About our Doctor
Dr. Barbara Cotten is a 1999 graduate of the North Carolina State University. Her home state of Pennsylvania is where she obtained undergraduate degrees in Biology and Education, as well as gaining many varied work experiences in education, research, machining, and the food industry. She then came to North Carolina to continue her education in veterinary medicine.
Dr. Cotten’s primary interests include preventative medicine, soft tissue surgery, behavior medicine, and internal medicine. She also enjoys gardening, cooking and baking, craft projects, and spending time with family and friends.
About For Pet’s Sake
For Pet’s Sake Animal Hospital was founded and opened in downtown Selma, NC in October 2008 by Dr. Barbara Cotten. The basis for my hospital is to provide quality pet healthcare that is available to the typical American home, offered in an environment of old-fashioned customer service.
In a world where so many things weigh us down, I believe that pets provide us comfort, stability, companionship, acceptance, and unconditional love. By helping to nurture this unbreakable bond, my goal as a veterinarian is to provide you the best healthcare for your pet(s). We will tailor a treatment plan that best fits your pet, your finances, your family, and your situation.
Just as I do not like going to the doctor, I realize that many pets also have some anxiety with this same experience. I try to make your visit as enjoyable for you and your pet(s) as possible. The mission statements for our hospital are:
1) To provide quality healthcare to our small animal patients
2) To provide our clients and patients a caring, respectful, kind, and considerate atmosphere and
3) To create a teamwork approach among our staff, with other veterinary clinics and shelters to provide the best services for our patients and clients.
Whether it is checking in your pet for an exam or choosing the best flea preventative, our front office has a team of warm and welcoming representatives that will help you with your needs. Our support team of assistants, technicians, and doctors will provide you and your pet with timely and friendly service. Should we not be able to provide a particular service for your pet, we will offer options for specialists, referral, surgery, or emergency care.
Each day, I try my utmost to fulfill this philosophy … to treat others the way you would like to be treated; and each night, I must feel good with the decisions that I have made for that day. I will always provide you my honest and professional opinion based on my education, my experience, and in order to provide your pet with the best care for their life and happiness.
What to Expect
We welcome you to For Pet’s Sake Animal Hospital. Our goal is to provide you the best possible experience for you and your pet(s) during your visit with us. We respect that your schedule is very busy, and we strive to keep your experience with us timely, honest, and friendly.
We ask that new clients arrive ten to fifteen minutes ahead of your scheduled appointment time, so we can go over any prior records and have you fill out an information form about you and your pet(s). After one of our friendly receptionists checks you in, you and your pet will be invited into an examination room.
One of our friendly veterinary assistants will ask you some brief questions about your pet and the reason for your visit. They will also obtain any samples needed for preventative and/or other testing, and provide a thorough history for the veterinarian. Depending on what test may be needed, we offer both in-house testing and send-out testing for your pet(s).
One of our experienced veterinarians will then examine your pet, and discuss with you their findings along with any recommendations for testing, management, treatment, prevention, or care. We will always provide you the best option(s) for your pet; however, because each pet and family is unique, we often offer treatment plans tailored for each situation. All of our doctors are very thorough, relaxed, and patient, and will gladly address any concerns or questions that you may have.
We aim to provide you with a welcome, warm and compassionate experience, and invite you to call our office with any questions that you may have forgotten to ask during the examination. We thank you for choosing our hospital to provide the healthcare for your beloved friend(s).