Jamie K. Fleischner
Feb 6, 2026
Dr. Michelle Custead, founder and medical oncologist at Ally Veterinary Specialty Center, recently sat down with The Income Protection Journal to talk about what it's like to guide families through a cancer diagnosis — and why she built Ally to do it differently.
Dr. Michelle Custead, founder and medical oncologist at Ally Veterinary Specialty Center, recently sat down with The Income Protection Journal to talk about what it's like to guide families through a cancer diagnosis — and why she built Ally to do it differently.
In the conversation, she talks about what drew her to oncology after nearly pursuing zoo medicine, why the bond between a veterinary oncologist and a pet's family matters so much to outcomes, and how she's building a practice culture where clinicians aren't rushed through 15-minute appointments when a family just heard the worst news of their day. She also opens up about the physical and emotional demands of the profession, from the daily hands-on risks veterinarians face to the importance of protecting the people and patients who depend on a practice staying open, a topic closely tied to disability insurance for veterinarians.
Most of all, she talks about why she left the corporate veterinary path to create something that feels more like what the profession is supposed to be — a place where families feel seen and where the people providing care are taken care of too.