Veterinarian Overview
Dr. Peterson enjoys cultivating relationships with her clients and caring for their beloved pets. She loves the varied challenges she faces each day, and savors the rewards of seeing a much-loved pet recover and thrive again. Dr. Peterson especially likes to focus on dentistry, as a good dental cleaning and preventive maintenance can make a real difference in a pets life. She also appreciates new pain management and oncology treatments, and keeps up with the latest advances in those fields. Dr. Peterson is a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT), and received her certification from the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in order to help both companion and performance animals improve their quality of life. She is also a Certified Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapist (CVSMT), having received her certification from The Healing Oasis. (Veterinary spinal manipulation is often referred to as veterinary or animal chiropractic.) In addition to her rehabilitation and chiropractic interests, Dr. Peterson is currently completing training to become a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist through the Chi Institute for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Peterson also has a keen interest in obedience work. She teaches dog obedience classes at the Des Moines Obedience Training Club; and she frequently enters obedience, agility, tracking, and hunt test competitions with her dogs. Dr. Peterson is also passionate about providing service dogs for military veterans. She serves as the veterinary advisor for the Puppy Jake Foundation, a group founded to accomplish this worthy goal. Dr. Peterson and her husband John remain close to their two adult children. The couples daughter enjoys her museum education curator work, and their son attends college as a performing arts major. In her spare time, Dr. Peterson likes to stay active and always makes time for bicycling, volleyball, and perennial gardening. Dr. Peterson and her husband love to travel, and they count a memorable Zambian safari trip as a highlight of their lives. This animal-focused couple shares their home with several furry family members. Takoda is an affectionate, fun-loving golden retriever who accompanies Dr. Peterson to work each day. Takoda also excels at obedience work, and has recently become Dr. Petersons third obedience champion. Zing, a beautiful Siamese mix cat, is a chatty feline who delights in showing everyone the location of his food bin.
