Acupuncture Therapist (CVAT) and a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute, and I’ve never been more excited to be a veterinarian!

Ruff Day’s mission is to minimize pain, maximize mobility and improve function for the lives of dogs and cats in Gig Harbor and the surrounding Puget Sound region!

Check out the services I provide to help your four-legged friend through their Ruff Day!