Our caring and compassionate veterinary care team!

Meet the Veterinarians & Team of Carter Pet Hospital in Lake St. Louis! We’re pleased to provide exceptional vet care for your pets!

Please call us at (636) 639-9999 to speak to one of our caring veterinary staff members!

Our Team

Elizabeth Prager, Practice Manager

Elizabeth has been part of the Carter Pet Hospital team since 2016. She has her Associate’s Degree in Animal Science and joined the team originally as a receptionist while completing school and transitioning to a technician. Since then, she has worked every position at Carter Pet Hospital, spending a large portion of her time in management. Elizabeth became our Front Desk Supervisor in 2018, then the Office Manager in 2020, and has recently been promoted to Practice Manager in October 2021.

Elizabeth had the wonderful experience of volunteering at the St. Louis Zoo for two years as a camp counselor and educator during high school. This is where she found her passion for animals and educating the public about their health and lifestyles. She has spent 8 years in the U.S. Army, 6 years as a Psychological Operations Specialist, and 2 years as a Veterinary Technician, learning a plethora of skills for emergency situations.

In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her husband, Ryan, three-year-old daughter Sydney, and her dogs Remi and Nelli. They enjoy camping and traveling outdoors whenever possible, and always jump at the chance to have game nights with friends.

What brings her the most joy in the field? Dog Smiles!

Abby Hemsath, Technician Manager

Abby became involved in veterinary medicine to be a voice for the animals and to help educate clients. She has had a love for animals since she was little! Abby has an Associate’s Degree in Veterinary Technology and has been in the field since 2016. Her special interests in the field include behavior and radiology.

Abby became technician manager in October 2020 and holds multiple responsibilities in the clinic, including inventory, ordering of medical supplies, and has been named the organization queen!

Abby and her significant other, Nick, have three dogs together, Klaus (German Shepard), Reya (Golden Retriever), and Sadie (Pit/Shepard Mix), and 12 chickens. In her free time, Abby enjoys camping, swimming, hiking spending time outdoors.

Her favorite thing about pets is when their tails wags and their whole body moves!

Gina Gingerich, Front Desk Supervisor

Gina wanted to be a veterinarian when she was younger but didn’t like to see pets in pain. She says that her pure love for animals is what drew her into veterinary medicine.

She has a 13-year-old son, and they have a lot of pets to love! You may have seen Este, the Yorkie mix, sitting or snoozing at the front desk. Gina loves that she can bring her companion animal to work with her every day. She also has Amos, a Mastiff, and is fostering a Yorkie with cerebellar hypoplasia. They have two cats, one named Benjamin and another named Jack-Jack who also has cerebellar hypoplasia.

Gina will celebrate her three-year anniversary with us this fall and volunteered at a rescue organization for 15 years before opening her own rescue with a close friend eight years ago. Gina’s favorite breeds are Mastiffs (she loves the slobber!) and chihuahuas.

In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her son and their pets. She also likes to read and watch movies. Gina enjoys helping pets with special needs or behavioral issues. She is the go-to person for rescuing or rehoming pets and notes that her dreams have come true by being a part of the vet med field and owning her own rescue. She feels blessed and we feel blessed to have her!