Nicole Laviolette Hebert, DVM
Nicole L Hebert’s country childhood made her realize that pet ownership doesn’t only involve dogs and cats. Besides her canine and feline pets, young Nicole owned birds, hamsters, turtles, rabbits, a ferret, and a sugar glider. She also took small farm animals, such as chickens and ducks, under her tender wing. On several occasions, Nicole was able to witness puppy and kitten births, and she even had the opportunity to bottle feed a baby calf. While Nicole didn’t realize it then, she was building an ideal foundation for her future veterinary career.
Growing up with her parents and sister just outside of Erath, Louisiana, Nicole’s community consisted of her father’s grandmother and many extended family members. She loved life in the country, playing with her cousins and spending many fun hours in her tree house during the summers.
When Nicole graduated from Erath High School, she attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. After she graduated with a veterinary technology degree in 2004, she moved back to Lafayette and gained experience working as a veterinary technician.
In 2006, Nicole moved closer to realizing her childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian, as she began her studies at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge. Graduating in 2010, she felt called back to Erath to reconnect with her family. Arriving back in her hometown, she welcomed the chance to work at the nearby Acadiana Veterinary Clinic.
Each time Dr. Nicole sees a furry patient and their pet parent, she enjoys getting to know them a little better. She also likes to delve deeply into cytology, studying the cellular structures of microscopic creatures that can cause medical problems for her patients. Dermatology also intrigues her, as she receives great satisfaction from helping a constantly itching, scratching pet to feel much better.
Living close to the water, Dr. Nicole enjoys a number of water sports. She loves fishing, crabbing, swimming, and sunning on the boat on a lazy afternoon. Dr. Nicole truly finds relaxation at the beach, as she sits for hours under her umbrella, reading, listening to the hypnotic waves, and watching her kids play in the waves.
Finally, Dr. Nicole’s home is filled with children both human and fur. She has four kids, a goldendoodle named Reva Shane, and a Siamese mix cat named Sunnie.