Faculty and Staff

Dr. Hathcock, who is originally from Dothan, Alabama, attended Auburn University as an undergraduate student and received his DVM degree from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn in 1976. Following 3 years in private practice in Jacksonville, Florida, he returned to Auburn for the residency program in radiology, and received board certification by the American College of Veterinary Radiology in 1982. He completed the Master’s Degree program in Veterinary Radiology at Auburn in 1983. This was followed by 1 year of private practice in Lakeland, Florida. In 1984 he returned once again to Auburn as Assistant Professor in Radiology, has been at Auburn continuously since rising through the academic ranks to Professor, and was appointed Radiology Section Chief in 2001. He was served as president of the American College of Veterinary Radiology in 1996.  Along with diagnostic radiology, he has special interests in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging particular of the nervous system. 

His wife and 3 sons are graduates of Auburn University along with three sisters.  The family pets include Rhett and Sherman (white German shepherd brothers) and Carmen and Scarlett (adopted Katrina rescue cats). He indicates that his profession and his hobby are really the same namely:  providing clinical service to our animal companions, instructing  veterinary students in radiology, and guiding young veterinarians through Auburn’s radiology residency program.

Dr. Almond is a native of Memphis, Tennessee.  He attended undergraduate at Baylor University and the University of Tennessee, and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 1984.  He was in private practice for 18 years, the last six years as founding owner of Cordova Station Animal Hospital.  In fulfillment of a long-time dream, in 2002 he returned to school at the age of 42 to do back-to-back residencies in Veterinary Radiology and Veterinary Radiation Oncology.  During his residency programs, he completed a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences.  Although he thought he would return to his hometown to practice, he and his family realized that they preferred the slower-paced life of a sleepy Southern college town.  He also found that he loved the interaction with the veterinary students. It was an easy decision to accept a full-time position on faculty here at Auburn University – although he’ll readily admit that he misses his friends and family back home and has been known to beg to have “care packages” of Memphis barbeque shipped to him.

His professional interests in radiology are conventional radiography, nuclear medicine, and computed tomography.  He enjoys using radiation therapy to fight cancer in pets, receiving great satisfaction being able to provide a glimmer of hope to owners of pets battling cancer.

Outside of work, his passions in life are spending time with his wife, son, and daughter, playing trombone with his son in their church orchestra, restoring vintage straight razors, woodworking, and riding road and mountain bikes.

• Registered Radiologic Technologist
• Radiology Supervisor

Betty began her career as a human radiographer in Lapeer, Michigan in 1972, graduated with honors and sat for board certification in radiologic technology in 1974.  In 1980, she enrolled in the Bachelors of Science in Radiologic Technology program at the University of Alabama, Birmingham and completed all radiation science courses, but the death of her first husband, Sam, prohibited completion of the core curriculum required for a bachelor’s degree. She has managed human radiology departments in both in and outpatient settings and worked as a department director, floor supervisor, special procedures technologist, emergency medicine technologist, mammographer, and computerized tomography technologist.  After many years of human practice both in Michigan and North Alabama, Betty began her employment with Auburn in June of 1991.  “I thought it would be a delightful 3 year departure from human medicine when my second husband, Ricky, needed to move to Auburn to complete a forest management degree and look where I am today, still here and loving the job.”   

Her job duties at AUCVM include veterinary student instruction both in underclass years and the senior clinical year, referring veterinarian imaging information resource, imaging staff management, radiology section inventory and purchasing, PACS administration, Veterinary Hospital Information Systems super-user, Nuclear Medicine Technologist, and has in the past few years focused on Large Animal Radiography as AU’s primary Large Animal radiographer, in addition to Small and Exotic animal radiography when not otherwise occupied.   “Although I like animals and treat them with respect, just as I would any [human] patient, I am still here because I like the students and enjoy teaching them in a subject that I know well. 

Betty has lectured on veterinary radiography at state and national meetings (both human and veterinary) and has taught wet labs in veterinary radiography at annual conferences and in private practices.  She has won the AU Spirit of Excellence employee award and the AUCVM Staff Recognition Award.   You can see examples of her radiography in many textbooks and published papers. 

On a personal note, she lives near Auburn in the home they built with the aid of family and friends with her husband Ricky, and 2 rescued animals, Eleanor the cat, and Little Duece Coupe, the dog. “We also have a part-time dog named Kelby.  Jamie (from the pathobiology department) owns, feeds, and maintains medical care of Kelby, but Kelby stays in our yard [protecting her boyfriend Duece] until Jamie gets home from work, where she returns each night to protect her owner!”  She and Ricky have 4 children, Katie, David, Shannon, and Tamra, 4 grandchildren, Skyler, Samantha, Riley, Alexis, and numerous grand-dogs and grand-cats.  Outside interests include hand-crafting of all types, fishing, reading, movies, music, and woodworking.  

• R.T. - West Georgia Technical College

Kim is originally from LaGrange, Georgia. She attended West Georgia Technical College. She completed the Radiology program in 1994. She continued her education and in 1995 passed the Mammography registry. She performed human radiography for eleven years before pursuing her dream of working with animals. In 2003, she joined the Radiology Department at Auburn University. Kim performs small and large animal radiography performs C.T. and M.R.I.s as well as teaching fourth year veterinary students.

Kim is a member of First Baptist Church in Opelika, Al. She enjoys running, kayaking, traveling, pet sitting for others as well as spending time with her son and her animals.

Kim resides in Auburn with her son, Austin and a yellow lab, Guage and a beagle, Shiloh and her six cats: Erica, Bailey, Molly, Priscilla, Gracie, and Shadow. 

• R.T. - Southern Union State Community College

Nick graduated in 2010 with an Associate degree in Radiologic Technology from SUSCC. After ARRT certification he worked as chief tech in Alexander City at Pricare P.A.  He left Lake Martin in 2011 and returned to Auburn with his wife (Kayla), daughter (Cora), and beagle (Bunnie).  He left human medicine and joined the AUCVM radiology department in the fall of 2011.

He has always had a love for animals and jumped at the chance to work with four-legged patients.  He instructs 4^th year students in radiology and fosters a hound mix (Thumper) after a successful valvoplasty was performed by AUCVM.

Outside of AUCVM he enjoys spending time with family, fishing, bow hunting, riding four-wheelers, and spending time outdoors.