Our Veterinarians


Dr. Gwen Mowbray-Cashen

Greetings, I’m Dr. Gwen Mowbray-Cashen, born and raised in Truro, NS and veterinarian and owner of Truro Vet since 1990. I grew up in a veterinary hospital with both my parents being veterinarians. I started working as a kennel cleaner when I was 12 years old and gradually learned new skills to help animals.

I like all aspects of veterinary medicine. I especially like providing dental care. I find the difference a healthy mouth makes to an animal’s well being is amazing. In most recent years, I have become very interested in helping pet care givers understand how much anxiety can erode an animal’s quality of life. To extend this interest to our entire Truro Veterinary team, we have trained our team in low stress handling methods which help make your pet’s visit less stressful.

Most recently, my own painful health issues have led me on a journey to improve pain management for our patients. Having learned more about managing pain, we added laser therapy to our services which have proven to be a very effective means of pain control.
 
My very full life contains my husband, Chris, our children, Tara and Quinn, our corgi dog, Louis, our two cats: Himmy and Rocket. Recently, our human children have flown the nest so in an effort to refill the nest, Chris and I have 4 lovely laying chickens (Lavender, Lilac , Marigold and Hollyhawk) that keep us quite entertained.
 
At work, I love to see people connect with their pets and hearing stories people share about the animals in their lives. At home, I enjoy gardening, walking/running/biking with Annie and Louis and reading and writing. I like watching the animals in my life learn new things and engage in their environment. But what I love most about helping animals is learning new things about life from them. The lessons I gain always ground me and remind me what is really important in life.
 
 

Dr. Melissa Aucoin

Hey there, I’m Dr. Melissa Aucoin from Gander, NL. I’ve been a Veterinarian here at Truro Vet since 2008. I’m very proud to be part of a group that is so passionate about animal care! My favourite moments at work are reunions with pets and their people after a hospital stay😊
My husband, Mike and I have three children, a son Isaac and twin daughters, Maya and Grace. In my spare time, I enjoy skiing, gardening and hanging out with my family. We have a dog, Josie, and 3 cats, Jack, Cindy Lou and Hazel, as well as some laying hens!
 

 

Dr. Alana Mason

Hello, I’m Dr.Alana Mason. I have had a strong love for animals since a young age. I grew up in rural Nova Scotia caring for, riding and showing horses. I went on to graduate from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and then obtained my veterinary degree from the Atlantic Veterinary Collage in 2004. I started my veterinary career in mixed practice (large and small animals) but changed my focus to companion animals early on. I enjoy all aspects of practice including medicine, surgery and ultrasound. It brings new challenges every day. I started working at Truro Veterinary Hospital in 2020. I love the strong focus the clinic places on providing very high standards of care for our patients while striving to keep the experience as low stress as possible.
 
Outside of work I spend most of my time with my family. My husband Steven and I have 3 children, John, Lydia and Natalie. We are a hockey family and spend lots of time at the rinks. My other interests include skiing and camping. We love our pets as well and have a Golden Retriever named Minnie and a cat named Spider.