OUR TEAM
Lee Hampton, DVM, CCRP
Dr. Lee Hampton’s dream began many years before he added the letters “DVM” to his name. At age seven, Dr. Hampton informed his parents he was going to be the quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys or a veterinarian. His family is thankful he had a backup plan. Prior to becoming a practice owner, Dr. Hampton worked at the same clinic for over 15 years. He started in the kennel in high school, then worked as a technician while home on break from college and vet school, and he was hired as a Veterinarian after graduation from vet school.
Dr. Hampton has developed a special interest in small animal soft tissue surgery, orthopedic surgery, rehabilitation, and oncology. Dr. Hampton is also a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He enjoys sharing his passion for the practice of veterinary medicine with his patients and clients.
Dr. Hampton was raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and he continued the family tradition of attending Texas A&M University. He graduated with undergraduate degrees in Biomedical Science and Animal Science and then obtained his degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hampton and his wife, Beth, have known each other since high school. They continued dating through college and professional school, and they were married after Beth graduated from Baylor Law School. The Hamptons have two daughters, Mary Elizabeth and Margaret, a Golden Retriever from Scotland named George, and they adopted a German Shorthair Pointer named Sky. Outside of work Dr. Hampton is involved at his church and still loves watching football, caring for his small herd of black Angus cattle, listening to George Strait, watching the History Channel, hunting and fishing. Dr. Hampton and his family enjoy living in Aledo and being part of this community.
A note from Dr. Hampton:
I immensely value our team. It would not be possible for Vista Animal Hospital & Rehab to provide a high standard of care without Rhonda, Amanda, Arecia, and Carrye. Aristotle said "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." We are a small team, but we accomplish a lot precisely because we are a team that works well together. Trust is a big reason for our success. We believe our ability to work together allows us to be efficient and effective at caring for our patients. In addition, we understand that our role isn't just to simply care for your animals. We care about you as well!
We have many Aledo High School students (past and present) shadow and work at our practice. We love having Bearcats interested in the veterinary profession at our office - please contact our office if you are a student interested in shadowing or part-time employment! One of my questions is always "Why do you want to be a Vet?" The answer is inevitably because they love animals. My follow up question is usually "that's great, but what about the people?" Many students remark they love animals more than people. That's when I suggest that animals do not drive themselves to the office, they are unable to tell us about their symptoms and the progression of those symptoms, they can't read the prescription label, and they lack opposable thumbs to navigate the vials. There will always be a person attached to each patient. Therefore, we know that our job is to care for your animals so they can get back to caring for you!
We believe Trust is built and maintained by many small actions over time. Our team places a high priority on trust in each other. From our team to yours!
Rhonda - Receptionist
Rhonda has been working in the veterinary field for over 29 years and enjoys it very much. Rhonda has done a bit of everything in the veterinary world. From office manager to technician to receptionist to anything else you can name! Her experience over the last 3 decades makes her an important source of knowledge. Both for the people who work with her and the people she helps as they come through our doors.
She is a mother of 4 and grandmother of many more! She raises and shows Cornish Rex cats. Rhonda also has 4 Chihuahuas, 3 horses, and a Borzoi. All of Rhonda's animals are a huge part of her family. One interesting note about Rhonda is that she is an excellent team roper!
Dr. Hampton and Rhonda have worked together since 2016. Their working relationship and trust has grown with each passing year. Given that Rhonda and Dr. Hampton's brains are commonly on the same wave-length, he doesn't want to envision life without Rhonda at the helm! She is vital to our practice!
Amanda - Veterinary Technician
Amanda has been a veterinary technician for 20 years. Dr. Hampton was fortunate to begin working with Amanda immediately after he graduated from vet school. Their relationship is going on 13 years strong. Dr. Hampton is very thankful for Amanda!
Dr. Hampton's trust in Amanda is unparalleled. She has the highest of integrity and character. Amanda is also an extremely hard worker. She rarely sits down from the time she enters the door to the time she leaves.
Throughout all of Amanda's years with her hands on animals she has developed valuable skills. She is excellent at making the animals feel comfortable. She has a quiet confidence that animals seem to notice instantly.
Amanda has 2 dogs and 5 cats. She also has a tortoise named Chompers that is one of her cherished family members!
Arecia - Veterinary Technician
Arecia has been with us at the inception of Vista Animal Hospital and Rehab. Arecia serves in many roles. She is an excellent technician as she has very good technical skills. She was a natural at drawing blood and placing IV catheters from the first time she tried. Arecia can also be seen at our front desk a couple mornings each week. Her experience as a technician and caring for sick animals is invaluable in her ability to communicate with people effectively. You can often "hear" Arecia smiling while you're on the phone with her!
In addition to her ability to help animals and people, she is excellent with technology. She takes care of about any type of technology issue that arises. We are so thankful to have someone who is so proficient with computers and software. She is an astute learner when it comes to anything technology based.
Arecia has a large German Shepherd named Luke. He is very well trained as dog training is one of her passions! Arecia also has a "few" cats. We won't say how many!
Carrye - Veterinary Technician
Carrye has been a techinician for 4 years. In addition to Rhonda, she also raises and shows Cornish Rex cats. Carrye wears many hats in our practice. She can be seen getting a patient ready for anesthesia, to answering the phone, as well as answering questions about medications, to helping with a large 130lbs Rottweiler that is "showing us his teeth". (Not quite a smile). Carrye's attention to detail is second to none. She has an especially keen awareness in every situation.
Carrye has two large 100lbs+ Doberman Pinschers. Her aura and self-assurance is immediately noticed by most large and giant breed dogs. This always help them to feel calm and confident.
One of Carrye's greatest attributes is that she has the heart of a teacher. Having two boys at home has definitely honed her skills! Carrye loves to answer questions in regard to medications, questions about behavior, what to expect after surgery, to even new puppy/kitten exams. Just to name a few.
Carrye has 3 dogs, several cats, and has two boys. Carrye loves spending time with her husband, sons and all of their 4-legged children!