Veterinarian
Dr. Holly Cruger grew up in the rural town of Grant, Alabama, where her mother was a veterinary assistant at the local animal clinic. From the age of 4 until graduating high school at 18, Holly was involved with the clinic, starting with shadowing her mother, observing surgeries, and helping with basic animal husbandry. Over time, her responsibilities changed from those of a kennel assistant to a veterinary assistant.
Dr. Cruger always knew that she wanted to become a veterinarian, so she pursued a degree in animal sciences – pre-vet at Auburn University. While there, she worked at Schwarzer Hund German Shepherds, where she developed her love of German shepherd dogs and other working dogs. She was also active in the pre-vet club.
Dr. Cruger received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015. She returned to Grant, and for three years, she worked at the same clinic where she had worked growing up, while also doing relief work in north Alabama. In the fall of 2018, Dr. Cruger took a leap of faith and escaped the heat and humidity of the South by moving to Wilsall, Montana, though she had never been to there and didn’t have a job. Luckily, she was hired at a small animal clinic in Bozeman, Montana, where she worked for two years before joining the team at Sleeping Giant Animal Clinic.
Dr. Cruger continues to pursue continuing education classes to stay up to date with the medical field. Her primary areas of interest include dermatology and soft-tissue surgery.
Dr. Cruger enjoys spending her free time with her numerous pets (two horses, five dogs, and two cats), hiking, and traveling (when not in a global pandemic). Some of her favorite places are Alaska, Hawaii, Italy, and Greece.
