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Our Veterinarians

Meet the folks who make it all happen. We see big potential in every moment, & care deeply about what we do every day.

Dr. N.T. Peterson

Dr. N.T. Peterson

DVM, CCRT, CCRV, CVA, CVSMT, CAC, CCFT

Dr. Peterson has always felt a deep connection with animals. Whether she was bonding with her childhood pets, helping a client’s treasured cat to recover from an illness, or playing with her own affectionate dogs, she always felt that animals greatly enriched her life. To give back to these loving creatures who have such generous spirits, Dr. Peterson has dedicated her career to helping improve animals’ health, comfort, and quality of life!

Born and raised in Altoona, Iowa, Dr. Peterson received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1981. After briefly practicing in Omaha, Nebraska, Dr. Peterson joined Ingersoll Animal Hospital as an associate veterinarian in December 1981. In 2005, Dr. Peterson purchased the practice, and over the years she has been pleased with the hospital’s continued growth.

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 pet’s 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 certified in veterinary acupuncture by The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society.

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 couple’s 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. Peterson’s third obedience champion. Zing, a beautiful Siamese mix cat, is a chatty feline who delights in showing everyone the location of his food bin.

Dr. K.M. Kendall

Dr. K.M. Kendall

Veterinarian, CVA

Dr. Kendall can recall being home sick as a child and watching as her family’s cats called a truce with one another to come lay with her on the couch. Animals have always been a part of her life, and she’s wanted to give something back to them ever since she can remember. Dr. Kendall’s innate desire to care for other beings, combined with her intense passions for biology and zoology, make veterinary medicine the ideal career choice!

A native of southern California, Dr. Kendall received her Bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California-Santa Barbara, working part-time in veterinary clinics during her studies. She moved with her husband, Dan, to Iowa in 2002 to attend veterinary school at Iowa State University. After graduating in 2006, the couple decided to stay in the area, and Dr. Kendall began her veterinary career.

After six years in private practice, Dr. Kendall began working at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. While she adored her work there, she realized she missed forming personal, long-term relationships with clients and their pets. Dr. Kendall decided to return to small-animal practice and signed on here at Ingersoll Animal Hospital in the fall of 2015. She brings with her special interests in behavior, pain management, and new puppy and kitten visits. Dr. Kendall is also certified in veterinary acupuncture by IVAS (International Veterinary Acupuncture Society).

Dr. Kendall and her husband have a young daughter who is already shaping up to be as much of an animal-lover as her mother. The family shares their home with a cat named Milo, three dogs who go by Tucker, Tessie, and Ruby, a pair of pet rats, and two turtles.

When she isn’t caring for animals here at the hospital, Dr. Kendall enjoys canoeing, hiking, and sailing with her family. Whenever they can, the family likes to get out to the coast for some scuba diving or snorkeling.

Dr. Jake Hunerdosse

Dr. Jake Hunerdosse

Veterinarian

Dr. Jake Hunerdosse grew up outside of Indianola, Iowa on a small farm where his interest in veterinary medicine grew. Growing up, Dr. Hunerdosse showed livestock through his local 4-H club and enjoyed training and raising his family’s pets.

Dr. Hunerdosse earned his Bachelors of Arts in Biology at the University of Northern Iowa and received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023, shortly before joining Ingersoll.

In his free time, Dr. Hunerdosse enjoys spending time outdoors upland hunting, playing fetch with his dog Wrigley, and working on his woodworking projects.

Dr. Grace Steenhagen

Dr. Grace Steenhagen

Veterinarian

Dr. Grace grew up in Roland, Iowa, just north of Ames with 3 brothers. Most days were spent outside building things and getting into trouble. Her first animal related job was at a dairy farm, where she helped with calf deliveries and calf care. The first time she pulled a calf, she knew she wanted to work in animal medicine. As one of our associate vets, Dr. Grace is dedicated to maximizing the special bond between humans and animals.

Following high school, Dr. Grace attended Iowa State University for her undergraduate degree in animal science and Spanish. She then went on to attend the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine in Glasgow, UK, from which she graduated in 2020. Her first two positions as associate veterinarian were in rural Iowa at mixed practices, where she saw dogs and cats, as well as horses, cows, goats, and sometimes even rabbits.

Dr. Grace joined the Ingersoll Animal Hospital team in August of 2023, after deciding to transition to small animal medicine. Clinically, she has a special interest in dentistry and educating clients about their pets’ dental care needs. She also loves surgery and has performed a wide variety of different procedures while working in the country. While Dr. Grace loves all patients, she has a special affinity for cats because they need extra attention to keep them calm during exams and procedures.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Grace is a fur-mom to three cats of her own: Samwise, Chewy, and Moony. Sammy and Chewy are from the UK and are both very easy-going. Moony came from a farm in Iowa and had to be bottle fed from 3 weeks old. She’s very much a drama queen. In her spare time, Dr. Grace enjoys running and hopes to complete her second half marathon this year. She also likes making things, including most of the bookshelves that are found throughout her home.

Dr. Michealina Leithead

Dr. Michealina Leithead

Veterinarian

Dr. Leithead grew up in a small town in northeastern Wyoming with her two younger brothers. During the summer, she competed in many rodeo events and showed pigs and lambs in the local county fair. As she grew older, her passion for animals was matched by a growing fascination with science and medicine. A career in veterinary medicine has allowed her to combine these interests and make a difference in the lives of people and pets alike.

Dr. Leithead’s first job in the veterinary medicine field was as a kennel assistant when she was a sophomore in college. While it may not have been the most exciting job, Dr. Leithead loved it and the experience confirmed for her that she’d made the right choice. From there, she worked her way up to veterinary assistant and ultimately went on to earn her DVM. Clinically, Dr. Leithead enjoys preventative medicine and educating clients on how they can help their furry family members live long, healthy lives.

Somehow, Dr. Leithead managed to escape vet school without any pets. While she does plan to adopt a cat or dog when the time is right, in the meantime, to fulfill her need for fur baby cuddles, she borrows the pets of her friends and family. Aside from animals, Dr. Leithead has several hobbies, including gardening, paddleboarding, horseback riding, skiing, and baking. She recently conquered homemade pie crusts which felt like quite an accomplishment after several failed attempts.

Dr. Berndette Hartman

Dr. Berndette Hartman

DVM, CVA, CVC, VPMC, MMCP, CCRT (in progress)

Dr. Berndette Hartman will be seeing patients at our Pawsitive Strides rehabilitation office. She is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified in Animal Chiropractic, has a graduate certificate in Veterinary Preventive Medicine, is a Masterson Method® Certified Practitioner and is currently working on her Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist certification.

Dr. Hartman has a passion for integrative medicine, continued learning and how to best serve her clients. In addition to her above certifications, she holds numerous certifications in energy medicine and energy/intuitive modalities, as well as, using essential oils with pets and people. She loves working with clients and their pets to improve their health, quality of life and overall well-being.

Raised in Ames, IA. Dr. Hartman received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. She continues to learn about the deep partnership pets share with us and how to best support the animal-human connection. In her free time, Dr. Hartman is currently working on writing a few books and loves being outside in nature.

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

–Anatole France