Our Beginning
VetSurgical was born out of compassion. In early 2018 our founder, Dr. Mike Hatcher, was invited to participate in a round table discussion on affordability of veterinary care in the United States . That round table and many more would eventually become part of a report published by Access to Veterinary Care Coalition at UT Knoxville in December of 2018. That report highlighted the challenges many families face in affording the care they needed for their pets. This round table event reflected the experiences that he had seen in his own practice.
Since that time, Dr. Hatcher looked for ways to help reduce and lower the cost of care to those that otherwise could not afford it. After much study and thought, it was decided he could extend the same high volume, affordable, quality care model he used to build his practice, Premier VetCare. That practice model met a need that has seen the practice grow into one of the busiest, single location, multi-doctor practices in the area. In late 2019, the idea of VetSurgical was born.
Since 2004, Dr. Hatcher has seen countless clients find their way to his practice when searching for more affordable care than they could find at either their regular veterinarian or the referral centers. He was happy to help these patients in need, but often discovered if they had found their way to the practice sooner, procedures would have been less complicated, the cost of care lower, and clients would have been less frustrated with the process of the search for an alternative solution. It was not uncommon to see bone fractures or other procedures put off weeks or months as owners sought out more affordable care for their budgets.
Access to Veterinary Care Report 12/7/2018In the past two years one out of four (27.9%) households experience barriers to veterinary care
Since its inception and our initial launch several middle Tennessee practices have partnered with us to help care for their clients pets. Since that time we have seen a once in a lifetime pandemic, and soring inflation that has only compounded the challenges of affordability for many pet owners. Some reports may be showing the problem with access to care of worsening. We continue to strive to work at keeping surgical care as affordable as we can.
The Humane Society of the United States: More Than A Pet – March 2024 Harris Poll43% of all pet owners have been unable to pay for their pets’ needs at some point due to financial reasons
Our Mission
The mission of VetSurgical is to be a resource to a network of local general and specialty practices for their clients that cannot afford the treatment plans presented to them. Each practice has its own unique costs of providing services, so understandably each needs to charge accordingly for their time, staff, inventory used, etc. Owners find that the cost of any given treatment plan can vary from one type of practice to another. At the root of our mission is to extend care to more pets in need while working with their family veterinarian.
Experienced Talented General Practitioners
VetSurgical is not a specialty practice. Our doctors are simply general practitioners with heavy interest, training, and experience in a wide variety of veterinary surgical procedures. They are willing to work with the pet owner in their time of need to provide more advanced, affordable care than they may be able to get from their regular veterinarian.
Experience is the Key
Our veterinarians have over 45 years of combined experience in surgery, performing minor surgeries to the more daring procedures — giving owners hope, pets a chance, and a few miracles along the way!
Our Veterinarians
Dr Mike Hatcher, DVM, BS
Dr. Mike Hatcher grew up in Smyrna, TN. His family moved here in 1980 when the area was not much more than farm land. He graduated from LaVergne High School in 1993 and then attended Tennessee Tech University where he graduated with a BS in Animal Science. In 1996 he was accepted to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, where he graduated in 2001.
After graduation Dr. Hatcher worked in a multi-practice group in Clarksville, TN providing care to the pets of some of the service men and women of the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, Ky. There he was able to train under an experienced general practice surgeon, and with in a short time was performing many of the advanced procedures for the three practice group. In 2004, he and his wife, Stacey, opened Premier VetCare in its original location on Cedar Grove Road. There they worked together to set the foundations to what is now Smyrna’s Premier Veterinary Care facility. The practice quickly grew from those humble beginning to the largest veterinary facility in North Rutherford county. Premier VetCare remains the one of the only locally owned and operated veterinary facility in Smyrna. In early 2020 he founded VetSurgical as a resource to pet owners, and veterinarians alike.
Dr Hatcher’s interest revolve around veterinary surgery. With his over 19 years of surgical experiences VetSurgical offers a wide range of services. Dr Hatcher’s surgical experiences include, General and Advanced Soft tissue, Orthopedic, Wound Management and Grafting, Dentistry, and LASER surgery. As our lead surgeon we are able to provide care to many pets that would other wise sufferer with out surgery.
Dr Hatcher became involved with Lincoln Memorial University College of Veterinary Medicine in the 2015. At that time he was invited to participate in a Clinical Affiliate Board, and since then been involved in advising and consulting on the schools clinical year. He is now on staff part time with LMU-CVM as their Nashville Hub Liaison. In that role he oversees students and Clinical Affiliates in the Nashville and surrounding area.
Dr Laci Catron, DVM
Dr Catron is a 2008 graduate of the University of Tennessee. She brings with her over 10 years of experience in General and Advanced Soft tissue, Orthopedic, Wound Management, Dentistry, and LASER surgery. In addition to surgery she is an experienced trained Ultrasonographer and provides our Ultrasound Services.
Dr. Stephanie Letarte, DVM
Dr. Letarte is also a Graduate of the University of Tennessee. She started working under Dr Hatcher after graduation in 2014 and also has a strong interest in General and Advanced Soft tissue, and Orthopedic procedures.
Dr Mike HatcherGiving owners hope, pets a chance, and a few miracles along the way.