For Dr. Abigail Messina, Veterinary Care Is All About Relationships
- Ted Darling
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Dr. Abigail Messina knew early. Really early.
“I wanted to be a vet since I was seven,” she says. “I never really thought about being anything else.”
That childhood dream eventually took her from Cape Cod to Mount Holyoke College, then to Mississippi State University for veterinary school, where she graduated in 2009. After that, she began her career in a busy Massachusetts clinic where the pace was fast, the days were long, and the work was intense.
“It was not uncommon to be there for 14 hours a day,” Dr. Messina recalls. “We did everything. We didn’t refer much out, so it was surgery, appointments, emergencies, x-rays, all of it.”
It was an excellent experience, but it was also exhausting. Appointments were often scheduled every 15 minutes, with multiple exam rooms waiting at once. It was hard to give clients the time they needed, especially during sensitive conversations around chronic illness, hospice care, or end-of-life decisions.
Then life changed. Dr. Messina had children, moved to Maine, and connected with Dr. Deirdre Frey, who had recently launched Vet at Your Door and was preparing for maternity leave. Dr. Messina joined the practice in 2016, when it was less than a year old.
“The rest was history,” she says.
Nearly a decade later, she is still here. And for her, the reason is simple. “For me, honestly, the relationships I’m able to form with my clients is the most fulfilling part,” she says. “I really enjoy getting to know people, and I like them getting to know me. I’m there for their pet, but I’m there for them as well. We talk about veterinary medicine, and we talk about life.”
That is what makes in-home veterinary care so meaningful for Dr. Messina. The home setting creates space for something deeper than a traditional appointment. Clients are more relaxed. Pets are more comfortable. Conversations are less rushed. Which also allows a veterinarian to be able to notice things that might never show up in a clinic, like how a pet climbs the stairs, gets onto the couch, moves through the kitchen, or interacts with the family.
“You get a more comprehensive look at the pet’s life,” she says. “You also get a more complete understanding of the people who love them.”
Dr. Messina describes her approach as supportive, nonjudgmental, and deeply personal. Great care, in her view, is not just about diagnosing and treating illness; it is about communication. It is about helping clients make educated decisions that fit their lives, their finances, their abilities, and their pet’s needs.
“There’s a client attached to that pet,” she says. “Everybody has different capabilities, whether that’s financial or the physical or mental ability to care for a pet with a chronic illness. I try to be a supportive friend through it all, and pride myself on being someone they can trust and turn to, no matter what they need help with.”
That relationship-centered approach is also what she values about Vet at Your Door’s One-Team model. When clients have a consistent veterinarian, technician, and client liaison, they feel known. They feel heard. They feel like they are part of their pet’s care team, not just moving through a system.
“I think it helps clients feel more heard and seen and valued,” Dr. Messina says. “It helps them know that they’re an important part of the team with us - we’re all in this together, making decisions and talking through things together, every step of the way.”
That kind of care can make a profound difference.
One of Dr. Messina’s most memorable patients is a little dachshund named Godiva, who she first met during the height of COVID. She had injured her neck and was unable to move without screaming in pain. Her owner, who has her own mobility limitations, could not transport her to a clinic - so of course, Dr. Messina went.
Godiva was in severe pain and not walking well, but thankfully, she was not fully paralyzed. Through acupuncture, laser therapy, and ongoing care, Dr. Messina and the team were able to get her comfortable and moving normally again.
Now, years later, sweet Godiva is still doing well.
“She’s been doing great since 2020,” Dr. Messina says. “We see her every two weeks for little tune-ups, so we don’t have another problem.”
The client has become close with the Vet at Your Door team, too.
“We’ve become incredibly close, and she’s one of our best friends now,” Dr. Messina says. “She’s an amazing human being, and genuinely loves and cares about everybody who works here. She is one example of the many incredibly meaningful relationships we develop in this particular practice.”
For Dr. Messina, that story captures exactly why she does what she does. Veterinary medicine is about pets, of course. But it is also about people, trust, access, comfort, and showing up when it matters.
“It was really great to be able to help her,” she says. “A woman who wouldn’t have been able to get her dog help without us, and now not only is the dog living this amazing life, but we also gained a client who has become a friend. Both are equally important and special, and I’m truly honored and grateful to be a part of their lives.”
That is the heart of Dr. Messina’s work. Warm, practical, compassionate care delivered in the place where pets and people feel most at home.
Find out more about Dr. Messina and her One-Team.
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