Hickory Veterinary Hospital was established in February 1980, when Jon and Jean signed a lease with option to purchase of the original “old farmhouse” and adjacent property from Ralph and Shirley Klein.
In 1982, Jon and Jean decided to purchase the property and renovate the old farmhouse building. The practice initially treated every kind of animal except birds and reptiles, and gradually transitioned into a small animal practice during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Hickory Kennels was added to the hospital building in 1983, and a few years later John and Jean added the feed store to the complex. In 1991, they began to build the feed store building (presently the hospital building), which became a large warehouse and incorporated the addition of the grooming salon to the Hickory Complex. A larger kennel building was added in 1995, which included over 100 runs, a cat ward, a large fenced grass yard, and Vanity Fur Pet Grooming.
The practice was purchased by Dr. Robert Silcox and Dr. Claire McNesby in 2008. A year later they renovated the feed store, converting it into a new veterinary hospital. The old kennel became the new feed store.
Dr. Silcox and Dr. McNesby have continued to grow the practice tremendously and have carried on the Hickory reputation and dedication to providing the highest quality veterinary care and service.