Eric Heitman, DVM
Dr. Heitman has been the owner of Ottawa Animal Hospital since 1989. He graduated from Michigan State University School of Veterinary Medicine.
He is married to wife Michelle and they have two beautiful daughters: Kristen and Kylie. His 2 German Wirehaired Pointers, Nelly and Heidi, are his canine companions, in addition to two horses, one goat, and a few chickens. Dr. Heitman is also a level 2 Fear-Free certified professional.
Diane Bergstrom, DVM
Dr. Diane Bergstrom graduated from Michigan State University’s Veterinary School in 1989.
Dr. Bergstrom began working at Ottawa Animal Hospital in 1984 as a receptionist and kennel technician before applying to veterinary school. After she graduated, she worked outside of Detroit and in Louisville, Kentucky before returning to Ottawa Animal Hospital in 1993. She has worked for OAH since then, occasionally taking time off while her family grew. When she’s not at OAH, she can usually be found with her wonderful family – husband, 3 daughters, and a variety of animals – enjoying the outdoors. Dr. Bergstrom is a Fear-Free certified professional.
Wendy Swift, DVM
Dr. Swift graduated in 1996 from Michigan State University with a degree in Animal Behavior and Neurobiology and again in May of 2000 with her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine.
She started working at Ottawa Animal Hospital shortly after graduation. She enjoys internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, exotic animal medicine with an emphasis on small mammals, animal behavior including aggression, multi-animal family interaction, noise phobias, and inappropriate behaviors (inappropriate elimination issues, barking, digging, etc), purebred cat/dog predispositions, and sporting dog medicine/kinesiology. Dr. Swift is an Elite Certified Fear Free Professional.
From July 2003 to July 2011, Dr. Swift worked for the Humane Society of West Michigan giving homeless animals a voice focusing on shelter medicine, veterinary forensics, animal welfare advocacy programs, and shelter management. With a true passion for the pets and people at Ottawa Animal Hospital, she returned to continue practicing veterinary medicine in Holland. Dr. Swift is a Reiki Master Healer and can offer pets a balance between traditional and holistic medicine. Holistic options include nutritional consultation and dietary supplementation, massage therapy, crystal healing, aromatherapy, and Reiki healing treatments. Dr. Swift is also a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator who loves incorporating positive pet and family interactions to strengthen the human-animal bond. She loves to spend time with her husband, son, and furry family members including guinea pigs and Labrador retrievers.
Susan Turner, VMD
Dr. Susan Turner graduated veterinary school in 2009 from the University of Pennsylvania.
She grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania and did her undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame, where she met her husband, Dave. She joined us in the fall of 2015 and has been practicing in the West Michigan area for the past 6 years. Dr. Turner and her husband are avid Notre Dame fans and can be found cheering on the Irish most fall Saturdays. They currently have 3 rambunctious cats – Cider, Drake, and Prim. Her professional interests include internal medicine, feline medicine, and dentistry. Dr. Turner is also a Fear-Free certified professional. She looks forward to meeting you and your pets!
Sarah Zimmerman, DVM
Dr. Zimmerman graduated from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003.
She has lived and practiced veterinary medicine in West Michigan for the past 15 years. Dr. Zimmerman enjoys every aspect of being a small animal practitioner, especially developing long-term client and patient relationships. Dr. Zimmerman has a special interest in preventative care and internal medicine. She lives in Spring Lake with her husband and four young children. Adding excitement to the household is their energetic boxer named Wesley and the newest addition, Shalane, a dachshund puppy. In her free time, Dr. Zimmerman enjoys running and spending time with her family.
Tiffany Patterson, DVM
Dr. Patterson graduated from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in2010.
She grew up in a small town in West Michigan and did her undergraduate studies at Michigan State University. After studying abroad, she ended up in Illinois for vet school. She has practiced in Northern Indiana, Southern, and West Michigan before coming to Ottawa. Dr. Patterson has a special interest in keeping the senior patient healthy and happy, which includes using conventional and integrative medicine. She will begin her certification of Acupuncture in January 2020. In her free time, Dr. Patterson enjoys spending time with her husband and young daughter as well as her two canine children and two horses.