It has been an honor and a privilege to have known Dr Doug Brandon for the past 40 plus years. I first got to know him through the Central Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association at monthly meetings in 1980. From the very beginning Doug impressed me with his intelligence and knowledge of veterinary medicine as well as a wide range of subject matter. Then, from the winter of 1985 through the fall of 1991 I had the good fortune to work for him at Brandon Veterinary Clinic. It was a very special time for me as I learned a great deal from Doug and will always be grateful for his mentorship, as well as his patience with me, as I was only a few years removed from graduating veterinary school. His knowledge of veterinary medicine was not only broad (dealing with a variety of species in a mixed animal clinic), but deep (dealing with the intricate details of various diseases, conditions and treatments in all of these species). And yet, his surgical skills were equally impressive...I can recall watching him pin a cat's broken tibia in under 3 minutes (I timed him!)...it took me longer to take the cat's post-op x-rays (pin was perfectly placed and cat healed very well) than for him to do the surgery. Additionally, he possessed a genuine compassion for his patients as he offered the best of care for them and, by extension, their owners. Doug had a unique and admirable way of quickly analyzing a situation, developing a course of action and quickly explaining his reasoning while thoroughly covering the subject matter. But it was not all seriousness with Doug as he had a lively sense of humor...you could always tell when something funny was coming as he would get that twinkle in his eyes before unloading the source of his humor. As important as Veterinary Medicine was to Doug there was so much more...I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with he and his Family during those years and witness firsthand the love, pride and genuine appreciation he had for his wife and 3 sons (daughters-in-law and grandchildren would come along in later years as his Family circle grew). Along these lines, the care and devotion he showed to his Parents as they began to experience health issues were lessons in compassion we should all learn. Doug was also very civic minded and was actively involved with many different local and state organizations over the years holding board memberships and other positions of authority. I was amazed and marveled at the way he was able to practice such a very high standard of Veterinary Medicine, be on call after hours and still be present for his Family while at the same time maintaining his involvement in community and state issues. Recently, as Doug began to experience health issues and could not be as active as in the past, there was no let up in his desire to stay up to date on everything from the latest in Veterinary Medicine to current events in this country and around the world. His keen intellect, common sense, devotion to Family and Friends, interest and involvement in the community as well as compassion and good sense of humor should serve as a template of what we should all strive for. Doug's was truly a Life Well Lived. I shall be forever grateful and honored to have him as a mentor and Friend. My heart goes out to his Family at this difficult time. With deepest and heartfelt sympathy,
Dennis Perkins
