Associate Veterinarian - ER
Dr. Tarika Sandiford, BVM&S
Dr. Tarika Sandiford is an associate veterinarian and part of the 2023-2024 rotating intern class at Pieper Veterinary. Originally from the western Chicagoland area, she attended the Royal School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh where she graduated with distinction in 2019, and spent the next few years working in general practice in the Chicagoland area. During vet school, Dr. Sandiford spent summers working for a native wildlife rehab center in her hometown, as well as relief work for the exotics department at her hometown's animal control. She has a clinical interest in exotic animal medicine, emergency and critical care, and internal medicine.
Dr. Sandiford was inspired to pursue veterinary medicine by the classic stories of James Herriot, even naming her first dog after one of his stories. She lives with her mixed breed rescue dog, Lyra, and when not working she enjoys baking, traveling, and spending time with her friends, family, and Lyra. Her favorite aspect of veterinary medicine is how it can be both a science and an art, and how every case needs to be treated differently and tailored to best fit each individual patient. She also enjoys the variety of species that she gets to treat, from cats and dogs to birds, fish, and reptiles.
Special Interests:
- Exotic animal medicine
- Emergency and critical care
- Internal medicine