BluePearl Pet Hospital
Des Moines, IA

Dr. Alexandria Baltes is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians.

Married with two cats and an assortment of reptiles, Dr. Baltes enjoys weight lifting, cooking, and attending Minnesota Vikings games.

Dr. Roxanne Jacobson particularly enjoys being presented a difficult case, running a diagnostic workup and coming up with a solution to the problem.

Dr. Jacobson loves being a wife and mother to three sons. She volunteers her veterinary skills at the Blank Park Zoo and Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Some of her favorite pastimes include stained glass, crotchet, wood working, quilting, painting and ceramics. The family has a black Labrador named Amos and several fish in an outdoor pond.

Dr. Cory Janssen worked in general practice for two years before joining our team as an emergency clinician where he enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

Some of Dr. Janssen’s favorite pastimes include city league kickball, biking and attending Iowa State sporting events. His furry sidekick is lab mix Zeke.

Dr. Paula Kuhfus graduated from vet school 70 years after her grandfather did. She owned her own clinic for over 20 years before joining our team where she especially enjoys working with senior patients.

Dr. Kuhfus volunteers at her church and a local food pantry, and the highlight of every summer is volunteering at a camp for individuals with intellectual and physical challenges. She enjoys reading, running and cooking for her husband, three children and their families. The family pets include shih poo Opie, Akita mix Yogi, and cat Stranger.

Dr. Lauren Larsen particularly enjoys stabilizing critical patients and watching them improve while hospitalized.

Dr. Larsen likes reading, time with family, and walking her border collie mix Sox who she works with in agility training.

Some of Dr. Melissa Lind’s favorite emergencies to treat are feline urethral obstructions and trauma cases, but she admits to finding any case rewarding when the patient starts to feel better.

Dr. Lind enjoys running, reading, hiking, camping, gardening and listening to music. Her pets include corgi/shepherd mix Gabby, cats Water and Cricket and quarter horse gelding Tippy.

Dr. Samantha Schipull loves the challenge and diversity of cases she sees in emergency medicine. She particularly likes treating trauma and toxicity cases and immune-mediated disorders.

Dr. Schipull enjoys watching Iowa State football and basketball teams, and she likes doing hot yoga. She is married with two boys and two family pets: black lab Bear and cat Oscar.

Dr. Emily Slight finds it gratifying to stabilize critical cases, whether from severe illness or injury, and reuniting those patients with their families. Other clinical interests include management of hypotension and sepsis patients.

Married with two children, Dr. Slight enjoys crochet, reading, baking and biking with her family.

Dr. Chad Spah enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery.

Dr. Carolyn Stafford particularly enjoys treating trauma cases and managing critical patients.

Dr. Stafford is married and has two daughters. Her favorite pastimes include cooking, reading, running, and singing and volunteering at her church.

Dr. Elizabeth Streeter was a faculty member at Iowa State for four years. Her research interests – head trauma, point of care testing, and injury severity scores – have resulted in a number of published articles and book chapters and requests for presentations around the world. She particularly enjoys treating trauma and cardiac cases.

Dr. Streeter enjoys crafting, traveling and running and is working toward a goal of running a half marathon in each of the 50 states. She has eight rescued animals, six dogs and two cats.

Dr. Heather Vaske's special interests include non-invasive diagnostic procedures including ultrasound, and endoscopy as well as treating complicated endocrine disorders.

Dr. Vaske likes spending time with her husband, two kids and the family cat. The family loves traveling and spending time outdoors.

Dr. Stanley Wagner enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery.

Stephanie is passionate about anesthesia and loves the challenges and diversity of cases she gets to see. She particularly enjoys nursing patients with advanced systemic disease and those in emergency situations.