About Kimberly Crest

Kimberly Crest Veterinary Hospital was created by Drs. Merle Lang and Ken Knutstrom. The practice originated on Harrison Street but moved to Kimberly Road in 1969 where you can find it today. Dr. Donald Lantow and Dr. Roger Laimans joined the partnership in 1969 and 1970, respectively.  Kimberly Crest began as a mixed large and small animal practice, but due to the areas changing needs, the practice became a small animal exclusive hospital in 1972.

Kimberly Crest Veterinary Hospital has been a member of The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) since 1979.  We adhere to the strict standards for quality medical care and continuous improvements that are required to maintain membership.

Kimberly Crest Today

Dr. Bahns previously worked at Kimberly Crest during high school, and then returned as an associate veterinarian in 2010. Dr. Laura Bahns took over ownership January of 2021 and is a practicing veterinarian, focusing on behavior, dentistry, and oncology.

Over the years, Kimberly Crest has added the equipment to be able perform Digital Radiology, Ultrasounds, CT scans, Myleograms, Endoscopies, and an in-house laboratory.  Our orthopedic surgery capabilities also grew with the advanced skillset of Dr. Ryan Less, who has also achieved board certification from ABVP. Dr. Less joined Kimberly Crest 2000 and has been the primary surgeon since 2002.

Alongside Dr. Bahns and Dr. Less, Kimberly Crest has 3 prestigious doctors practicing veterinary medicine: Dr. Jake A. Taylor, Dr. Abigail M. Cahill, and Dr. Nichollette L. Rider. Dr. Jake A. Taylor happily joined Kimberly Crest in April 2014 and received his board certification from ABVP in 2020, Dr. Abigail M. Cahill joined us in the summer of 2019, and Dr. Nichollette L. Rider completed our current team in June 2020.

Kimberly Crest Veterinary Hospital & Specialty Services offers university-level services close to home and continues to add new services as often as possible.

Our Certifications

A proud member of the American Animal Hospital Association

Did you know that accreditation is required for human hospitals, but voluntary for animal hospitals?
We’ve voluntarily chosen to go through the process of becoming accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) because we understand that your pet holds a valued place in your heart, and his/her health is important to us.

But, what does it mean to be accredited?
To be accredited by AAHA, our hospital must demonstrate an exceptional level of medical care and client service, and be measured against the most rigorous standards in the veterinary industry. Only 15% of animal hospitals in the United States and Canada are AAHA accredited, and we’re one of them!

During the accreditation process, we are evaluated based on AAHA’s standards of Accreditation – an extensive list of approximately 900 standards that directly relate to the care we are providing your pet. Some examples of these standards include:

  • Diagnostic Services – We are required to provide x-ray and laboratory services in order to quickly and accurately diagnose your pet’s condition.
  • Onsite Pharmacy – After diagnosis, our onsite pharmacy gives us the ability to immediately begin treatment.
  • Medical Records – AAHA requires that medical records be thorough and complete, ensuring that we better understand your pet’s medical history and how past medical issues might be impacting their current medical status.

Board Certified Specialists

Both Ryan Less, DVM and Jake Taylor, DVM have earned the title “Diplomate” from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP).

What does that mean?
It means your veterinarian made the choice to undergo a very long, very difficult process of additional studies and examination to become a board certified specialist. This process can take up to six years to complete. The process, however, does not end at certification. ABVP Diplomates are required to re-certify every 10 years, something most other specialty groups do not require. In the end, the motivation behind achieving Diplomate status is, very simply, excellence.

How does this affect you?
You can rest easy knowing your animals are receiving expert treatment because your veterinarian feels a strong commitment to providing the best possible care available.

Certified Cat Friendly Practice

We are a Certified Cat Friendly Practice by the American Association of Feline Practitioners! The AAFP created the Cat Friendly Practice program to help veterinary practices meet the wide range of unique needs of cats in a veterinary practice setting. An extensive self-assessment checklist was designed to demonstrate that Cat Friendly Practices:

  • Understand the unique needs of cats and have made veterinary visits more cat-friendly.
  • Understand how to approach and handle cats in a gentle, empathetic and caring manner.
  • Have an appropriate standard of equipment needed to investigate and treat feline diseases.
  • Meets a standard for the facilities and care for hospitalized cats.

What does the CFP status mean to you?
For some cats and owners, a trip to the veterinarian can be stressful. Our goal is to create a more calming environment. Our staff members have been trained on how to approach and handle cats in a gentle, empathetic and caring manner. Our practice demonstrates a higher level of commitment and excellence in feline medicine.

To learn more about Cat Friendly Practices, please visit www.catvets.com.