QUAIL CORNERS ANIMAL HOSPITAL - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Managing DVM, CVA / View Profile

Dr. Piver, a North Carolina native, grew up in Chapel Hill and attended The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate studies -GO HEELS! She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. She spent several years working as an equine veterinarian and as a mixed animal practitioner before focusing on small animals. Dr. Piver also attended The Chi Institute for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine and is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA). This has enabled her to provide alternatives (such as acupuncture and herbal medicine) when standard treatments at not working. Dr. Piver and her family live in Cary. They have two four-legged children, Lilah and Thatch, who are both Labrador Retrievers. In their spare time, the Piver family enjoys snowboarding, boating, wakeboarding, and camping.

Dr. Catherine Buyrn was inspired to become a Veterinarian or work with animals from a young age. She grew up in Chesapeake Virginia with many dogs and cats of her own and just knew her love for animals and being able to help them was her passion and the right job for her. She attended Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2022. She had the opportunity to work in mixed-animal veterinary medicine with cows, horses, sheep, goats, and other livestock, in addition to cats and dogs. During this time she shared she had a memorable and challenging case involving a cow and this is when she realized ‘it is those challenging cases that make you realize what you are capable of achieving to help your patients'. Dr. Buyrn enjoys getting to know her clients and patients and hearing the stories about their lives and bond. She says she is honored to have a role in keeping their loved-ones healthy and helping both the animals and their owners. Dr. Buyrn is a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and shares her home with two cats, Jack and Roo. Jack loves to go outside for leash walks twice a day and Roo is a kitten who loves to play and share whatever Dr. Buyrn is eating. And when she is not seeing patients, Dr. Buyrn loves being outside to exercise or hike, and enjoys cooking and reading.

Dr. Emily Morgan grew up in a small Florida town on a strawberry farm. From an early age she was interested in becoming a Dolphin Trainer or a Veterinarian but could not decide. As she progressed through school she realized her love of science and decided that being a veterinarian would be the best way to merge her love of animals with her love of science. Dr. Morgan attended Louisiana State University and graduated in 2021. She did a one-year internship in small animal medicine and emergency medicine at Tufts University in Massachusetts. She is a member of AVMA and Fear Free Certified. While she loves working with dogs, she is passionate about feline medicine and cats in general. One of her favorite things about veterinary medicine is solving mysteries and finding a diagnosis so she can see her patients get better. She says, "There is no greater feeling than seeing a very sick patient feeling great again and knowing that I was able to make a difference." She shared one of her most memorable cases was as a veterinary student on a critical care rotation. The case involved a dog who had a pyothorax (infectious fluid within his chest), who was incredibly sick and in the ICU for over two weeks. She was able to be a big part of his care team and help nurse him back to health. It was the first case that opened her eyes to just how much veterinarians can do for animals. Dr. Morgan shares her home with her boyfriend, Joey, as well as Cab, a lab mix and two cats, Savvy and Goose. She loves traveling and experiencing new cultures, food, restaurants and breweries!

Dr. Jacqueline Chaffer is a native of New York and joined the QCAH family this September 2020. She attended veterinary school in the beautiful South Caribbean island of Grenada at St. George's University School of Veterinary Medicine and did her clinical year at University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation in 2008, she worked at various small animal hospitals in Long Island and Rockland County, New York before migrating to the Hudson Valley with her husband, also a veterinarian. They have decided to take the Southern plunge and are super excited to be in the Raleigh area with their 2 dogs, Drake and Babs, as well as 2 cats, Harvey and Slade. Dr. Chaffer has interests internal medicine, ultrasonography, dentistry, and does see some exotic pets. She was a wildlife rehabilitator in NY and hopes to continue that while here in NC. She was recently accredited as a Fear Free veterinarian and hopes to make all pets a little less stressed about visiting the "big bad vet." In her spare time, she enjoys cooking/wine, visiting vineyards and craft breweries and new restaurants, doing yoga and Zumba, gardening, and is an avid football and hockey fan (both college and professional).

Dr. Leslie Sanders grew up in New Jersey and decided at a very young age, while treating her stuffed animals that she wanted to become a veterinarian. She followed her passion and graduated from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and is a member of the AVMA, AAHA and NCVMA. Dr. Sanders joined the Quail Corners Animal Hospital team in 2018 and enjoys making a difference and educating pet owners on the best welfare for their pets to ensure a long, happy and healthy life. She has special interests in internal medicine, pain management and senior pet welfare. One of Dr. Sanders' most memorable cases was for a Husky with poor hair regrowth after a surgical procedure. She suspected the pet had Cushing's disease but after further diagnostics were conducted, she proved the pet had an estrogen-producing adrenal tumor. Dr. Sanders treated the pet with oral medications over three years resulting in hair regrowth to a normal coat and Cushing's symptoms resolved. Dr. Sanders lives in Holly Springs with her husband and three young boys and a kitty named Elsa. When Dr. Sanders is not working she enjoys spending time with family, traveling, baking and watching hockey (she's a huge fan of the Philadelphia Flyers).

Dr. Susanna Edwards grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and decided when she was in middle school to become a veterinarian given her love of animals and wanting to help pets and their owners. She said it may sound cliché, but it's true! She discovered an enjoyment and interest in science and medicine that paired very well with her love of animals, leading her to vet school. Dr. Edwards graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, is a member of NCVMA and is Fear Free certified. She has a passion for practicing Fear Free and low stress handling approaches to nervous dogs and cats and is satisfied seeing how much calmer and happier her patients are with a low stress approach. One of her memorable cases was a neurology case with a little terrier losing control of her legs. At first it was thought she might have a spinal disc injury that would require extensive surgery, but an exam showed she had an uncommon and really interesting condition called myasthenia gravis where the transmission of nerve signals to muscles dysfunctions The patient was sent home with medication (instead of surgery!), and three days later when she came back for a recheck she could walk across the entire room without falling down! Dr. Edwards enjoys spending time with her wonderful girlfriend Faith, who is also a veterinarian, and her many "children" - cats, rats, aquatic snails, and fish. She shares her favorite hobby is juggling, especially juggling the diabolo (Chinese yoyo), and is even in a local juggling club. She enjoys going to museums and zoos, attending community theater shows, swing dancing, biking on the greenway, making origami figures, recording and discussing dreams, cooking (especially Indian food), sewing, and being involved with my church.

Dr. Gjessing is a graduate of the NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine and has been at Quail Corners since 1991. Dr. Gjessing understands the strong bonds that develop between her clients and their four-legged family members, and strives to keep her patients healthy throughout their entire lives. In particular, Dr. Gjessing embraces the challenge of allowing senior pets to age with dignity. A native of New York, Dr. Gjessing enjoys competing in road cycle races, doing New York Times crossword puzzles, road cycling, gardening, and road cycling. She shares her home with many fur kids and loves every minute of crazy with them.

Dr. Posey joined the Quail Corners Animal Hospital team in 2019 and will be working a hybrid schedule of primary care daytime hours as well as some ER shifts. Dr. Posey loves being able to help pets and their owners through all the complications of illnesses and surgery. And, she is committed to working with geriatric patients to provide high quality, compassionate end of life care. Dr. Posey is a native of North Carolina and grew up in Wilmington, at the beach! She had the opportunity to shadow a local veterinarian during high school and knew it was her calling. She realized how much she not only loved working with the animals but loved the science and challenges of medicine. She attended the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and is a member of the AVMA and NCVMA. When she's not working, you can find Dr. Posey out on the water paddle boarding or enjoying time at home with her husband and her fur kids: 2 cats, Jezebel and Maddie, and 2 dogs, Maya a black lab and a Leonberger named Pan.