Meet the Doctors

Dr. Sharon Dirmeyer, DVM, Fear Free Certified


Dr. Dirmeyer

Dr. Sharon E. Dirmeyer was born in El Paso, Texas, and resided throughout the United States before moving to Tidewater in 1974. Her bachelors degree was obtained at Virginia Tech as an Animal Science Major, with a special interest in physiology of reproduction. As an avid equestrian, she spent 5 years post graduation professionally training and showing horses and instructing riders. She then returned to the Virginia-Maryland Regional college of Veterinary Medicine to obtain her degree. During this period of time she also did a clerkship at the Royal College of Veterinary Medicine in England to broaden the perspective of her education. Dr. Dirmeyer has worked in the area since 1989 with small and large animals, and currently, through Salty Paws, is proud to continue offering high quality compassionate care to companion animals.

Dr. Susan Fannin, DVM, Fear Free Certified


Dr. Susan Fannin joined the Salty Paws staff as an associate veterinarian in July of 2008.  She received her BS from Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, PA in Small Animal Science and received her DVM from Virginia Tech  in 2000.  Dr Fannin and her family relocated from Indianapolis,  where she had spent the previous 8 years working at two, small high quality practices, concentrating on companion animals. She is currently a member of the AVMA, VVMA and the local professional organization, GPVMA. Two of her strong interests are in medicine and behavior.

Dr. Fannin lives in Yorktown with her husband,and three children. Her family also includes four cats (Kelvin, Syd, Walter and Zippy) and two dogs (Franny, a chocolate lab and Chessie, a golden retriever). She also enjoys the connections she makes with our clients and their children (the four and two legged kind!).

 Dr. Susan Blessing, DVM, Fear Free Certified


 Dr. Susan Blessing is originally from Louisiana. She attended McNeese State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Zoology, then attended LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1987. She moved to Virginia in 2007 to enjoy our wonderful weather and the abundance of outdoor activites available. Dr. Blessing came to Salty Paws in 2009, and has been loving our clients, their pet families, and the total atmosphere since she arrived! She has two pups  (her furry children!) , Rainey and Violette, who love spending time outside chasing balls. In her spare time Dr. B . enjoys biking, hiking, and trying new outdoor adventures.

Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, DVM – Fear Free Certified


Dr. Elizabeth Johnson is a 1994 graduate from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

She and her veterinarian husband live in Smithfield with their two teenage children, two dogs Bentley and Allie and two cats Lattimore and Cracker.

She loves working at Salty Paws because “The clients and staff are the best!”