by Juergen Schumacher, DVM, DACZM

About His Story

"Though I’d grown up with many animals, including dogs, hamsters, birds, fish, and a tortoise, my mother might have given me away for adoption had I come home with a snake! But everything changed when reptiles became my patients."

About the Author

Juergen Schumacher was born in Germany and graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Berlin in 1988. The following year, he moved to the United States for his graduate studies at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, where he completed residencies in both anesthesiology and zoological medicine. In 1997, he joined the faculty at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, and is currently an associate professor and service chief of the avian and Zoological Medicine Service. He teaches zoo animal medicine and has published dozens of scientific articles and book chapters on various topics in zoological medicine. Dr. Schumacher is board-certified by the American College of Zoological Medicine and holds German board certification in reptile medicine and surgery. His clinical and research interests are anesthesia and analgesia of zoo animals as well as reptile medicine and surgery. Though he enjoys working with all kinds of species, tortoises are by far his favorites.