Iowa State Veterinary Field Services

05/22/2026

Taking lead in the field!

Fourth-year veterinary student, Cody Haeker, lead and demonstrated how to complete a necropsy on a recently deceased calf. The dairy farm had all invested management present along with student employees.

Cody and VFS veterinarians fielded questions from the dairy employees and held a productive discussion around the consequences of early calfhood disease on respiratory health.

Giving our students the opportunity to take charge in a low-stakes environment builds confidence while deepening their expertise in the subject matter!

05/15/2026

Congratulations to the ISU CVM class of 2026! You did it!! ⚕️🩺

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms, but especially to the moms in our office: Dr. Friedrich, Dr. Sara, and Kayla! 🌸💗

Providing excellent client services 24/7, 365 often comes at a price of missing out on quality family time during the week nights and weekends. We thank our clients for their appreciation of this fact!

Here’s to the moms wearing all the hats and making it look easy 🫡💗💪🏼

05/09/2026

FACULTY UPDATE! Our very own Dr. Allison Vander Plaats recently accepted and began her new position as an assistant professor with our department!

We are excited to continue offering her services to all our clients and experience to our students!

Dr. Vander Plaats has a busy summer of research ahead of her to continue working on her PhD, but will still see clients as time allows.

Thanks for staying with us, Dr. Vander Plaats!!

05/07/2026

Vet students (for ONE more week) Amanda, Madison, and Annamarie placed an IV catheter & provided other supportive care to a ewe with gangrenous mastitis.

05/04/2026

Can you find Dr. Sara without her signature braid and hat?! 🕵🏼‍♀️👀

Dr. Sara has taken advantage of resources AABP has to offer, including their practice management training. This series consists of a core, in-person training (pictured) and then 6 virtual training sessions all focused on financial management, the entrepreneurial mindset, marketing, and even recruiting and retention in a private practice setting.

VFS is proud to be able to assist our post-doctoral veterinarians in their professional growth not only in clinical skills, but as leaders and future business owner/operators!

BONUS POINTS: can you spot other ISU CVM alumni in attendance?!?

Last weekend, the Omasum group from the AABP Veterinary Practice Sustainability workshop, “Building Excellence in Rural Veterinary Practices”, met in Ashland, Ohio. This group is funded by a grant from USDA-NIFA and is led by Dr. Richard Stup, Dr. Brian Reed and David McCormick.

05/02/2026

The almost-veterinarians (13 days!!!) Jessa and Donald are soaking up the last bits of their fourth year with VFS.

Jessa splinted a broken leg on a lightly sedated lamb and Donald assisted with an RDA correction.

Real-life, practical, hands-on education to set these young veterinarians up for success!

05/01/2026

04/20/2026

04/16/2026

Dr. Sara was on farm yesterday to establish a Veterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR) with a new client.

Once established, the VCPR is valid for 12 months. This relationship is legally required to obtain prescription medications or prescription feedstuffs as well as being required for the veterinarians to diagnose your animal’s condition.

If you call in for a med order and either Kayla or Becca tell you the VCPR has lapsed, just make an appointment for one of our veterinarians to come out!

Dr. Sara’s perk of the new client: new babies to snuggle!!