Veterinarians

Susan Colfer, DVM

Dr. Susan Colfer joined Pet Kare Clinic in 1998 after working for two years as a mixed animal veterinarian in Laramie, Wyoming.  She graduated  from the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. Since arriving in Steamboat she has raised 2 sons with her husband Kelly, a self employed wildlife biologist and wetlands consultant. Their pet family is down to one cat after many years of lots of critters!.

Dr. Susan loves to work with people and their pets to enhance the wellbeing of their lives through wellness and preventative medicine. She is certified ‘Fear Free’ and passionate about utilizing techniques that will decrease stress, ensure comfort and pain management, especially during the end of life.

Dr. Susan strives to foster an environment within the clinic that emphasizes compassionate, high quality, team focused veterinary care. She has been instrumental  in maintaining Pet Kare’s accreditation by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) hospital, which ensures that Pet Kare Clinic delivers the highest standards of care in the veterinary profession.

Equality is important, Dr. Susan strives to create an excellent work place for Pet Kare’s employees, a place where everyone feels supported and appreciated in a profession that has its share of sad times mixed in tremendous amounts of joy and healing.

Dr. Susan is active in the community and  is currently part of Ski Town Rotary and  is also a member of the Routt County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). She served as a 4H leader for the last 8 years until retiring from that once her kids aged out of the program.. In her spare time she loves to ski, hike, bike, travel and spend time with her family. One day she hopes to have a successful garden!

Professional affiliations: AVMA, CVMA, CVM (Colorado Volunteer Mobilizers / CERT).

Chris Schwarz, DVM

Dr. Schwarz, or Dr. Chris as many know him, was immersed into a world of caring for animals from birth.  Growing up on a farm in Northwest Kansas, he grew up in a life surrounded by all sorts of animals, from cows to kittens.  His love of veterinary medicine grew as his oldest sister began dating his future brother-in-law, who began attending veterinary school.  After spending time with him at the veterinary college and later with him in practice, he knew that his life would follow in his footsteps in one way or another.  Dr. Chris attended Kansas State University majoring in Animal Science.  He was granted admission after his junior year in undergraduate studies into KSU’s Veterinary school, graduating in 2001 with his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.  He then practiced in a mixed animal practice in south-central Kansas, truly living the James Herriot life-style, seeing everything from sunburned pigs to gunshot dogs.  After 3 years of working in mixed animal practice, Dr. Chris moved to Thornton Colorado.  He was involved with the turn of that practice from a five doctor daytime practice to a busy ten doctor 24 hour facility.  After over 10 years at the practice he and his wife decided to return to a smaller town, bringing them further west to Steamboat Springs and Pet Kare Clinic.

As the owner of Pet Kare Clinic, Dr. Chris has a special interest in ultrasonography, having furthered his learning extensively through continuing education classes.  He has also furthered his interests in veterinary dentistry and has a strong interest in reproductive medicine.  As with the other doctors at Pet Kare Clinic, he is always researching the latest technology and is continually educating himself to keep the hospital at the cutting edge of veterinary science.  While not at work Dr. Chris is a busy husband and father of 2 adorable girls. When he gets a chance, he enjoys hiking with his adopted dogs, Remi (a Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix), Ruby (a Chihuahua mix) and Bolta (a Corgi/Westie mix), skiing, and fishing.  He also enjoys helping with his wife’s family cattle ranch in Northeast Colorado when he can and while he does not wish to give up the excitement of highly-diagnostic small animal practice, it has truly brought him back to the roots of why he became a veterinarian in the first place. 

Karen Nann, DVM

Dr. Karen attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St Kitts West Indies. After finishing her veterinary coursework in 2016, Karen completed her clinical year at Colorado State University. While at Colorado State, Karen also became certified via Curacore’s course in Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians. Her professional passions include nutrition, pain management (including acupuncture), dentistry and wellness.

Dr. Karen has experienced a life full of adventure; she has lived in California, Michigan, Connecticut and Texas, settling in Colorado for her undergraduate career at the University of Colorado at Boulder. After graduating in 2005, the adventures didn’t stop and she embarked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the West Indies, where she became interested in veterinary medicine mentoring under Dr. Colin Boyle in St. Vincent. Upon returning to the United States in 2008, Karen enrolled and graduated from Bel-Rea Institute of Veterinary Technology, receiving her CVT (certification in veterinary technology). She interned at Littleton Equine Medical Center and continued her veterinary technician career at Special Friends Veterinary Clinic in Aurora, CO for almost 6 years prior to starting her path to becoming a veterinarian

When not working, Karen enjoys being outside. She is a yoga, spin and kickboxing instructor and you may see her teaching classes around Steamboat. In addition she is an avid skier, mountain biker, horseback rider, runner, and loves a good hike on a beautiful blue bird day with her husband Gerry, her daughter and son.

Lauren Sample, DVM

Dr. Lauren grew up in Fort Collins, where she was blessed with a childhood full of hiking, camping, biking, and skiing. Despite growing up in a family with a long-standing tradition of “no indoor pets,” she seemed to know from a very young age that she was destined to be a veterinarian.

In 2007, Dr. Lauren left Colorado and headed to the Mid-West where she completed her undergraduate

degree at Creighton University in Omaha NE. She then took some time off from her schooling and spent a year working at Vista Verde Guest Ranch in Clark, CO. It was here that she fell in love, not only with Routt County, but also with her future husband.

She then headed back to the Mid-West to complete veterinary school at Kansas State University. After graduating with her DVM, Dr. Lauren married her Vista Verde sweetheart and they settled in his hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana. Dr. Lauren spent the next 6 years a busy small animal practice, whose caring and knowledgeable staff helped to cultivate her love for animals, people, and veterinary medicine.

Dr. Lauren is thrilled to be back in Routt County with her husband and daughter!

Dr. Lauri Mignone, DVM

Dr. Lauri was born in Washington State but grew up in New England. She moved to Colorado in 1997 to establish residency with plans to attend Colorado State’s Veterinary program. Being a “ski bum” she took a rather circuitous route to becoming a veterinarian first working as a ski patroller in Summit County and as a critical care paramedic for both ground and air services. This experience equipped her with valuable skills in human medicine before she transitioned to working with animals. Lauri attended a dual degree program at CSU in Fort Collins, graduating with both an MBA and DVM. She completed a small animal medicine and surgical internship at WestVet in Boise, Idaho. She then moved to Southern Oregon and worked as an emergency veterinarian. After specializing in emergency medicine, she is eager to expand her expertise in general practice, especially in areas such as acupuncture and physical therapy/pain management techniques and soft tissue surgery.

Moving to Steamboat has always been the ultimate goal and her intended “forever home” Doing so allowed Lauri to join her immediate family living here.

When she’s not working, Lauri loves spending time outdoors, engaging in activities like skiing, hiking, kayaking, stacking firewood, and shoveling snow. She has two dogs, Jasmine and Mulligan, as well as two cats, Linguine Furiosa and Ellie.

Lauri is thrilled to be in the Yampa Valley, and we are equally excited to have her as part of the Pet Kare family!