Meet Our Doctors!
Meet the veterinarians of Chickamauga Veterinary Clinic! We’re pleased to provide
exceptional vet care for your pets!
Get to Know Our Doctors!
We are solely dedicated to your pet’s care! We look forward to getting to know you, and we hope you’ll take the time to scroll down and get to know us.
Meet Our Doctors
Dr. Ryan Rucker
DVM, MADS, CVA, Owner
Dr. Ryan Rucker grew up in LaFayette, Georgia. She had a strong bond with animals from a young age and knew she wanted to spend her life helping them. She grew up with pets that ranged from dogs and cats to chickens and goats. Dr. Rucker graduated from the University of Georgia in 2008 with a BSA in Animal Science. She then completed her Masters in Animal and Dairy Science (MADS) the following year. She graduated from The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine in 2013 and initially thought it was feasible to practice on all species but quickly found that her passion lay in small animal emergency medicine.
After vet school, she completed a rotating internship at The Regional Institute for Veterinary Emergencies and Referrals in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She stayed on board as an emergency veterinarian for almost two years after that. After having her daughter in 2015, overnight shifts became difficult, and she found a new passion in small animal general practice. While Dr. Rucker still loves a good emergency, her favorite part of general practice is watching her patients grow from babies into adults and developing lifelong relationships with her patients and clients. Dr. Rucker is also certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and loves being able to incorporate alternative medicine into her spectrum of practice when appropriate.
Dr. Rucker and her husband, Daniel, have two children: a daughter named Rowan and a son named Rigby. They have a Great Pyrenees, a Vizsla, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and one kitty. Dr. Rucker doesn’t have much free time, but if she did, she would enjoy gardening, baking, going to the gym, and reading. She loves Disney, coffee, Mexican food, and Dolly Parton.
Dr. Chelsea Garwood
Dr. Chelsea Garwood grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina and had known from an early age she wanted to be a veterinarian. Starting in elementary school, she shadowed a companion animal vet followed by later working at zoos and aquariums. During her undergraduate years at North Carolina State University and The Ohio State University, she focused primarily on equine medicine and research. At the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, she returned her focus to zoologic, aquatic, and exotic companion species and pursued an internship at an exotics animal hospital in Northern Ohio. She then pursued a second internship in companion animals in Columbus, Ohio followed by working at a companion animal clinic for the past 3 years in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Needless to say, Dr. Garwood loves working with all species.
In 2021, life brought Dr. Garwood, her husband Andy, and their two dogs Rowena and Trooper to Georgia and the surrounding area. They absolutely love it here, where they have since established a small farm. During her free time, Dr. Garwood enjoys traveling, dancing, reading, gardening, and of course, loving all of her animals.