Clients, staff and old friends turned out to toast 40 years with the local veterinarian at the clinic on Wednesday.

David said he always remembered the day he started working at the clinic because it was the Horses Birthday – August 1.

The vet spent his early life in the Moree district and studied an agricultural degree at both the University of Sydney and James Cook University in Townsville. He soon realised he had a love for veterinary science, so he completed his degree at the University of Queensland.

David graduated in 1976 and moved to Western Australia to take on his first veterinary position at Narrogin Veterinary Hospital. The following year, he found himself in Gunnedah accepting a job offer from Phil Knight who was the principal vet at the Gunnedah Veterinary Hospital.

What David thought would be a short stint soon turned into a long-term gig after meeting his wife Marg in 1977. They married in 1980.

After 10 years of working alongside Phil, David bought the business in Wandobah Road and became the principal. In 2007, the clinic moved to its current premises in Barber Street.

David said one of the biggest changes he had seen over the past 10 years was the improvement in technology.

“It means that we can offer a greater range of services,” he said.

One of the biggest game-changers has been the purchase of a digital x-ray machine, which enables images to be digitally stored and emailed where needed.

“You can digitally enhance it, you can magnify it, you can make it darker or lighter; it’s definitely superior,” David said.

Another noticeable shift has been the attitude of people towards animals.

It is change, in fact, that keeps the vet interested.

“I like the ever-changing nature of practice,” he said.

“There are challenges every day.

“What I really enjoy about mixed practice is I can do surgery on a small animal in here, and then I can be out pregnancy testing a cow.

“It’s the variety.”

While the clinic’s main focus was mostly mainly on horses and cattle in the past, it now cares for a lot of small animals, particularly dogs.

“One of the biggest changes that’s come gradually is that a lot of pets have morphed from just a pet into a very important family member,” David said.

“A lot more now the work is focused on animals with emotional value as opposed to their economical value.”

A big positive for the vet is the team who support him at the clinic – vet nurses Cassie Swain and Katherine Wilson, and vets Emily Waugh and Trish Robinson.

“They’re great girls,” David said.

“They’re smart, they’re hard-working. They get stuck in and do stuff.

“They’re willing to go the extra mile.”

At the gathering on Wednesday, the full-female team said David was both a “role model and mentor”.

“We look up to David quite a lot, all of us. So much so that we call him Dad sometimes,” Emily said.

“Thank you [David] for all your support, making us better vets.”

Long-time client, Michael Hennessy, also said a few words, praising the staff for their efforts.

“It’s always a wonderful feeling to come in here,” he said.

“We’re going to keep supporting you.”