Disclosure :: Metairie Veterinary Ophthalmology Specialists sponsored this post, but it is our honor to spotlight and celebrate the moms making a difference in the New Orleans community.
Meet Local Mom and Veterinary Ophthalmologist, Dr. Meredith Mouney
Meet one of the few board certified veterinary ophthalmologists in New Orleans, also the proud mom of two small children, Dr. Meredith Mouney. 
Meredith knew from a very early age – probably 6 years old – that she wanted to become a veterinarian. Like any vet, she has always loved and adored animals. Since her family was in the medical field, veterinary medicine was a perfect fit. The other fact of which Meredith was confident was that she wanted to specialize in something within the field. During her interview for veterinary school at LSU, she mentioned to interviewers that she had her eyes set (pun intended) on becoming an equine ophthalmologist. Although she no longer practices equine ophthalmology, it was the ability to work with both small (e.g. dogs, cats) and large animals (e.g. horses) that solidified her interest in ophthalmology. Dr. Mouney is one of just two veterinary ophthalmologists in the city, and one of only five in the state of Louisiana. To date, there are 494 ophthalmologists in the country.
Have you ever wondered what a veterinary ophthalmologist does? As a parent, there’s a high probability you’ve taken your family pet to the veterinarian. But if your pet has a severe eye problem, that’s where local mom and veterinary specialist Dr. Mouney comes in. In her line of work, the primary goal is to provide exceptional care exclusively for eye conditions and problems in pets.
Like all moms, Meredith is constantly juggling the many demands of work – where she treats things like cataracts, corneal ulcers, and emergencies – and home. Her children are still fairly little, only 4 years old and 6 months, so she has a full lap, heart and calendar. Since becoming a mom, Meredith remarks that she has mastered multi-tasking and efficiency. “Being a mom makes me even more driven to be home with my family, so I have to better utilize my available time. In my line of work, everybody requires my time (e.g. the patient, the client, and even their family veterinarian), and I can’t let any of those suffer.”
And like all of us, she, too, had to learn how to thrive amidst a pandemic. She describes 2020 the way many of us do, “challenging!” She shares that it was exceedingly difficult to juggle a young son being out of school while she and her husband (an emergency vet) were as busy as ever with their practices. At the same time, Meredith acknowledges that her family is thankful that they were able to work throughout the pandemic, an opportunity she doesn’t take for granted.
When she’s not at her practice helping her patients, you might find her grabbing a 
chocolate croissant at La Boulangerie or riding horses at Oak Haven Farm in Folsom. What is a long standing tradition of breakfast and riding with her mother, who she calls her personal hero after raising Meredith and her brother following their father’s passing, she has now integrated into a routine with her own children.
Now that she is established here in New Orleans, she is more thankful than ever for her mom’s career advice to not give up even in the face of adversity. Meredith’s mother pushed her to keep striving for her ultimate goal of becoming an ophthalmologist. Dr. Mouney went through undergrad, four years of veterinary school, a one year internship, three years of residency, and a written and practical exam to become a board certified veterinary ophthalmologist. If you’re counting, that is 11 years of studying with one rather large test at the end. Naturally, there were times along the way when giving up would have been the easy way out, but Meredith’s mother never allowed her to give up on her dream. Meredith shares confidently that she’d encourage us all to “work to live, but do not live to work because family is the most important thing in life and moments are fleeting.”
While you may not need her services often, if and when your pet happens to require ophthalmic surgery, diagnostic testing, or treatment, we are all so lucky to have this talented and dedicated mom specializing in veterinary ophthalmology right here in New Orleans.
How To Make An Appointment
To schedule an appointment, you can either request a referral from your pet’s veterinarian, or you can contact Metairie Veterinary Ophthalmology Specialists directly
Metairie Veterinary Ophthalmology Specialists is located within Metairie Small Animal Hospital at 101 Metairie Road in Old Metairie. To learn more or make an appointment, please visit their website, or give them a call at (504) 872-9898.
