Dan Parkinson DVM
970-403-8877
Living in the Moment 
A wall mural in our office 
painted by local artist Rita Lopez, 
adapted from the book 
Guardians of Being by Eckhart Tolle.


Our Philosophy
A Tenderheart is one who has:
  • a kind, gentle and sincere nature
  • experienced the heartache of loss
  • been moved to be more loving and compassionate
In their short lives pets help us realize that we are all TenderHearts.
Living in the moment is a key step in:
  • enjoying life's big and little moments
  • recognizing the transient nature of life
  • the healthy integration of our grief when we lose a dear pet

In addition to giving us companionship and unconditional love, pets remind us how to live in the moment.

History

Picture

Dr. Parkinson, or Dr. Dan as most of his clients call him, practiced small animal medicine in Durango from 1982 to 2008.  He owned and operated a full service housecall practice, the Mobile Veterinary Clinic, from 1984 – 1998. He then founded and managed Riverview Animal Hospital from 1998 until his retirement from clinical practice in 2008.

From 2008 to 2013 Dr. Parkinson continued his veterinary career by consulting with two national companies on improving small animal pain management and standards for quality patient care in veterinary medicine.  He helped develop a novel pain management program that was implemented in over 60 animal hospitals around the country. 

While visiting many hospitals Dr. Dan was struck by how many professional caregivers struggled with the heartache of helping clients with the death of pets and how this service greatly impacted the lives of the veterinary team.  He developed some tools for helping caregivers deal with the stress of daily practice and the special stress associated with end of life care. He has shared those tools with several veterinary hospitals in the Southwest and continues to consult with practices.

Now, coming out of “retirement” Dr. Parkinson feels compelled to continue to serve his profession and community by offering support to families facing difficult end of life care decisions for their dear pets.  As in the past, his wife Laurie is providing administrative  and heartfelt support for this new service.  Dr. Dan and Laurie look forward to reconnecting with their many friends and clients in the Durango area and meeting many new friends through this new service .