Associate Veterinarian - ER
Reiss Gidner, DVM
Dr. Reiss Gidner is an associate veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary and part of our rotating small animal medicine and surgery intern class of 2025-2026. Originally from Arlington, VA, Dr. Gidner holds dual undergraduate degrees from Virginia Tech: a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance. She went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University in 2025, where she was deeply involved in student leadership as president of the Cornell chapter of the Student AVMA and served on the national SAVMA executive board. Her clinical passions lie in zoo and wildlife medicine and surgery, including experience working with African penguins at the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) in Cape Town, South Africa.
Fear Free Certified and enthusiastic about multi-species medicine, Dr. Gidner finds fulfillment in problem-solving across diverse clinical cases and supporting both animals and their human companions. Outside the hospital, she blends her medical career with a lifelong love for the performing arts. While at Cornell, she revived the Cornell Vet Players, a student theatre group, organizing comedy shows and talent performances. She also enjoys singing and remains passionate about the arts. Dr. Gidner shares her home with two beloved cats: Juniper, who joined her during vet school, and Poppy, a rescue whose rare medical case was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Special Interests:
- Zoo & Wildlife medicine
- Surgery