Dr. Lynnie Fuller is Countryside's seasoned small animal practitioner. He actually began practicing veterinary medicine in 1999 on both large and small animals.
When the clinic needed him to narrow his focus a few years ago, he chose to treat small animal patients exclusively.
He enjoys the diversity of surgeries and procedures available for small animals, particularly in an era where there are more treatment options all the time.
The field, he says, has "advanced by leaps and bounds over the past years."
His interest in animal health care stretches back to when he was a young man, and a cat he had owned for most of his life passed away after receiving inadequate veterinary treatment. His beloved pet was more than 20 years old; the loss was a significant one. Dr. Fuller knew he wanted to be able to care comprehensively for his own and other people's pets in the future.
"I grew up with that cat," he says. "I just decided it wasn't going to happen again."
Dr. Fuller devotes the majority of his continued education pursuits to cardiology and orthopedic treatments. He believes health issues in these areas that affect pets' quality of life as they age should be given special consideration.
"It should be a factor in every practice," he says.
He's also become well-versed in reproductive care of small animals - bulldogs particularly, with their tendency toward dystocia in the birthing process. Dr. Fuller believes few small animal vets specialize in reproductive care because of the irregular time commitment involved.
"It requires a lot of after hours (care) and a lot of diligence," he says.

What Dr. Fuller wants you to know about Countryside ​

The fact that Countryside's Covington, Ga., clinic can accommodate such a wide range of patients makes the practice unique. Countryside's equine practitioners are able to perform a range of procedures at the facility that cannot be completed in the field, and this fact is especially convenient for large animal owners, according to Dr. Fuller.
"There are not many places where you're going to be able to carry your horse and get it worked on," he says.
Another attractive factor is Countryside's seasoned staff. The clinic boasts an array of procedures, including orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries, that can usually only be found in the Southeast in university settings. At Countryside, clients have not only these procedural options available but a cohesive and familiar team of vets and technicians providing them.

Dr. Fuller: outside work

  • Dr. Fuller split his childhood years between two Southeastern states. He lived in Georgia until he was in the seventh grade; then he moved to the Florida coast.
  • He holds an a bachelor's degree in biology from Georgia Southwestern University. He attended vet school at the University of Georgia.
  • His early career included employment with two engineering and architectural supply firms. He also owned X-ray Processing Repair of Georgia.
  • Dr. Fuller's wife, Deborah, shares his love of health care; she's worked for 30 years in the Athens Regional cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs.
  • The couple has two sons; they enjoy attending Le Mans series races and stock car races a few times each year as a family. They also take the occasional fishing trip.
  • The Fullers' menagerie of pets includes six horses, four cats and four dogs.