Leah Braas, DVM
Hello! I am Dr. Leah Braas. I am originally an East Coaster, and grew up not too far from Philadelphia Pennsylvania. My very earliest memories are of the animals I shared my life with, and the special bond that we had together. My career goals were solidified at the age of 5, during a trip to the veterinarian with my dog, Buddy. No one was ever successful in changing my mind from that day forward.
I attended Delaware Valley College (now University) and obtained my Bachelor’s degree in Small Animal Science and Conservation in 1997. During my years at DVC, I worked at a local veterinary hospital as a veterinary assistant. I developed a very close relationship with my mentor, Dr. Thomson, who added more than a small helping of practical veterinary wisdom to my early academic knowledge. After graduation, I spent a year saving money while living and working in Northern New Jersey for a prominent pharmaceutical company as a research scientist.
In 1998, after being accepted to Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, I moved from New Jersey to Ames and began my new life as a Mid-Westerner. During Veterinary school, I supported myself by waitressing at a local family-owned restaurant and bar. It was here that I learned meaning of true mid-western hospitality, as well as how to work long hours on my feet with a smile on my face.
After graduating with my DVM in 2002, I moved to Kansas City to begin my first position as an associate veterinarian in general practice, with the goal to eventually move back to Iowa and settle down somewhere in the Des Moines metro area. In late 2003, I accepted an opportunity to move back to Iowa, and have made it my home along with my two children, Nick and Jianna, as well as my Golden Retriever, Reid, and my Devon Rex, Lily.
In my time in Des Moines, I have worked in General Practice, Shelter Medicine, and most recently in Emergency and Critical Care. I have studied and become certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, as well as taken classes in Chinese Food Therapy.
My recent transition back to General Practice from emergency/critical care was driven by a desire to have a more personal connection to my patients and their people. I am also interested in incorporating Acupuncture into my practice, both in well care and in palliative/end of life care.
I am very excited to be a part of the Prairie View Animal Hospital family, and look forward to treating your pets like my own for many years to come.