BUFFALO VETERINARIANS
SERVING BUFFALO MINNESOTA AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
BUFFALO COMPANION ANIMAL CLINIC
Access your pets’ health information online.
John Merz with his yellow lab, Maggie and black lab, Lily
One year after graduating from Iowa State University in 1989, Dr. Merz joined the Buffalo clinic. Born and raised in Dubuque, IA, Dr. Merz spent summers at his uncle’s farm. His lifelong dream of being a veterinarian had already taken shape but
working on the farm cemented his dream forever.
At the time he joined the Buffalo practice, it still addressed the health needs of both large and small animals. He liked working with dairy animals and intended to focus his practice on them. But he soon discovered that serving the health needs of small, companion animals was even more interesting and gratifying. To Dr. Merz, restoring an injured or ill animal to health and happiness, watching young companion animals grow into healthy adults and helping people understand their pets' needs is what being a veterinarian is all about.
The Buffalo Companion Animal Clinic continues to grow and incorporate new technologies, treatments and services. That progressive approach is what first attracted Dr. Merz to the practice. Most recently, we’ve added veterinary dental services, an aspect of general health that is often given scarce attention but that is of paramount importance to the quality of your companion animal’s life.
Fishing, camping and other family activities keep Dr. Merz busy when he's not working at the clinic.
Dr. Moore has been with the BCAC since 1985. After
graduating from the University of Minnesota, he
interned at what was then the Buffalo Veterinary Clinic,
and never left. Growing up on a dairy farm in
Clear Lake, South Dakota, Dr. Moore’s early
experiences cultivated an interest in animal
health and fostered an enduring love and
respect for animals.
What Dr. Moore finds rewarding about
the art and science of veterinary
medicine is the problem-solving involved
in keeping animals in good health or
returning them to it. He is also
fascinated with the complex bond that
exists between people and their
companion animals. Understanding
the dynamic between them and
communicating that understanding,
helps people and their animals form
a healthy relationship that meets not
just the animal's physical needs, but the
emotional needs of both owner and pet.
Dr. Moore enjoys sharing his knowledge, educating clients and working with them to enhance communication and maximize the rewards of the human-animal bond. Clear communication and attentive listening are part of the Buffalo Companion Animal Clinic’s philosophy of how to practice medicine.
When he’s not working, Dr. Moore enjoys spending time with his family and friends, traveling, canoeing, camping, and hiking. He volunteers in church groups and takes great pleasure in restoring his family’s vintage 1920’s era home.
Kimberly K Nicklaus DVM, DAAPM, CVA
Dr. Nicklaus joined the BCAC in 2004 after spending several
years at a practice in Mankato, MN. She graduated from
Iowa State University in 2001, fulfilling a lifelong ambition
of becoming a veterinarian.
She was raised in the small town of Eagle Grove, IA
which prompted her search for an area offering the
small town “feel” yet having the availability of big
city amenities. When she found Buffalo, she
knew it was the perfect fit.
Dr. Nicklaus has particular interest in the areas
of pain management, geriatrics, internal
medicine and dermatology. She has
recently become credentialed through the
American Academy of Pain Management, an organization devoted to cutting-edge
human pain management. Only
18 veterinarians in the country have
achieved this and Dr. Nicklaus is the only one in Minnesota. She has also just completed a medical acupuncture course and she is using this modality to help manage diseases from arthritis to
urinary problems. She is a member of both the Minnesota and American
Veterinary Medical Associations, the
International Veterinary Academy of Pain
Management, the American Academy of Pain Management and the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.
She understands the deep emotional connection that people have with their pets and realizes that this plays a vital role in the well being of both the patient and client. Advancements in veterinary medicine and standards of care for our companion animals are evolving rapidly and Dr. Nicklaus strives to stay abreast of these changes to provide her patients with the quality and compassionate care that they deserve.
Away from the clinic, Dr. Nicklaus enjoys spending time with her two rescued dogs, Barley & Nihoa. She also enjoys spending time with her family in IA, reading and interior design.
Although Dr. St.Amant originated in Gary, Indiana, he has lived throughout the Midwest, mostly in small towns and communities not unlike Buffalo. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with an undergraduate degree in zoology. He considered an academic career or a career in zoological
research but wanted to put his knowledge and skill to a
more immediate and practical use. Plus, he wanted daily
interaction with animals and their owners — becoming a
veterinarian was the perfect solution.
After graduating in 1988 from the University of Minnesota,
Dr. St.Amant worked part-time for several metropolitan
area veterinarians before joining the Buffalo clinic full
time in 1993.
As with the other doctors of the Buffalo Companion
Animal Clinic, Dr. St.Amant is a skilled veterinary
surgeon. For him, surgery of the knee is
particularly interesting. Before surgery, animals
with a torn cruciate ligament, a common cause
for knee surgery, display marked discomfort and
their mobility is restricted. Restoring an animal
to an active lifestyle and seeing the owner’s joy
at getting their pet back on track is one of the
huge rewards of being a surgeon.
Dr. St.Amant is an avid hobby horticulturist.
From “common” houseplants to various species
of exotic orchids, Dr. St.Amant’s knowledge of
plants and careful nurturing results in beautiful,
healthy plants. His success is evident throughout the clinic where it is common to see plants blooming all seasons of the year. When he’s not at the clinic, Dr. St.Amant enjoys camping with his wife and two children and tending his own companion animals.
Ron with Maggie on the left and Trooper
Kim with Nihoa, a Shepherd cross
and Cocker Spaniel, Barley
Jim with his
Standard Poodle, Jack
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