Dr. Michelle Poche
DVM, Practice Owner
Dr. Michelle McKenzie Poche grew up in Gretna, Louisiana. She studied business and pre-veterinary medicine at the University of New Orleans before attending Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, where she graduated in 2007.
After graduation, Dr. Michelle worked as a small animal veterinarian in both Alexandria and Watson, Louisiana. She spent some time practicing emergency medicine in Laplace, Louisiana and then served as the medical director of a no-kill animal shelter for five years.
In October 2015, Dr. Michelle purchased Gause Boulevard Veterinary Hospital, when its original owner, Dr Milazo, retired. Since taking over, she has focused on maximizing quality of care, ensuring both patients and clients feel right at home.
Professionally, Dr. Michelle enjoys taking the time to help pets feel more comfortable by reducing hospital-associated anxiety using pheromones, food rewards, music therapy, and positive reinforcement. She also enjoys educating both our clients as well as our staff.
When she’s not busy running the clinic, Dr. Michelle enjoys fishing with her husband, Eric, crafting, and making memories with their four kids. She volunteers as a Girl Scout troop leader and enjoys taking her troop camping a few times each year.
Dr. Tori Retif
DVM
Dr. Tori Retif grew up in the Slidell area riding horses and being constantly surrounded by cats and dogs. Her mother was a registered nurse, which sparked an interest in medicine at a young age. She chose to merge both aspects of her life and began working in the veterinary field immediately after high school. After completing her undergraduate degree at LSU in Animal Sciences, Dr. Retif went on to graduate from LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021.
Dr. Retif is honored to be able to provide the knowledge and experience she has gained to the pets and families of the city she grew up in. While she loves both cats and dogs equally, she has a special interest in feline medicine and adores even the spiciest of kitties.
When not at work, Dr. Retif enjoys spending quality time with her husband Blake, her son Anson, her two dogs (Lilly and Patch), and her five cats (Arya, Athena, Tux, Fleur, and Tuna). She loves reading, cross-stitch, puzzles, and the occasional video game (Borderlands anyone?) Fun facts about Dr. Retif: she knows the lyrics to every Ms. Rachel song and her dream dog breed is a Silken Windhound.
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