Veterinarians & Veterinary Staff Serving Tazewell County Pets
Pekin Veterinary Clinic Veterinary Doctors
Dr. Joel H. Jess, DVM, CCRP
I am a 1986 graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. I acquired my love of animals growing up on a cow-calf farm in western Iowa. I have known I wanted to be a veterinarian since I was ten or eleven years old. I guess I was lucky to know what I wanted to do with my life at an early age. Although I enjoy all aspects of veterinary medicine, my areas of special interest include gastroenterology, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, and canine rehabilitation. I became certified in canine rehabilitation through the University of Tennessee in 2005. Practicing medicine gives me a great deal of pleasure when I can help not only our four legged friends but the owners as well. I strive to offer an array of options according to the owners’ desires. Flexibility is the key when consulting clients, and I try to provide the most current options and treatments available. I continue to update my professional skills to meet those demands.
My pets include an independent orange cat named Cooper, one slightly overweight feline named Chloe, and a very soft hearted yellow Labrador Retriever, Kevin. When not practicing medicine I enjoy spending time with my family, playing "over the hill" baseball and basketball, racketball, and coaching baseball and football. I've been practicing veterinary medicine for 20 years and love doing so more now than when I started.
Craig B. Thacker, DVM
I was born in Page, Arizona (never mind the year!) and my family moved, not to Babylonia, but to Nebraska (yeah, big difference!) when I was 6 months old. I grew up in Grand Island, NE, and did my pre-veterinary work at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. I attended veterinary college at Iowa State University in Ames, and graduated in 1986.
My professional interests include exotic animal medicine, and I have a growing interest in veterinary dentistry. I have two pets at home, Molly and Sofee - both are cats although try telling them that. My "outside" interests include playing the bagpipe (for about 7 years now), astronomy, and hot-air ballooning - I occasionally crew for a local balloonist. I am married and have a baby girl, Elda, who in my completely objective appraisal is easily the cutest person on the planet.
I look forward to seeing you, and don't worry- my pipes are usually at home!
Amy L. Waggoner, DVM, MS
I was born and raised here in central Illinois (East Peoria, to be exact) and recently returned to the area by way of Dallas, Texas. I spent 8 years at the University of Illinois, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences, a master’s degree in pathology and my veterinary degree in 2002. Go Illini! My professional interests include pathology, toxicology, soft tissue surgery and dentistry. I am also a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners.
Being a veterinarian is a lifelong dream. I realized very early in life how much our pets give to us while asking so little in return. I made it my life’s goal to give back to them the best way I knew how - by adding both quality and quantity to their lives while enhancing that wonderful bond between pets and their owners.
I proudly admit to being a cat person. Cats have been a part of my family ever since I can remember. I currently share my home with two adorable orange tabbies, Murphy and Niles. They both enjoy going for walks outside on their leashes (yes, it can be done), bird watching and napping in the sun.
My outside interests include music (I play both the organ and the trumpet), scrapbooking and traveling. I’ve spent time in England, Ireland, Argentina, South Africa, Kenya, Australia, and New Zealand and I have visited all 50 states. Thus far, my favorite destinations are South Africa and Australia.
Ronda Borgeson, DVM
I was born in Nebraska, though I don't remember NE at all since we moved to Iowa while I was still a baby. There, I grew up in the country surrounded by cornfields and my grandfather's hog farm. I loved being around animals from the time I was barely able to toddle around to chase them and started thinking about becoming a vet while I was in junior high. Around this time, we moved to a small town in rural Ohio where I began volunteering at a local vet clinic. Eventually, this led to a paid summer job in between college semesters. Completing my studies in pre-veterinary medicine at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio solidified my desire to help both pets and people by becoming a veterinarian.
After graduating in 2000 from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (yes, 'The' is actually part of OSU's official name.), I moved to Ft Wayne, Indiana where I worked at a walk-in clinic with a special interest in shelter and exotic animal medicine. After meeting my husband, I moved to the Peoria area in 2003. We currently live in Washington with our four pets, Punky- a yellow lab mix I found as a stray my first year of vet school, Jazzie- our black and white ex-barn cat who believes she is a princess, Ollie- a very naughty 21 year old Mealy Amazon parrot with special needs, and our most recent addition, Diesel- a partially feral (WILD) grey and white tabby kitten who keeps us on our toes.
My outside interests inclUde organic gardening, beading jewelry and most recently, learning to play the violin. I also enjoy reading (especially about recent veterinary research), hiking, traveling, and shopping.
As a vet working part-time, I feel that it is especially important for me to be flexible and to work as part of the team. One of the things I enjoy most about working at Pekin Vet Clinic is the team camaraderie of the staff and their compassion for all creatures feathered, furry and scaly. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know your pets.