BluePearl Pet Hospital
Cedar Rapids, IA
Our Vets

Dr. Rhonda Aper enjoys surgery because it allows her to blend two of her professional interests, biomedical engineering and veterinary medicine. While she prefers the mechanics of orthopedic procedures, she also enjoys intestinal and neurologic cases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal)
• Residency, Surgery, Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Master of Science, Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa, Iowa City
• Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Michigan Tech University, Houghton

When not working, Dr. Aper enjoys spending time with her husband and their three boys, especially going camping or exploring the outdoors. She also enjoys getting in a good nap or reading a good book.

Dr. Brennan Goodman enjoys assisting clients in their time of need, helping them navigate difficult and urgent decisions in the emergency setting and ultimately finding the best steps forward for their animal companions.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Economics, Statistics, Iowa State University, Ames

Dr. Goodman enjoys cooking, caring for indoor plants, playing golf and pickleball, architecture, and interior and automotive design. He stays active in his community with yoga classes and serving on the Cedar Rapids Public Art Committee.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Dermatology
• Residency, Dermatology, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Dermatology, University of Columbia, Columbia MO
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames
• Master of Science, Human Animal Bond and Grief Counseling, Iowa State University, Ames

Dr. Danielle Hundley’s clinical interests include toxicity, trauma, acute kidney injury and CPR.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Master of Science, Veterinary Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center, Cedar Rapids, IA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Wisconsin Veterinary Referral Center, Waukesha
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames

Dr. Hundley enjoys spending time with her child and two dogs.

Dr. Janelle Karau loves emergency medicine because every day is different. She welcomes the opportunity to continuously enhance her knowledge and skills, which ultimately allows her to offer the very best medical and surgical care to her patients.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, South Dakota State University, Brookings

Dr. Karau enjoys spending family time with her husband, son, dog and three cats. Her hobbies include cooking and baking, gardening and yoga.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Hospital Specialty Center, Denver, CO
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City

Dr. Madison Reed enjoys emergency medicine for its dynamic environment, continual learning opportunities and collaborative approach to patient care. Her clinical interests include trauma management, transfusion medicine and feline lower urinary tract disease. She is dedicated to providing compassionate care and helping clients feel informed and supported during some of their pets’ most challenging moments.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Master of Business Administration, Iowa State University, Ames
• Master of Science, Veterinary Forensic Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Becker College, Worcester, MA

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Reed enjoys traveling, exploring local restaurants and coffee shops, spending time with her fiancé and pets and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones during football season.

Dr. Leo Roa Guzman has been practicing emergency medicine since 2007 and finds the field particularly gratifying, especially the technological advancements that have allowed for better patient care. His clinical interests include trauma cases, mechanical ventilation and transfusion medicine.

• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Eastern Iowa Veterinary Specialty Center, Cedar Rapids
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Dr. Roa Guzman spends most of his free time with his family and pets. He also enjoys travelling and finding places to go hiking and biking.

Dr. Robert Schmidt finds the diverse caseload of emergency medicine exciting and enjoys that you never know what each day will bring.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, Statistics, University of Missouri, Columbia

Dr. Schmidt and his girlfriend, who is also a veterinarian, have a dog and a cat together. They enjoy biking, running and kayaking

Publications and articles

Dr. Grace Zhang’s clinical interests include preventive and palliative care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg
• Master of Public Health, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

In her free time, Dr. Zhang enjoys traveling, trying new eateries and spending time with her husband and their dogs, Shadow and Dori.