Dr. Mertens taught and did research at Texas A&M University following his residency. During his tenure at Texas A&M, Dr. Mertens received the prestigious national Phi Zeta award for most outstanding manuscript in the basic science category in 2003. Dr. Mertens has numerous publications including articles and book chapters and has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally. In 2005, Dr. Mertens left academia to join the team at Carolina Veterinary Specialists.