The phrase 'lions and tigers and bears' might not be regularly muttered by Leander veterinarian Dr. Frank Stiles at his South San Gabriel Animal Clinic, but conversations about elephants, buzzards, ostriches, dogs and cats are quite common place.

For the past 20 years, Stiles has offered animal health care in Leander. "In the second grade I decided that I wanted to become a vet when I grew up and luckily I was able to meet that goal," said Stiles. "All the men in my family were ranchers and I was immersed in the animal world."

During his first year of college at the University of Texas, Stiles learned that he needed a kidney and his career was sidetracked. "At 23 years old, I underwent dialysis," he said. "My younger sister donated one of her kidneys to me and I was fortunate to resume normal life."

Stiles finished his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University and completed an internship in Cornell's Baker Institute for Animal Health and the University of Pennsylvania, studying aquatic medicine. He spent his residency in Mississippi. "I was assigned to a catfish farm and they really let me go," he said. "I researched the life cycle of a parasite and learned the normal liver enzyme levels for catfish and managed to get a medicine approved during my time spent there. Research work was fulfilling, but I quickly realized that you spent two days researching and two months attending meetings about those two days. The bureaucracy didn't appeal to me and I was happy to start my own practice. Plus, you can't get decent Mexican food or BBQ in Mississippi."

Stiles was later accepted into Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, on his third application. "Out of 1,000 applicants, 138 people were accepted. I'm sure that today’s competition is just as strict, if not more so."

During his 20 years of experience, Stiles has treated a variety of animals. "We used to see more horses, cows and llamas, but most of that has gone the way of the buffalo, with the urba ...

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