Veterinarian
Dr. Ashley Reynolds is an Associate Veterinarian at DePorre Veterinary Hospital in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, bringing more than two decades of experience and a lifelong passion for compassionate, high-quality veterinary care. Dr. Reynolds began her veterinary career in 2001 after earning her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to vet school, she studied Biology at the University of Michigan, where her academic excellence earned her early acceptance into MSU’s veterinary program. A Michigan native, Dr. Reynolds is proud to serve pets and families in the Bloomfield Hills area with skill, empathy, and dedication.
Why did you choose to be a veterinarian?
I chose to be a veterinarian because I've just always had a love for animals. Even going back to second grade, when you see papers I wrote as a kid, it says I'm going to be a veterinarian. I'm very lucky that I was able to become a veterinarian because I really don't know what else I would have done. I enjoy taking care of animals. I think it's a very rewarding career, and I think it's something that a lot of people always say when they're young, that they want to do it. I feel really lucky that I've been able to pursue it for the last 25 years.
What do you like about working at DePorre Veterinary Hospital?
What I really like about working at DePorre Veterinary Hospital is that it is very organized, and we have a lot of great people here who are really good at their jobs. It makes my job so much easier when I have other people around me who are doing great work. It's wonderful to be with a large group of doctors, so you always have somebody to bounce ideas off of and ask for second opinions. Everybody here has been wonderful, and you can tell that everybody here really loves animals and their job!
What do you enjoy about working in a fear-free practice?
I really enjoy working in a fear-free practice. I've been doing so for about the last 10 years. For the first 15 years of my career, I would say fear-free wasn't really a thing. I'm really glad we are no longer in the days of holding animals down to perform treatments. It's really rewarding to see animals that have anxiety and be able to work with them on their terms so that they have a positive experience. You're able to accomplish a lot more with a lot less stress on the patient and on the staff as well.
What are you most passionate about in veterinary medicine?
I think that what I'm most passionate about is just advocating for my patients. Being a veterinarian, you have to be able to learn from body signals what is going on with the pet. They can't tell you what's going on. It's very rewarding to me to be able to use my experience and the skills I've learned in order to figure out what's going on and help that animal feel better.
What do you do when you're not working?
When I'm not working, I am pretty busy. I have been married for 24 years, and we have three sons who are now 19, 17, and 14. We're pretty busy. I have to go to a lot of sporting events, and I volunteer at the kids' school whenever I can. When we have downtime in the summer, we love to camp, so we go camping a lot. We love hiking and love paddle boarding. Those are the things I enjoy in the summer.
In the wintertime, I say that I hibernate, and I like to read. I like to stay inside by a cozy fire and read as many books as I can!
I'm excited to continue building lasting relationships with pets and their owners at DePorre Veterinary Hospital, and I look forward to serving the Bloomfield Hills community with thoughtful, trusted veterinary care.