Dr. Nicole Knaack
Dr. Knaack resides outside of Traer with our husband, Andrew, and children Kolt, Emmet, and Julie. Their family has 10 different species located on their acreage with her favorite being their peacock Kevin. They have chickens, guineas, a few bottle calves, goats, a rabbit named Wayne, two dogs, Maple and Taylor, and a small herd of cats. They also have two turtles, Darrell and Ricky.
Dr. Knaack attended Cornell College where she received her undergraduate degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She then went on to obtain her veterinary degree from Iowa State University. In 2011, she also became certified in Bovine Embryo Transfer. Nicole took over the North Tama Veterinary Clinic in 2017 and the Keystone Veterinary Clinic in 2019. You can find Dr. Knaack doing a little bit of everything in the practice between being out on the farm with cattle or in the clinic working with companion animal. She has a passion for cattle reproduction, especially using artificial insemination and embryo transfer to grow a herd intentionally.
When Nicole isn’t busy being a vet, she loves to spend her free time running, visiting friends, and enjoying anything out in the sunshine. She also has a love for watching things grow, such as children, flowers, vegetables, and any species of bottles babies! Her family also has a love for wrestling as they are all involved in it one way or another.
Dr. Knaack resides outside of Traer with our husband, Andrew, and children Kolt, Emmet, and Julie. Their family has 10 different species located on their acreage with her favorite being their peacock Kevin. They have chickens, guineas, a few bottle calves, goats, a rabbit named Wayne, two dogs, Maple and Taylor, and a small herd of cats. They also have two turtles, Darrell and Ricky.
Dr. Knaack attended Cornell College where she received her undergraduate degree in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She then went on to obtain her veterinary degree from Iowa State University. In 2011, she also became certified in Bovine Embryo Transfer. Nicole took over the North Tama Veterinary Clinic in 2017 and the Keystone Veterinary Clinic in 2019. You can find Dr. Knaack doing a little bit of everything in the practice between being out on the farm with cattle or in the clinic working with companion animal. She has a passion for cattle reproduction, especially using artificial insemination and embryo transfer to grow a herd intentionally.
When Nicole isn’t busy being a vet, she loves to spend her free time running, visiting friends, and enjoying anything out in the sunshine. She also has a love for watching things grow, such as children, flowers, vegetables, and any species of bottles babies! Her family also has a love for wrestling as they are all involved in it one way or another.
Dr. Kris Schlesser
Dr. Schlesser joined the practice in 2015 and can primarily be found in the North Tama location couple days a week. She resides outside of Independence with her husband Ben, and children Owen, Lauren and Eli. They also have two dogs, Claire and Echo, an indoor cat named Simon, two outdoor cats, Gregor and Tessie, and a hedgehog named Karl. They also have 4 Shire draft horses, Molly, Maggie, Imperial, and Dynamite as well as 90 head of Red Angus cow/calf and bull operation, 13 goats, and 3 chickens.
She received her BS Dairy Science in 2006 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 2009. She loves vet med because she enjoys making pets and animals better for their owners. From bad teeth to diarrhea, limping, foreign bodies, dystocia and all things in between, she loves making them feel better. She has a passion for doing surgeries, preventative medicine, and internal edicine cases.
When Dr. Schlesser isn’t busy working as a vet, she enjoys family genealogy, gardening, baking, driving horses, fishing, and camping with her family.
Dr. Schlesser joined the practice in 2015 and can primarily be found in the North Tama location couple days a week. She resides outside of Independence with her husband Ben, and children Owen, Lauren and Eli. They also have two dogs, Claire and Echo, an indoor cat named Simon, two outdoor cats, Gregor and Tessie, and a hedgehog named Karl. They also have 4 Shire draft horses, Molly, Maggie, Imperial, and Dynamite as well as 90 head of Red Angus cow/calf and bull operation, 13 goats, and 3 chickens.
She received her BS Dairy Science in 2006 and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 2009. She loves vet med because she enjoys making pets and animals better for their owners. From bad teeth to diarrhea, limping, foreign bodies, dystocia and all things in between, she loves making them feel better. She has a passion for doing surgeries, preventative medicine, and internal edicine cases.
When Dr. Schlesser isn’t busy working as a vet, she enjoys family genealogy, gardening, baking, driving horses, fishing, and camping with her family.
Dr. Abbey Smith
Dr. Abbey joined the practice in 2019 and you can see her hopping between both Keystone and North Tama location or on the farm. Dr. Abbey resides outside of Belle Plaine with her husband, Tanner, and two children, Trip and Tegan. They have three dogs, Tara, Tessa, and Ned, a barn cat, Biscuit, and a herd of about hundred sheep. When Dr. Abbey is not in the clinic, she enjoys chasing her children, helping on the farm, and running.
Dr. Abbey graduated from Iowa State University with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. She has also received her Master of Public Health from University of Iowa in 2019, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist from Chi University in 2021, Options for Animals Chiropractic in 2022, and now most recently Certificated Magnawave Practitioner in 2023.
Dr. Abbey enjoys the vet med due to the variety of cases and species mixed animal medicine offers when she can see several species in one day. I also enjoy being able to offer both traditional and alternative medical options. Dr. Abbey specializes in Alternative medicine which includes Chiropractic, Acupuncture, and Magnawave. She is also our equine vet and enjoys small animal surgeries.
Dr. Abbey joined the practice in 2019 and you can see her hopping between both Keystone and North Tama location or on the farm. Dr. Abbey resides outside of Belle Plaine with her husband, Tanner, and two children, Trip and Tegan. They have three dogs, Tara, Tessa, and Ned, a barn cat, Biscuit, and a herd of about hundred sheep. When Dr. Abbey is not in the clinic, she enjoys chasing her children, helping on the farm, and running.
Dr. Abbey graduated from Iowa State University with her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. She has also received her Master of Public Health from University of Iowa in 2019, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist from Chi University in 2021, Options for Animals Chiropractic in 2022, and now most recently Certificated Magnawave Practitioner in 2023.
Dr. Abbey enjoys the vet med due to the variety of cases and species mixed animal medicine offers when she can see several species in one day. I also enjoy being able to offer both traditional and alternative medical options. Dr. Abbey specializes in Alternative medicine which includes Chiropractic, Acupuncture, and Magnawave. She is also our equine vet and enjoys small animal surgeries.
Dr. Paula Reisdorff
Dr. Paula joined the practice in 2022 and you can primarily find her in our Keystone location. She graduated from Tuskegee School of Veterinary Medicine. Paula resides outside of Dysart with her significant other Ryan, and her two daughters Skylar and Audrey. She also has two dogs, Buddy and Lulu, three horses, 40 dairy goats, and a few farm cats. Paula is looking forward to someday adding some Belted Galloway Cows in the future.
Dr. Paula loves vet med due to the diversity of the profession and one of her specialties that she enjoys doing is surgeries. When she is not in the clinic, you can find her enjoying showing goats, judging dairy goats all over the country, and doing spay/neuters to help reduce pet over-population.
Dr. Paula joined the practice in 2022 and you can primarily find her in our Keystone location. She graduated from Tuskegee School of Veterinary Medicine. Paula resides outside of Dysart with her significant other Ryan, and her two daughters Skylar and Audrey. She also has two dogs, Buddy and Lulu, three horses, 40 dairy goats, and a few farm cats. Paula is looking forward to someday adding some Belted Galloway Cows in the future.
Dr. Paula loves vet med due to the diversity of the profession and one of her specialties that she enjoys doing is surgeries. When she is not in the clinic, you can find her enjoying showing goats, judging dairy goats all over the country, and doing spay/neuters to help reduce pet over-population.