Our History
Graduate of Amite High School and obtained a bachelor's degree in animal science at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA.
Dr. McElveen graduated from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine class of 1989. He returned to Ruston for one year to work at a mixed animal practice. He later began work at an emergency clinic in New Orleans, where he developed his interest in emergency and critical care medicine. He opened Baton Rouge Animal Hospital in 1991 as a full-service primary and dental care hospital, offering emergency care after hours services for the greater Baton Rouge community.
Dr. McElveen is committed to providing the best emergency care for your pets.
Dr. McElveen
Completed East Jefferson High School in Metairie, Louisiana and moved on to Louisiana Tech from 1978-1981. Dr. Ponthieux went on to LSU School of Veterinary Medicine from 1981-1985. He gained practical veterinary experience at Helouin Veterinary Hospital from 1985-1990, and then opened Bluebonnet Veterinary Hospital in April of 1990.
Dr. Ponthieux special veterinary interests include ophthalmology, general preventative care and emergency medicine. Dr. McElveen and Dr. Ponthieux bring a total of 49 years of emergency experience to the Baton Rouge Pet Emergency Hospital and have taken care of more than 43,000 emergency cases.
Dr. Ponthieux
Graduate of Portland High School in 1998 and went on to receive a BA from Clark University in 2002. She continued there for a MSC in 2003, and on completion, moved to Lafayette, Louisiana where she attended a University of Louisiana at Lafayette Doctorate Program in Biology, receiving her PhD in 2010.
Dr. Goranova then attended LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated with the class of 2016. She proudly joined Baton Rouge Animal Hospital and Baton Rouge Pet Emergency Hospital in 2018, where she serves as medical director provides primary preventative care as well as emergency critical care.
Dr. Goranova enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine but by far she enjoys the challenges of emergency critical care, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery the most.