Dr. Esra, DVM offers Special Care & Rehab!

Meet the Wonderful
Dr. Esra,
Owner and Veterinarian
at Nease Animal Hospital in St. Johns

Dr. Esra with the Nease Animal Hospital Staff and pets Humprey, Chloe and Coco the cat.

While comprehensive care with a personal touch is the mission of Dr. Esra Yavuz Weisheit, Veterinarian and owner of Nease Animal Hospital in St. Johns, this is no ordinary practice.  In addition to excellent general care, Nease Animal Hospital offers canine physical therapy, Chinese herbal supplements and acupuncture.  Dr. Esra also specializes in pet rehabilitation, which is a common need as pets age and after surgeries.  As a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) and Certified Spinal Manual Therapist for pets, Dr. Esra brings a deeper element to the care of her patients.

St. Johns Magazine learns more about how Dr. Esra became interested in becoming a vet and why she chose to settle in St. Johns.

Have you always known you wanted to become a veterinarian or, did you discover it later in life? I knew when I was 7 that I wanted to work with animals. I grew up taking care of street cats and dogs. During college, I spent a semester in Kenya studying Wildlife Management and that time in Kenya confirmed my passion in veterinary medicine.


Where did you grow up? & Where did you go to school? I  grew up in Turkey and then went to college in New York state and went to veterinary school at Tufts University in Massachusetts.


Is there a story or memory from your youth that helped you decide on your career?
We rescued a street cat who went into labor on a Sunday. She was having a hard time delivering so we had to call for a veterinarian from the phone book and found a veterinarian who agreed to open his practice. She needed a C-section.  I was 10 and got to watch the surgery and helped care for the new born kitten. I was very lucky my mother let me keep mom and the kitten at our house. We found home for the kitten and kept mom.  She was an amazing cat.
Where did you first practice veterinary medicine? I have been practicing since 1997. I practiced in a multi-doctor and corporate practice in Maryland and then opened my own practice in Bel Air, MD. I loved owning my practice and had amazing clients and patients.


What brought you to St. Johns? My husband had been wanting to move to Florida for the last 10 years due to climate. We had travelled to different places in Florida but I fell in love with Saint Augustine and Jacksonville. I loved the beaches and diversity of Jacksonville.


What are some of the ways your practice makes pets and pet owners feel special? We focus on individual care and whole patient care. Prevention is the key. Our focus is to give our patients a positive experience. We take our time to make sure that our patients are comfortable and pampered. We are generous on treats so that our patients are happy to visit us again.

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Do you have any special services? We do offer acupuncture, cold therapy laser, and canine physical therapy. Also, pet owners can bring their dogs to utilize the underwater treadmill to keep their pets physical fit. We do offer Chinese herbal supplements, food therapy and alternative medicine. We are an AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) certified veterinary hospital. We strive for high standards of care.


Do you have an office mascot? Coco is our hospital cat. She is very sassy.


What is your favorite aspect of your work? I love the fact that we can offer many different services that help keep our patients happy and healthy. Preventing disease and helping patients to stay healthy with supplements  and alternative medicine. I love it when after acupuncture, herbs and physical therapy, our patients walk again.


What is the most difficult aspect of your work? So many animals need good homes. There are more animals than homes.


Tell us a little about your family.
I am very lucky to have a very supportive and loving husband Gene and my 13 year old son Zackary. I am very excited that my son is going to be testing for third degree black belt.


Do you own any pets yourself? I do have three spoiled cats
(Fearless, Eagle, and Raven) and two dogs Chloe and Humphrey.


How do you relieve stress? Walking on the beach with my family


What is your favorite thing to do in St. Johns? Many things: I love the fact that I can spend outdoors activities with my family : checking out different trails and different beaches with my family and Chloe and Humphrey.

Pet Physical Therapy at
​Nease Animal Hospital

The Pet Physical Therapy Room at Nease Animal Hospital, has many tools for pet physical therapy including an underwater treadmill for dogs that uses hydrotherapy to treat many conditions such as arthritis, post-operative recovery, obesity and spinal injury.  Dr. Esra’s own dog is a great example of the effectiveness of the therapy. Humphrey was a rescue dog and as he got older developed arthritis in his joints. With regular use of the underwater treadmill
he has regained use of his muscle strength (about 15 to 20 minutes per session).
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We watch as the tank fills with water and a beautiful multi-colored collie named Humphrey stands expectantly until the tank reaches the top of his legs.  He begins to jog easily.  Dr. Esra explains that the use of hydrotherapy helps reduce pressure on the joints and allows the dog to move without pain. Therapy helps improve range of motion, strengthen muscles and improves endurance; hence, the more the joints are used, the healthier they become, which may explain why Humphrey is such a happy dog and why he was so eager to get in the tank from the beginning.       

For more information about Nease Animal Hospital Please visit www.neaseanimalhospital.com.  10440 US-1 #101, St. Augustine, FL 32095 or call (904) 209-5740