In this episode, Ann Dwyer, DVM, and Brad Dygert, DVM, joined us to discuss their lives after retirement from equine practice. After long and successful careers in veterinary medicine, they have both explored new passions in retirement.
Dwyer calls it “rewirement” rather than retirement. Her new focus is education. She has continued writing and speaking, educating doctors both regionally and nationally, and doing clinical research at UC Davis. Dygert is passionate about learning, and he keeps up to date with veterinary journals and continuing education meetings. He also confers with colleagues and takes classes in new subjectsat the local university.
“How did I ever have time to work?” said Dygert about his newfound freedom. He and his wife are explorers, so they travel extensively, taking their grown children whenever they can. Their recent trip to Kenya was a favorite.
Dwyer said the freedom “is like being off leash at the dog park!” She said aging has three phases: go go, slow go, and no go. Because health is so important in the aging process, she attends to exercise, nutrition, sleep, and social connections. “You have got to keep moving and shaking,” she said. Living in a senior community, she has many opportunities for connections and fun. She travels frequently with her partner and loves her life.
Dwyer said planning and intention made selling her practice to her longtime business partner an easy transition. Together, they made decisions about how they wanted to transact the sale and had anattorney implement those decisions, rather than each having attorneys vying to “win” for their client. Dygert sold his practice to a young veterinarian whom he had known since childhood. He was inspired by this veterinarian’s fresh ideas, innovation, expansion, and growth in new directions. He worked part-time for the practice for a few years and then retired completely.
In closing, Dygert advised others to “plan, plan, plan” because “a practice sale is not a fast thing,” and to also plan what you want to do in retirement. Dwyer suggested saying yes to the things that call you and advised listeners to “execute your life with purpose.”
About Dr. Ann Dwyer
Ann Dwyer, DVM, grew up in upstate New York, where she was active in the Limestone Pony Club. She earned a degree in biology from Mount Holyoke College and spent one year doing tumor immunology research at Upstate Medical Center. Prior to attending veterinary school and graduating from Cornell in 1983, she worked as a groom and exercise rider at several East Coast racetracks. Dwyer practiced at Genesee Valley Equine Clinic for the entirety of her career. She pursued her interest in equine ophthalmology with intensity and in 2012 was named an honorary member of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology. She has lectured nationally and internationally and has published multiple papers and book chapters on equine ophthalmology.
Dwyer is active in organized veterinary medicine and served as president of the AAEP in 2013. From 2019-2025 she served on the Council of Education for the American Veterinary Medical Association. She is currently vice chair of the Advisory Council for the veterinary college at Cornell. In addition to serving on the Cornell Zweig Committee that allocates funds for equine research, she is a member of the advisory board of the Flaum Eye Institute at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. Since retiring in 2022, Dwyer has enjoyed spending time traveling, kayaking, writing, practicing yoga, and playing the cello.
About Dr. Bradley Dygert
Bradley Dygert, DVM, obtained his Bachelor of Science in physiology from the University of California, Davis, after which he continued his education at the U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1986. He then completed an internship at Equine Services, a large referral and ambulatory hospital in Central Kentucky. He remained in Kentucky for 16 months, performing surgery with the Veterinary Laser Institute, a specialty practice utilizing laser surgery with an operating microscope, after which he returned to his home state of California in 1988 to be close to his family. He owned an ambulatory sport horse performance practice with his wife, Linda Rydgig, also an equine veterinarian, for over four decades. Dygert and his wife raised three children. His outside interests include skiing, tennis, and mountain biking.
Related Reading
- Veterinary Wellness Briefs: Saving for Retirement
- Business Briefs: Are Practice Owners More Satisfied Than Associates?
- How to Achieve Your Compensation Goals in Equine Practice
Stay in the know! Sign up for EquiManagement’s FREE weekly newsletters to get the latest equine research, disease alerts, and vet practice updates delivered straight to your inbox.
