Veterinarian Overview
Hello. My name is Dr. Lisa Thilges and I am the owner of Prairie View Animal Hospital. I grew up in the Chicago suburb of Elgin, Illinois. I attended Iowa State University where I received my B.S. in Animal Science in 2002. I decided to attend Iowa State University for several reasons. I wanted to leave suburban Illinois and attend a university that was large enough to offer the opportunities and diversity that ISU has, but also had that intimate, small town atmosphere that Iowa is known for. I originally attended ISU as a Chemical Engineering student, but my love for animals drew me toward the veterinary profession. I worked throughout college as a waitress until a job opened up in a local veterinary clinic for a kennel assistant. Working for a veterinarian was great experience. I was able to know and grow with the profession early on, and I had a great mentor that helped me realize what the world of veterinary medicine was all about.I went on to attend veterinary school at ISU. In veterinary school, I took advantage of the time I had there to diversify my experiences. I worked as a lab technician studying neurological stem cells. I spent a summer in Spain working at the zoo and with a wildlife research group. I worked closely with the Feral Cat Alliance, Feline Club, and Behavior Club. I earned my DVM from ISU in 2006 I met my future husband, Dave, in 2001 while attending ISU as an undergraduate student. We moved to the Chicago suburb of Aurora after graduation where Dave had already obtained a position in which he helped manage native wetlands and prairie. We were married in 2007. After graduation I worked in a walk-in only, 10 doctor practice for 1 ½ years. I fostered my passion for orthopedic surgery during that time and developed proficiency in ACL repair. Although we were very busy and I learned a TON, I felt that the atmosphere of the clinic was not a good fit for me. I wanted to grow a relationship with my clients and their pets, so I left that practice to obtain a position as a small animal veterinarian in a smaller, 3 doctor practice in the Chicago suburb of Sugar Grove. I saw many of the orthopedic cases there and developed an interest in pain management, particularly pain associated with arthritis and cancer.While there, our son, Luke, was born in 2008, and our daughter, Ella, was born in 2010. I was at that practice for 5 years before I decided to start Prairie View Animal Hospital in Grimes to be closer to family and to raise our two children. Dave has a very large family (12 siblings!). The Thilges family is originally from Algona, Iowa, but most of them currently live in central Iowa.I am currently a member of Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, and the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management. Our family currently lives in Johnston with our 2 cats, Isabel (10 yrs) and Kwazii (1 year), and our rescue dog, Murphy (1 year). In my time away from the clinic I enjoy cooking, camping, and spending time with my family, especially doing anything outdoor
