The Union City Messenger, our local newspaper here in Union City, Tennessee, recently published a piece on our veterinarian, Dr. Leland Davis. It tells his biography while also providing a history of how our clinic came to be.
Dr. Davis has built his reputation on embracing the unexpected. When someone bet him he couldn't remove a tumor from a goldfish's head, Davis spent three days researching fish anesthesia before successfully performing the delicate surgery. He's also administered anesthesia to a bearded dragon using an IV catheter as a breathing tube and trained hunting dogs to leap from tree stands and boats on command.
These aren't typical veterinary scenarios, but they reflect a man whose career started when he rode along on veterinary calls as a seven-year-old, wanting to know his hardworking father better.
Today, Dr. Davis has transformed his family practice, Reelfoot Animal Hospital, from a 50-50 split of large and small animals into a cutting-edge facility drawing patients from multiple states for specialized surgeries. The clinic now features advanced equipment, allowing complex procedures that most pet owners would otherwise need to travel to universities to access. Dr. Leland Davis also mentors veterinary students at his clinic, believing their hands-on experience and fresh perspectives benefit everyone.
Despite his professional achievements and passion for hunting dog competitions, he says the most meaningful part of his unpredictable life remains his family – wife Tajuana, children Amy and Matthew, and six grandchildren.