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Suzanne Haberman
Business Profile Hutto Veterinary Clinic Hutto
Veterinarian John Holstrom and Round Rock City Attorney Steve Sheets with Sheets’ longhorns
By Suzanne Haberman
Nine years ago, Dr. John Holstrom
answered veterinary medicine calls in a
“worn out Chevy,” which was his business’s
home base. He still drives a Chevrolet,
but the ton and a half super cab shines
and carries the insignia of the Hutto
Veterinary Clinic.
Holstrom has upheld an approach to
medicine based on the way he grew up
combined with the education he received
from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary
Medicine 38 years ago. He holds onto his
veterinary roots, but said experience has
made him wise in treating larger animals —
the doctor is no stranger to broken bones.
“I’m not going to go out, rope a cow
and tie her to a tree and do what I need
to do to her,” he said, shaking his head. “I
have done that before.”
Holstrom’s employee, Dr. Catalina
Thurstin, said the doctor’s methods may
be “old school,” but they are effective.
“He’s going to be more hands on,”
she said.
The doctor established his clinic in
2000 and employs Thurstin to help him
perform surgeries on Hutto’s small animals,
but Holstrom still relies on his truck
to go mobile, taking care of ranchers’
cattle, horses, pigs and small animals with
emergencies.
“Having Thurstin allows me to do
more large animal calls,” he said.
Today, the majority of the Hutto Veterinary
Clinic’s clients bring in small domestic
animals for vaccinations, surgeries
and wellness exams. As Hutto urbanized,
Holstrom’s business shifted from 60 percent
large animals to 80 percent dogs, cats
and an occasional ferret.
Holstrom described his interest in veterinary
medicine as “nothing romantic.” Holstrom
went to high school in Georgetown
where his agricultural teacher noticed he
had a knack for dealing with animals and
recommended he go to vet school.
In 1971, he graduated from Texas A&M
College of Veterinary Medicine and joined
the United States Military as a veterinary
doctor. In Vietnam, Holstrom cared for
scout and sentry dogs trained to attack.
After the war, Holstrom ran a practice
in Stephenville for nearly seven years and
worked for another clinic in Georgetown
until the early ’80s when he quit to raise
crops and cattle in Jarrell, Granger and
Jonah, his current home and the place
where he grew up. Holstrom maintained
his veterinary licensing for those 15 years,
offering veterinary services to fellow
ranchers out of his pickup truck.
“It was so good,” his wife and business
manager, Linda Welch, said, “he decided
to open his business in Hutto.”
His ranching experience makes him
popular. Raising animals has helped
develop Holstrom’s familiarity with
animal’s health needs. When he goes out
on farm calls, he takes his background
knowledge of how an animal is supposed
to act when well, Thurstin said.
“If you’re not paying attention with
your eyes,” Holstrom said, “then you’ll
miss something. You have to have a sixth
sense about how the animal looks to you.”
At the ranch
The Hutto Veterinary Clinic is the only business
on the east side of Williamson County to offer
large animal services, Linda Welch said. Large
animals include cattle, horses, sheep and pigs.
n
79
Front St.
Hutto Veterinary Clinic
665 W. Front St.
759-1048
www.huttovetclinic.com
1660
Jim Cage
impactnews.com June 2009 | 7
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