Lives of Consequence
Dr. Priscilla Lightcap '62
Veterinarian
Compared to a typical doctor's office, the practice run by Dr. Priscilla Lightcap '62 is unusual. In one moment, Lightcap may be taking x-rays of a patient. In another, she may be in the lab, hovering over a microscope. Or working in the pharmacy, or engaged in a critical surgery in the operating room-all of which happens under one roof.
Lightcap's practice may be unusual but so are her patients; they are the flying, slithering, crawling and barking patients of Fieldstone Veterinary Care.
Lightcap, a mathematics major at the Colleges, was active in a variety of campus organizations, including, choir, band and Little Theater. After graduation, she embarked on a career in education, teaching mathematics at a community college on Long Island. But a love of science, particularly biology and medicine, continued to influence her, and Lightcap decided that her true ambition was to become a veterinarian. She enrolled at the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell and graduated in 1982.
One of the great challenges of veterinary medicine is its profound diversity. One moment a doctor may be treating a bird and the next operating on a horse. Yet within this wide spectrum, Lightcap discovered an underlying unity. "A sheep and a hamster are more alike than you might think," Lightcap says. "Even a fish has much of the same basic anatomy."
In 1982, Lightcap moved to Connecticut, where she eventually bought her own veterinary practice. Since 1998, Fieldstone Veterinary Care has distinguished itself with exceptional care to animals of all shapes and sizes.
During her days, Lightcap juggles the diverse needs of her patients, though sometimes the bigger challenges are the anxious owners. "We try and relate to both the animal and the owner," Lightcap says. "People often come in worried or upset. We try to dialog with them, hear them and relate to their concerns."
Whether she's completing bloodwork in the lab, cleaning the teeth of a noncompliant 100-pound Newfoundland or conducting an emergency surgery to save the life of a beloved family cat, Lightcap provides outstanding veterinary care for her patients-and peace of mind for their owners.