We are extremely fortunate to have two very talented veterinarians staffing our clinic and overseeing the care of the animals in the APA shelter. As the many pet-owners who are long-time clients here will tell you, they are also incredibly thoughtful and caring with the human as well as four-legged visitors they see each day.
Denise Dietsch DVM
Director of Veterinary Services
I'm a grad of the University of Missouri Veterinary College (Class of ’76) and a native St. Louisan who’s proud to have grown up on the South Side.
My first experience out of vet school was working in a private practice owned by one of the St. Louis Zoo veterinarians. Though I didn't work at the zoo, his expertise with “exotics” attracted an unusual variety of animal clients. While I treated mostly cats and dogs, my daily routine during those seven years often included mountain lions, monkeys, birds and reptiles.
From there, I was on staff at another local private veterinary hospital. About 8 years ago I joined the staff of the APA. Here I am in charge of our outpatient clinic that is open to the public. I also oversee the healthcare of the dogs and cats that are housed in our shelter.
Outside the APA, I'm the mother of one lovely daughter, Alexandra, and 3 dogs and 2 cats. My free time is spent on remodeling and decorating my house or crafting miniatures. (Ask me about the guitars I’ve built!)
Helen Herbers Meyer DVM
I was born and raised in south St Louis. I entered the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, in the fall of 1971. Women were just beginning to enter the field; my class of 70 had only five women members;.
After graduating in 1975, I married and followed my husband to Idaho, where I worked for about a year. We made several moves for his job and I devoted my time to raising our family. I reentered the field in 1996, starting work at Webster Groves Animal Hospital. There I worked overseeing surgical and dental anesthesia.
When WGAH began managing the APA clinic, I started working here one day a week. When the APA took over clinic operations, I increased my hours to assist Dr. Dietsch. I love the ability to practice shelter medicine, and appreciate the opportunities I have had in Veterinary Medicine.
My family includes 1 husband of 32 years, 5 children, 1 daughter-in-law, 2 grandchildren, 2 dogs and 2 cats. Savannah and Louis are standard poodles; Starr and Rudi are short hair cats. Louis and Rudi were adopted from the APA.