Dr. Diane graduated from the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. While attending in Gainesville, Florida, Dr. Diane gained an outstanding base of knowledge in many areas of small animal and exotic medicine. The University of Florida is often referred to as the "Ivory Tower" of veterinary medicine, due to it's very dedicated approach to patients.

Dr. Diane has many varied interests in the field of small animal veterinary medicine. Her well rounded approach to veterinary medicine, as well as the way that she deeply cares for both patient and owner, makes Compassion Veterinary Hospital of Bradford unique.

Diane Urich, DVM (and Peaches)

(Formerly Dr. Diane Richter)

Dr. Diane has what is often called an "integrated" approach to veterinary medicine. In other words, she takes the best of the Eastern approach of Alternative veterinary medicine, and combines it with the best of the Western approach of "traditional" veterinary medicine. This allows her to help pets heal and stay healthy, in a balanced way. She uses the Eastern Physical Exam, which includes checking pulses, the tongue, and "alarm" points that show problems in organ systems. She also uses a "traditional" Western Exam using tools to listen to heart and lungs, and look at the eyes and ears, for example. This allows her to gain even more information about the patient to help guide treatment and preventative medicine. This "integrated" approach of using both Western and Eastern medicine together has worked in amazing ways to help patients heal and to prolong and enrich their lives.

After practicing for five years in a Specialty Holistic practice, that featured Herbal medicine, and a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Dr. Diane developed a great love of Alternative Medicine. She enjoys her ongoing study of  Complementary Herbal Medicine. She has added the study of chiropractic treatment in veterinary medicine, working closely with Dr. John Sellar, an outstanding human Chiropractor in Concord, NH, who has helped her treat many veterinary patients successfully in the past few years. She advocates laser treatment for pain in animals, acupuncture, dietary consultation, as well as several other alternative methods of approaching veterinary medicine.

Geriatric medicine and surgery is perhaps the area of veterinary medicine that Dr. Diane finds the most rewarding. She loves to see the long term loving bond between an older pet and their owner, and she loves to see the "golden years" of a pets life be as full and healthy as possible, and she loves to work with her clients to make sure we have both "quality" of life and "quantity" of life, for our older fuzzy "kids". She has developed an entire Geriatric program to help all her older patients stay alive longer and be pain free.

Internal Medicine, which includes working up challenging endocrine cases, like diabetes, adrenal diseases, and oncology, are all areas of veterinary medicine that Dr. Diane really enjoys. She has a knack for getting to the bottom of difficult and confusing cases, to be able to begin proper treatment of the underlying disease. We have an extensive in house laboratory that allows us to work up cases quikly and recommend the best immediate emergency treatment.

Dr. Diane also has a special interest in Ophthalmology, having done research at the University of Florida's Ophthalmology department while attending vet school. Her loves of treating eye disease, and eye surgery continue to this day. She has  special equipment to test for glaucoma and a Panoptic Opthalmascope that allows her to visualize the entire back(fundus) of the eye during an exam.

Our Surgical Laser sets Compassion Vet Hospital apart from other area veterinarians. Dr. Diane has had extensive training in all the uses of the surgical laser. This method, which seals the blood vessels and the nerves at the time of surgery allows for far less pain, and less bleeding during surgery. It also is an excellent way to help kill cancer cells during oncology surgeries.

We are very excited that we have a Certified Veterinary Technician, Danielle Hart, who worked in the Anesthesia department of Tufts assisting Dr. Diane in surgery. The surgical team offers an excellent approach by using the latest patient monitoring technology and sevoflurane anesthesia. This makes surgery as safe as possible, and recovery time as short as possible.

Rescue work is near to everyone's heart here at Compassion Vet Hospital. Dr. Diane was a former Humane Society Veterinarian in Florida and the whole staff works with local rescues agencies and shelters to help pets find their "forever homes". Dr. Diane still uses her surgical training to do early spays and neuters to help in that endeavor.

Dr. Diane owns several show dogs, and enjoys this aspect of Veterinary Medicine, too. She loves to work in partnership with dedicated breeders by: continuing to improve the breeding lines they are developing; improving particular breeds; minimizing inherited medical issues; and helping the dogs (and cats) to reach their fullest potential at shows and their particular fields of work. She had the wonderful opportunity to work with Dr. Victor Shille, a leader in the field of reproduction while he was still alive and teaching at the University of Florida. The Reproduction team at Compassion Vet Hospital is continually developing and expanding this area of service to our breeding clients.

Dermatology is another area of strength for Dr. Diane, as there is an outstanding Dermatology Department at the University of Florida. She enjoys working with clients to develop a treatment plan that keeps chronic skin issues under control and our pets happy.

Dr. Diane has had excellent training in the field of neurology, as well. Many patients have come to her with great difficulty in their neck, back, or legs and, with the combination of traditional and alternative treatments, have seen amazing improvement in their conditions. Epileptic patients have also responded well to Dr. Diane's integrated approach to neurology.

Her special interests outside of veterinary medicine include horseback riding, singing in church, riding on the back of a Harley and being the mom to three teenage boys. Dr. Diane loves being a small town veterinarian, where she can show her compassionate side to both her patients and their owners.

And even though she spent 27 years in Florida, and slips into a southern drawl from time to time, most folks have figured out she is a New Englander at heart. Her infectious laugh, and her positive outlook on life, keeps both she and her clients smiling.