Our Team

“No animal should ever jump on the dining room furniture unless absolutely certain that he can hold his own in the conversation.”- Fran Lebowitz

Dr. Johnston has been with Hunt Valley Animal Hospital since August 2003 after completing a one year small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Regional Veterinary Referral Center in Springfield, VA. Dr. Johnston graduated from Lehigh University in 1995 with a degree in Biology and from Towson State University in 2000 with a Master’s Degree in Biology. She then went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island in Canada in 2002. In 2005, Dr. Johnston completed two separate training courses on ultrasound procedures and diagnostics in Florida and Washington D.C. In 2006, Dr Johnston completed an intense training course for laparoscopic surgical procedures, rhinoscopy and cystoscopy at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. She has also learned the advanced techniques for repair of elongated soft palates in brachycephalic breeds. Dr. Johnston has a special interest in surgery and cardiology. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association, and our Medical Director.

Dr. Johnston shares her home with her husband, Reuben, daughters, Clara and Vivien, and three dogs Millie, Murphy and Asher, rescues from a Canadian Humane Society and local Defenders of Animal Rights, respectively. Murphy is a retired Pets On Wheels therapy dog. Two cats are also part of the clan, a 3-legged rescue named Gustafur and a tuxedo cat named Taz. In her free time away from the hospital, Dr. Johnston enjoys cycling, golf, rock climbing, hiking with her dogs, running, swing dancing and her monthly black tie dinners as a member of the Baltimore Dinner Club.

Dr. Johnston is also an avid sports fan and can be seen and heard all winter cheering for the Ravens! However, on her artistic side, she dreams of being on a Broadway stage someday…

I’d/I/I’ll: I’d rather be in Bermuda or Colorado / I LOVE the Baltimore Ravens / I’ll be on Broadway one day 😉

My First Pet: Bert aka Bertram Francis aka Schmerto – my first baby, my first love, my best friend – miss him everyday

Favorite Guilty Pleasure Song: Any Broadway Tune

In my spare time I can be found: Watching my beautiful girls grow-up, enjoying time with my husband and dogs, cleaning the house…

Current Pets:

• Mille – Rottweiler
• Ivy – Rottweiler
• Chewbacca– Cat