Dr . Burkett ’ s passion for animal health shines through at Somerset Animal Hospital
By ELI PARKER
During his entire career , Dr . Bruce Burkett has maintained a constant passion for the veterinary field . Having been in the practice for over 39 years , he claims it ’ s been “ a wonderful journey .”
Since 2001 , his work has been done through the Somerset Animal Hospital as both its owner and as one of its associate veterinarians . And throughout his 22 years of service , he ’ s only ever strived to provide a “ gold standard of care .”
“ You have a level of expectation that you want your client to see and the expectation to take care of that animal well and as proper as you can ,” he said .
According to Dr . Burkett , he ’ s been lucky to have the career he has now , saying , “ That ’ s all I ’ ve ever wanted to do .” This statement bears no exaggeration , as the doctor ’ s passion for the field dates all the way back to his youth .
Raised in Western Pulaski County , he grew up on a farm where he was no stranger to handling animals . His grandfather operated a dairy , his father kept bees , and his family owned cats and dogs . On top of that , other relatives of his were in the medical field , being physicians , cardiologists and general practitioners . As a result , his interest towards animal science and medicine is a culmination of it all .
After graduating from Nancy High School , his pathway into veterinary medicine was a straightforward one . He got his start at Somerset Community College , but then transferred to University of Kentucky where he graduated with a Bachelor ’ s in Animal Science . He
advanced even further by then attending Auburn University where he graduated with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery .
Immediately , Dr . Burkett jumped into the workforce , starting in North Carolina for one year , and then Virginia for 17 more . It wasn ’ t until his father got seriously ill that he moved back to
Somerset in 2000 . The year following , he would work under Dr . George Moore at the Somerset Animal Hospital , until buying the practice from him in 2001 .
Since then , he still manages to find that “ no day is the same .” He remembers back during his time at Auburn University , a professional advising all the students to keep a journal . After 20 or 30 years of practice , they could make a “ best-selling novel ” out of it .
Dr . Burkett ’ s own experience in the field has only proven that so . Over the years , he still finds himself in “ comical ” situations , such as servicing the old widow that keeps goats in her house or the retired bachelor with 40 cats .
However , there are times that the profession proves to be overwhelming . This was especially true during and after the COVID-19 pandemic . During the time , the animal hospital was limited to only handling emergencies and the occasional surgery or vaccination . As for the aftermath , Dr . Burkett states that he ’ s seen a “ massive ” increase in pet population in recent years . He credits that as a result of the increased demand for companionship during quarantine .
Another conflict the veterinarian faces is staying modern and relevant in an expanding profession . The animal hospital continuously updates to keep up with current medicine and practices . These include using therapeutic and
18 • SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky april 2023