HIAWATHA, Iowa (KCRG) – To many people, pets are family.
Three pet-related businesses in Our Town Hiawatha strive every day to provide top-notch care to your furry friends.
From routine vaccine appointments to surgeries, Petersen Pet Hospital in Hiawatha is a full-service veterinary clinic.
“For a full day on a weekday, we probably see anywhere from 50 to 70 pets. Could be anywhere from they’re sick or injured to just a wellness exam or preventative care items,” said primary owner Dr. Brad Petersen.
Dr. Petersen started Petersen Pet Hospital 22 years ago with two employees.
At this location on Kacena Road, there are eight vets and 38 employees.
Petersen’s Uncle was a vet and he grew up visiting relatives’ farms… gaining a love for animals that inspired his career as a veterinarian.
“We want to do what’s best for your pet, and that’s one of our promises. We put your pet first,” said Petersen.
Petersen doesn’t see many patients anymore, splitting his time between managerial duties and surgeries, but he says seeing senior pets is one of his favorite parts of the job.
“They get better. They’re quality of life is better by what I can do by what I can recommend, medications we can give that pet. Just seeing the relief on the client’s faces too when they’re pets are feeling better,” he said.
The pet hospital just added a vet specializing in birds and reptiles. It also offers specialty services including less invasive laparoscopic surgery, laser therapy, ultrasounds and a pharmacy.
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From a full-service vet to one with a very specialized focus, Animal Eye Consultants of Iowa is the only private ophthalmology clinic in the state for pets.
Ranging from eye discomfort to vision problems, Dr. Sinisa Grozdanic sees 3,000 patients a year with eye problems.
He does corneal procedures, cataracts surgery, and eyelid procedures. He’s one of six places in the U.S. where detached retinas can be repaired. The clinic also has a dedicated histopathology service.
“If a pet has a cancer around the eye or inside they eye, we can sample it immediately while we’re in surgery, the pathologist will process that, and while we’re in the operating room, we can get the image, so we know what we’re dealing with,” said Dr. Grozdanic.
He says specializing in pet ophthalmology wasn’t always his plan. After graduating in Europe, he came to the U.S. for training at Iowa State University.
“Ended up in a lab on neuro biology of the retina and basically that pretty much opened by eyes to eyes,” he said.
Animal Eye Consultants of Iowa celebrates 10 years at it’s Hiawatha location in August. It’s being renovated to add more exam rooms and a larger waiting room. Dr. Grozdanic also travels to the Quad Cities every Friday to see patients.
He is working on an app he expects to be out within a year where you can take a photo of your pet’s eye and get an AI based diagnosis to know if urgent care is needed.
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If it’s a little loud at Cedar Run Company, owner Sonia Brandley says that’s because the dogs are having fun.
“My philosophy is we want the dogs to have as much fun as they can while they’re here, and we want them to go home tired,” said Brandley.
After founding Last Hope Animal Rescue in 2004, Brandley opened Cedar Run Company in 2010 to offer pet services.
There are currently two locations in Hiawatha offering boarding, daycare, grooming and training.
A third location – Cedar Run Wellness Campus – is under construction on Robins Road. It will focus on fear-free training along with a vet clinic and a rehab facility to help pets recover from injuries. Brandley expects the wellness campus to open in spring 2026.
“If you want your dog taken care of by people who love dogs and cats, then you’re in the right place,” said Brandley.
She says it’s the mission of her more than 75 employees to make being away from home a little less stressful for your pets.
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