Dr. Buscher graduated from Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. Dr. Buscher loves being an active participant in her profession and enjoys researching and designing new services. Her goal is always to provide better care for pets in an ever-evolving digital era. Dr. Buscher left Virginia in 2016 to practice in one of the largest specialty, ER and critical care , Gp veterinary hospitals in the US . She loved practicing among 50 doctors in a teaching hospital setting with residents and interns. While there she was able to observe open heart surgeries performed by a team flown in from London.

After all this excitement and hands –on experience, Laura decided to return to Virginia to be a part of a community and to get to know clients more intimately—that is how she believes the best care and treatment starts for a pet.

In the past, Dr. Buscher has participated in competitive obedience, dog breed shows and hunt tests. She currently has 2 dogs and a cat she personally enjoys on a daily basis. She loves having animals in her life and always has. She strives to help others enjoy their relationship to the fullest. The goal of Five Forks Animal Clinic is to be there for the life of your pet. Dr. Buscher is very excited to meet the people of the Williamsburg area and play a larger role in the community.

Dr. Nelson graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-Veterinary Animal Bioscience and a minor in Biology. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2021.

From a young age, Dr. Nelson knew she wanted to combine her love of science and animals into a career in veterinary medicine. Before veterinary school, she gained valuable experience working with a wide variety of species at the Philadelphia Zoo, the Staten Island Zoo, and the Raptor Trust, a wild bird rehabilitation facility. She also worked as a veterinary assistant and technician in a small animal practice, building a strong foundation in patient care. Dr. Nelson has special interests in cardiology, internal medicine, neurology, surgery, and exotic animal medicine.

After graduation, Dr. Nelson completed a rotating small animal internship at Nashville Veterinary Specialists, where she worked alongside board-certified specialists in a busy emergency and referral hospital. The experience allowed her to further develop her medical and surgical skills while caring for complex emergency and critical care cases. She moved to the Hampton Roads area in 2022 and is proud to be a member of both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association.

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Nelson enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and their dogs and cat. She loves being outdoors and can often be found hiking, running with her dog, swimming, surfing, or relaxing with a good book on the porch. Dr. Nelson is excited to serve the Williamsburg community and looks forward to building lasting relationships with local families while providing compassionate, personalized care throughout every stage of their pets’ lives.