Ponchatoula Animal Hospital

The founder of Ponchatoula Animal Hospital is Dr. Larry Ernst, a member of the first class of graduating veterinarians from the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1977. In 1980, Dr. Ernst returned to his roots in Ponchatoula and established the Ponchatoula Animal Hospital on property that had been part of the dairy farm on which he grew up.

It's good to keep in mind that regular check-ups can detect disease in the early stages, improving your pet's ability to fight back. Remember that your pet ages much faster than you do; on average, one year of your pet's life equals seven years of human life. We recommend at least annual wellness exams for all dogs and cats.

Dr. Larry Ernst was born and raised in Ponchatoula, Louisiana growing up on his family's dairy farm. He attended Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond for his undergraduate pre-veterinary studies, and it was here that he met his wife, Mary. Dr. Ernst completed his veterinary education earning his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1977.

I grew up in the sugar cane fields of St. James Parish in the small town of Hester, Louisiana. I earned my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2003. In June of 2003, I married Travis Duhon and took a job in Houston, Texas.

After spending 8 months in Texas, we decided we wanted to be back home closer to our families and the south Louisiana culture that includes fishing, crawfish boils, festivals, and family gatherings.I joined the staff at Ponchatoula Animal Hospital in March of 2004. At that time the practice was extremely small with Dr. Ernst working full time and Dr. Pete working every other Friday.

Pete is a native of Roseland, Louisiana. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southeastern Louisiana University, a Master's degree in Reproductive Physiology from Louisiana State University, and his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University in 1966. Dr. Pete's first job after graduation was working in a mixed animal practice in Missouri for two years.