Dr. Jaime Thurk
Veterinarian
Dr. Jaime Thurk was born in rural Wisconsin and grew up on a Dairy farm where her love of animals has grown into her life-long dream of becoming a Veterinarian. Dr. Thurk received her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine biology at Texas A&M University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University in 2009. She completed her one year clinical rotation at Washington State University.
Dr. Thurk’s areas of interest are preventative medicine, natural nutrition and supplementation, avian/exotic medicine, surgery and dentistry. Her priority is to maintain the highest ethical and medical standards, while providing a friendly and relaxed environment for your pet. Her goal is to ensure her patients are treated as member of the family and that clients are well informed, involved and comfortable with the decisions made regarding their pet’s care. She will constantly apply the latest in veterinary medicine advancements to properly diagnose, treat and care for her patients so that your loved ones remain happy and healthy.
Dr. Thurk’s interests outside of the practice are spending time with her son, Fiance, 2 dogs (Echo, Hoss) and 2 cats (Mr. Bojangels, Fat Cat). She also enjoys hiking, camping and just spending time in the outdoors.
Dr. Rodney Toogood
Veterinarian
Rodney Toogood, DVM was born and raised in southern Minnesota. He attended Mankato State University for his undergraduate degree and received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Toogood practiced for 25 years in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area, 20 years owning and operating his own small animal and exotics practice in suburban Minneapolis. His professional areas of interest include medicine and surgery, preventative care, and fostering the human animal bond. He enjoys seeing exotic animals, especially small mammals. He is committed to the highest standards of veterinary care with thorough client communication and education.
Dr. Toogood is an avid cyclist, both mountain and road biking and also enjoys skate skiing, standup paddle boarding, hiking, and generally being outdoors. He is a musician and a wine and food enthusiast. Dr. Toogood and his wife, Gretchen, who is also a veterinarian, have one dog and two cats.
Dr. Brooke Jacoby
Veterinarian
Brooke grew up in a small town in northeast California and always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian as she was surrounded by dogs, cats, horses and rabbits. She graduated from California Polytechnic University in 2003 with a B.S. in Animal Science and made her way to the Eugene area to pursue veterinary school. She completed her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Oregon State University in 2008 and worked for 4 years in a large multi-doctor small animal hospital. This is where she first met Dr. Thurk!
She then transitioned to a rapidly growing holistic practice and there she found excitement in the field of holistic medicine. She completed her acupuncture certification via the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2012 and has also completed course work in homeopathy. She is currently obtaining her certification in Chinese Herbal Medicine through the Chi Institute. Dr. Jacoby is passionate about holistic medicine and creating a life-long health plan for her patients. She is especially interested in nutrition, internal medicine, senior care, pain management and hospice.
Away from the clinic she loves spending time outdoors with her two children, husband and dog. Brooke is excited to provide holistic and integrative veterinary care here at East Bend!
Becky Wendt
Practice Manager
Becky was born and raised in Idaho on a ranch (which is where her love for all animals developed). Becky spent some time traveling around the country and lived aboard for a year before she obtained her Bachelor’s degree from Eastern Oregon University. She is currently working towards becoming a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager. She has been working in the veterinary field since 2011.
In her spare time, Becky enjoys hiking, camping, trail running, and traveling. She has four dogs (three of which are foster failures) and two spoiled cats.
Nakia Twigg
Certified Veterinary Technician
Nakia grew up in beautiful Sisters, Oregon. Her passion for veterinary medicine started with her schools career program. Nakia earned her Veterinary Technician Certificate in 2006.
Nakia’s special interest are dentistry and behavior. She enjoys helping pets and their people have a long healthy and happy relationship. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband, horseback riding, camping. mountain bike riding and hanging out with her pets (horses, dogs, cat, chickens, goats)!
Jennel Wassenaar
Certified Veterinary Technician
Jennel was born and raised in the Imperial Valley, Southern California (where the sun spends the winter). She has been working with animals since the late nineties as a Veterinary Technician, dog groomer’s assistance, and at a dog daycare where she helped with training classes. Jennel attended Bel-Rea Animal Technology School. She moved to Central Oregon in 2000. After spending ten months pet less after losing her beloved min pin, Jennel adopted her new love, Ty, an English Cream Golden Retriever. Jennel loves summer time and spends her spare time hiking and hanging out in nature with her husband and son.
Brittany Landucci
Veterinary Assistant
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Brittany has always had a love of cats (especially!) and all other animals since a very young age. Brittany has a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and Business and has worked with companies such as DreamWorks Animation, ABC Sports San Francisco / Bay Area and most recently, a fitness startup called Grow Fit. She is currently pursuing her Certification in Veterinary Technology with Penn Foster College and hopes to graduate in a few years. She and her husband Rick have lived in Bend for four years and reside with their two chihuahuas Oliver and Finnius Deschutes and their three black cats Hemi, Smudge and Twitch. In her free time, Brittany enjoys cooking, baking, spending time with friends, and traveling with her husband.
Alicia Gonzales
Veterinary Assistant
Alicia recently moved to the Bend area after spending some time traveling around the West Coast. She grew up in Illinois and spent her summers in Mexico. Alicia has worked in the animal industry for six years. In her spare time, she enjoys being outside and listening to live music.
April Davis
Veterinary Assistant
April was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. After spending time living in Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida, she moved to San Jose, CA in 2009 to work as a Data Base Analyst and Software Testing Specialist & Lab Technician. While in California, she met her husband. After leaving the IT industry and a move from California to Washington, she traveled extensively throughout the US with her husband and his work for several years. In Washington, April spent most of her time mountain climbing, backpacking, trail running, and being part of Washington State Search and Rescue and a FEMA Disaster team member.
In May of 2019, April and her husband relocated to Redmond . The move to Oregon has brought her back into the workforce, volunteering her time at Think Wild Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital and working with East Bend Animal Hospital doing what she is passionate about…animals and the care and rehabilitation of wildlife. April is currently attending Penn Foster online to pursue her Veterinary Technician Certification.
Harriet Burquist
Client Service Representative
Born and raised in Bend, Oregon on a small farm is where Harriet’s love for animals started. She grew up experiencing everything from cows, horses and chickens to rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats. She has always had a passion for animals and a desire to pursue a career in the veterinary field. Harriet has been attending COCC part-time for the past two years, studying Art, Writing, and Psychology. In her free time, she loves road-tripping with her two awesome dogs, camping, backpacking, or snuggling up with her cat and reading a good book or writing.
Theresa Blanco
Client Service Representative
Theresa, a graduate of Whittier College, started working for veterinarians 25 years ago. What was supposed to be a part-time job became her career. She found, and continues to find, fulfillment in the various aspects of the veterinary world.
She has been adopted by various horses and ponies, dogs and cats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and an invasive peacock. You’ll often find her with a cup of tea, a book, and a much rake, but not always in that order.
