Welcome to Wilmington Animal Healthcare
Your Veterinarian in Wilmington, NC
Call us at (910) 791-7101

Dr. Jeff Ward is a 1999 graduate of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, the third top ranking veterinary school in the country. He was a member of the Phi Zeta Honor Society of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in the top 10% of his veterinary school class. Following graduation, Dr. Ward was honored to be selected for an academic internship in small animal medicine and surgery at University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. During this intensive 13 month training, he furthered his skills in the management of complex medical and surgical cases. Internship training is something that few general practitioners pursue. Following completion of his internship at University of Tennessee, Dr. Ward practiced for three years in a large, 24 hour hospital in Charlotte. Following relocation to Wilmington, Dr. Ward worked as an emergency clinician at Animal Emergency and Trauma Hospital of Wilmington prior to the opening of Wilmington Animal Healthcare in February 2006. Dr. Ward has a special interest in soft tissue surgery, emergency medicine and dentistry. Dr. Ward is a native of North Carolina and is thrilled to be living at the coast where he can participate in his favorite hobby, fly fishing. He also enjoys gardening, and dreams of building his own boat one day. He participates in wild turtle medicine and surgery whenever he gets the chance. Dr. Ward is also a novice ukulele player and frequently entertains his family and close friends with off and on key performances. Dr. Ward's human family includes wife Stacy, daughters Carly and Avery, and son Emmitt. His pet family is large and rambunctious with lots of furry friends.

Dr. Katie Horne is a graduate of the University Of Florida College Of Veterinary Medicine, where she received her DVM degree in 2008. She graduated with Honors as a member of the Phi Zeta Veterinary Medicine Honor Society, and was ranked 11th in her class. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2004, where she was also a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society (Go HEELS!!). Dr. Horne grew up in Tennessee and North Carolina. Following graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Horne decided to begin her career as a general practitioner in the Wilmington area, where the rest of her immediate family currently resides. She enjoys all aspects of small animal practice, but has a particular interest in dermatology. She is so proud to be a part of the WAHC team and its commitment to excellence. Dr. Horne and her husband B.J., a special education teacher and athletic director at Topsail High School, were married after her first year of vet school. They are both so happy to finally be back home in North Carolina with their dogs, Birdie and Bogey, and cat, Dinah. In June of 2012, they welcomed their first child, a beautiful daughter named Bailey Grace. In November of 2015, Dr. Horne welcomed her very handsome son Judson!

Dr. Sara Lewis is a 2011 graduate of Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn, Alabama. She graduated with honors in the top ten percent of her class and was a member of Phi Zeta distinguished veterinary honor society. While in veterinary school, she was involved in numerous organizations and served on several missionary teams that traveled to Central and South America. She has special interests in critical care, dermatology, and soft tissue surgery. Dr. Lewis is originally from Birmingham, Alabama and the middle of five children. Her mother is a small animal veterinarian and helped to develop her love of veterinary medicine from early on. Sara attended undergraduate school at the University of Alabama (ROLL TIDE!) and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Biology and Spanish. She was married during her third year of veterinary school to her husband Jon, who is an officer in the United States Marine Corps. She relocated to North Carolina immediately after graduation and is excited to finally be living with her husband in the same state! Dr. Lewis is thrilled and proud to join the outstanding team at Wilmington Animal Healthcare where she can continue the ongoing tradition of quality, compassionate animal care. In her spare time, Dr. Lewis loves traveling with her husband, spending time at the beach, cooking (especially cake decorating!), and knitting. She also loves to dance and is a certified ZUMBA fitness instructor. She has a mixed breed dog named Bella and a petite fiery bobtail cat named Miss Scarlett. Dr. Lewis has two sweet baby girls, McKinley and Kennedy!

Although a native of Seattle, Washington, Dr. Katie Lewis spent most of her childhood in Cary, NC. She obtained her BS in Biology with minors in Math and Chemistry at Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. She then went on to Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in the spring of 2004. Since then, she has practiced locally in the Wilmington area before becoming a part of the Wilmington Animal Healthcare team in August of 2012. In her spare time, she enjoys competing in the sport of triathlon, traveling, and spending time with family. Katie has a particular fondness for Boxers!