Dr. Whisher, DVM
Veterinarian/Medical Director
About Dr. Whisher
Dr. Lindsay Whisher also decided she wanted to be a vet at an early age, combining a love of animals and science. She grew up in Albany, NY. She spent two years studying at the University of New Hampshire, transferred to Cornell University and graduated with a B.S. in biology (concentration in neurobiology and animal behavior).
She did a Pre-Veterinary Internship at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, FL, caring for injured wildlife and assisting in the care for zoo animals. Dr. Whisher received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University in 2008. After graduation, she worked for 8 years in emergency and private practice in Fairfax, Virginia then Columbus, OH and then Hartland, WI. She moved to Huntington and worked for Harborside Veterinary for one year then joined the Dix Hills Veterinary team in 2017 and became the Medical Director in 2024.
She loves private practice for the many different disciplines it offers, but her particular interests include dermatology, senior wellness, preventative care, internal medicine/critical care, and surgery. When not at work, you will find Dr. Whisher horseback riding, hiking, biking, skiing, boating, swimming, or at the volleyball or tennis courts. Her other passion is travel and she has been fortunate to explore 5 continents and just under 30 countries so far. She lives with her husband, John Pigott, who is also a veterinarian, specializing in equine surgery at Cornell’s Ruffian Equine Specialists and her son Davin. Her fur babies include horses Regan and Blue, dog Skyler, and lovable kitties Finley, Bali and Gilbert.
Dr. Rhein, DVM
Veterinarian
About Dr. Rhein
Known to her clients as Dr. Ali, she always wanted to follow her father’s path. Dr. Harvey Rhein founded the Dix Hills Animal Hospital in 1967, and Dr. Ali grew up helping her father at work.
She assisted her father in working with animal patients and human clients, watching and learning over the years.
In 1995, Dr. Ali graduated with honors from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. She worked in New York City at the Tribeca-Soho Animal Hospital for 7 years and her celebrity clients included Robert De Niro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Harvey Keitel, Drew Barrymore, and the late John F. Kennedy Jr.
In 2002, Dr. Ali returned to Dix Hills Animal Hospital and became its director. She and her father made an extensive site renovation and turned it into a state-of-the-art facility. With her focus on preventive care and wellness, Dr. Ali has brought a new level of care to the area. She and her team have instituted several screening processes to ensure your pet stays healthy. Her particular interests are toy and “designer” breeds, and she understands their special needs.
Dr. Ali’s outside hobbies include biking, swimming, running, tennis, and spending time with her 4 dogs: Audrey (Maltese and Poodle Mix), Sandy (Potcake), Tucker (Yorkie-Poo) and Winnie (Maltese). She also enjoys her cat Marcel.
Dr. Ravitz, DVM
Veterinarian
About Dr. Ravitz
When she was 5 years old, Suzanne announced to the world that she would one day be a veterinarian, and she spent the following years making her claim a reality.
Graduating from Syracuse University and being accepted in a veterinary school are part of the greatest days of her life.
In 1994, Suzanne graduated from Atlantic Veterinary College and then interned at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan. In the city, she cared for a variety of animals, but what she calls her true love is caring for cats and dogs.
After many years of building a loyal following in one of Manhattan’s busy, progressive animal hospitals, she decided to relocate to Long Island to be near her 2 beautiful daughters.
Suzanne loves being back in the area and working at Dix Hills Animal Hospital. She professionally focuses on feline medicine, soft tissue surgery, and preventative care. She practices with a loving and compassionate style.
Her personal interests include working out, playing tennis, and spending time with her family.
Dr. Johnson, DVM
Veterinarian
About Dr. Johnson
Dr. Eric Johnson grew up in farm country in upstate New York. He spent his formative years caring for all kinds of animals. This is where he realized that veterinary medicine would be his calling. He completed his undergraduate work at Colorado State University with a B.S. in Animal Sciences. He then relocated to Florida, where you could find him either in a veterinary hospital or on the volleyball court. He completed his M.S. and D.V.M. degrees at the University of Florida in 2008 and 2011, respectively.
His main area of focus after graduation was equine medicine, where he became a prominent fixture for several years along the eastern US coast. He gradually shifted his focus to small animals and moved to Long Island in 2015 with his wife and welcomed his 2 beautiful children.
Dr. Johnson loves the challenge and variety of small animal veterinary medicine. In particular, he has a special interest in surgery, internal medicine, and cardiology. When not in the hospital, you can find him spending time with his amazing family and his 2 dogs Bandit and Beau and 3 cats Punkin, Swarley and Buttercup, or wrapped up in just about anything outdoors.
DR. SKOLJAREV, DVM
Veterinarian
About Dr. Skoljarev
Dr. Maria Skoljarev grew up on Long Island, NY where her passion for becoming a veterinarian started at a really young age. Growing up, she spent time working and caring for animals to make her lifelong dream come true. She graduated Binghamton University in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Minor in Health and Wellness. After undergrad, she then attended Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University to receive her DVM in 2023.
Dr. Skoljarev is excited to be a part of the Dix Hills Animal Hospital team. She is eager to provide the best care to all animals and treat every animal as if it were her own. For Dr. Skoljarev, being a veterinarian is most importantly helping those that cannot speak for themselves.
In her spare time, Dr. Skoljarev enjoys taking long runs, going to the gym and being outside, especially on the beach. She loves spending time with family, friends, and her dog Bella.
