The Best Doctors for Your Pets

Dr. John M. Morton received his Bachelor of Science in 1967 and graduated from Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1969. As the owner, Dr. Morton has a particular interest in veterinary dentistry and surgery. He married Ginger Morton in 1969, and they have four children. He is happy to be practicing with his son, Dr. James Morton. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening. He is especially fond of growing black-eyed peas and watermelons. He also enjoys raising his cattle.

Dr. James M. Morton is a 2008 graduate of Texas A&M University. After graduation, he joined a mixed animal practice in Wharton, Texas, for three years before coming to the Veterinary Medical Center of Athens on May 1, 2011. Dr. James grew up in the Athens area and was a 1999 graduate of Athens High School. In 2017, he married Dr. Kayla Morton, a dentist from Tyler, TX. He enjoys spending time with his wife and children, ranching, and raising cattle. Dr. James Morton has such a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy repair (TPLO), cranial cruciate ligament (CCL/ACL) repair, and other major bone surgeries and internal medicine.

Dr. Joe Embry was born and raised in Kemp, TX, and graduated from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017. His interests include spending time with his wife, children, and golden retriever. He enjoys barbecuing, fishing, and vacationing along the Texas coast, as he has an affinity for the historical district of Galveston. He and his family enjoy visiting the nearby fishing pier of Surfside Beach. Dr. Embry states, “I feel that Veterinary Medical Center of Athens offers state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities that are invaluable assets in working up challenging cases. It’s a privilege to have this at my disposal as I transition the years of schooling into the art of practice.”

Dr. Kiera Lowry was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. She met her husband when she came to Texas to pursue her undergraduate degree at Dallas Baptist University. She worked for Dr. Morton as a veterinary assistant before moving to medicine. She graduated in May 2019 and was excited to return to the Veterinary Medical Center of Athens as an associate veterinarian. Dr. Lowry has interests in veterinary ophthalmology, dermatology, and orthopedics. Dr. Lowry enjoys reading books, outdoor activities, and baking in her spare time. She and her husband have many family pets and are volunteer fire-fighters with North 19 Fire Rescue.

Dr. Collin McAlister is a 2015 graduate of the University of Glasgow’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Scotland. He is from the North Antrim area of Ireland, where he grew up on a small farm. After graduation, he worked one year in mixed veterinary practice, as he worked with both large and small animals. In 2016, he decided to come to the United States of America to pursue his career even further and has been practicing veterinarian medicine here ever since. Dr. McAlister’s areas of interest include orthopedics and general surgery. He enjoys cycling and playing various sports in his spare time, such as tennis, soccer, and racquetball.