Harleysville Veterinary Hospital Marks 40 Years in Practice

John Worthington | The Reporter•

Harleysville Veterinary Hospital founder David Lukof and his wife, Hildi, opened the hospital in 1983.

The Harleysville Veterinary Hospital marked 40 years in practice on Thursday, Oct. 19.

Founded in 1983 by Dr. David Lukof and his wife, Hildi, the hospital has developed into one of the largest practices in Montgomery County, providing comprehensive veterinary care for small animals, including avian and exotic pets.

As part of the 40th anniversary, the Lukofs reflected on the hospital’s humble beginnings.

"It started out with myself and my wife. We were the only people here in the beginning,” said David Lukof. "We lived upstairs, and we had two exam rooms and a little office down here.”

"It was tiny. One of us was in the building 24/7 because we couldn’t afford an answering service,” said Hildi. "He would come down and play veterinarian, and I was upstairs with the babies. And then he would come upstairs and babysit, and I would come down and clean.”

The cramped quarters proved messy at times. Hildi recalled performing surgery on a Saint Bernard with a gunshot wound while looking after her young son.

"The dog was bleeding, and I had my son here on the floor. And I looked, and a whole half of my son was covered in blood,” she said. "He was sound asleep. He didn’t care.”

Over the years, the hospital gradually expanded, with the Lukofs purchasing adjacent real estate properties to build new additions and facilities. Today, the hospital boasts 80 employees and 14 full-time doctors, with 12 exam rooms, an operating room, recovery wards, an in-house pharmacy and more.

Lukof cited the hospital’s dedication to the community as the key to its success.

"We’re always available to people,” said Lukof. "We’re here to serve them and to try to make veterinary medicine affordable to the average person in the region.”

He also underscored his appreciation for the hospital’s staff.

"I have a wonderful staff here,” he said.

"We wouldn’t be here 40 years without the staff that we have,” added Jackie Wagner, wife of Paul Wagner, a doctor at the hospital. "We’re very appreciative of all of our employees. Everyone contributes.”

After 40 years in practice, Lukof has promoted two doctors to partner, including Dr. Wagner, hinting that they may take the reins someday. However, he has no plans to retire in the near future.

"He’s not allowed to leave,” joked Jackie.

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