Dr. Sarah Lautzenhiser
Dr. Sarah has been a small animal veterinarian for over 20 years. She grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and was a first-generation college student. As a child she loved all things animal and artsy, and was known to draw and paint, as well as play musical instruments; she was also in dance and performed with the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Madison Ballet Academy. One of her art pieces was on display at the Humanities Building in Madison as part of a Youth in Art project.
Hard work has never been something Dr. Sarah has been afraid to jump into.
After graduating high school from Madison East at the top of her class, Sarah pursued a degree in Bacteriology from the UW-Madison, then completed the DVM program at the UW-School of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. Dr. Sarah went on to pursue additional/specialised training via internship programs at Michigan Veterinary Specialists and Affiliated Veterinary Specialists. After spending 20 years of her life working on her education, Dr. Sarah decided to finally get a haircut and get a real job.
Dr. Sarah cut her veterinary teeth working in emergency clinics in Chicago and then Appleton. While she found emergency work rewarding, the hours are often grueling and climbing that career ladder was not in the cards for her. In her 4th year out of school, Dr. Sarah decided to try being a general practice veterinarian – not something she envisioned herself ever doing.
In the following years, Dr. Sarah gained experience working in general practice, and continued to moonlight doing emergency work as opportunity permitted; she went back to full-time emergency work in Milwaukee and held a job in Wausau at the same time, to prepare to own her own clinic.
In 2009 Dr. Sarah signed the largest note of debt in her life and bought the Antigo Veterinary Clinic. “My motivation to become a practice owner was largely because I wanted to have more of a say in things like medical and surgical protocols, standards of care, and the hospital culture.”
In 2010 she founded the non-profit, “Antigo Area Advocates for Animals”, a 501c3 organization providing a Trap-Neuter-Return program to Antigo and surrounding communities.
In 2010, she also started the Antigo Veterinary Clinic “Angel Fund” to help impoverished pet owners with pets in need.
In 2015, Dr. Sarah obtained certification as a Humane Officer. She has also assisted in cases of animal abuse and neglect in Langlade County and Forest County.
Dr. Sarah’s areas of expertise in small animal practice include urgent/emergency care, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, ophthalmology, ultrasonography, dentistry, and endoscopy. She particularly enjoys working with senior patients and forming long-term bonds with families and their pets.
Outside of work, Dr. Sarah enjoys gardening, hiking, kayaking, and fishing, making art (painting, beading), and spending time with her fur-fin-and-feather kids including 3 dogs, 3 cats, 2 Indian Ringnecks, 2 Sebastopol geese, and numerous freshwater fish in tanks including African Cichlids.
Keira
Kennel Technician/Vet Assistant in Training
Keira has been with AVC since February 2020. She is currently attending Northcentral Technical College in the Certified Veterinary Technician program. Keira hopes to have a future career as a small/large animal vet. Keira has two cats named Phillip and Melvin. She enjoys spending time outdoors, snuggling with her fur babies and spending time with her family and friends.
Emily
Emily started at the Antigo Veterinary Clinic in August 2022. She has always had a passion for animals. She enjoys meeting all of the patients and their personalities. Outside of work she enjoys being with her 3 cats (Dan, Nova and Mocha) and her dog Finn. She also loves spending her time relaxing at home, spending time outdoors with her dog, and traveling.
Sarah K
Sarah comes from a military background and has traveled to almost 50 states. She grew up working in a small/large animal clinic and has loved animals ever since. Sarah and her mom used to foster pets and at one point had 18 dogs they were taking care of. Sarah is a current student at Northcentral Technical College pursuing an associate degree as a Certified Veterinary Technician. Sarah has 4 cats and 1 dog of her own.
Sarah F
Sarah is originally from a rural town in Vermont, where she spent much of her time outdoors either horseback riding, snowboarding and hiking. During high school, she volunteered at a local animal shelter, and veterinary clinic to get hands-on experience before pursuing a career in the animal field. Sarah graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2016, with a Bachelors of Science in Animal and Pre-Veterinary Sciences. During her senior year of college, she volunteered with Guiding Eyes For The Blind where she raised and trained a service dog. After graduation, she moved back home and started a job working in a farm-based education program that teaches inner-city youth the importance of farming and the natural world. Since 2017 Sarah has worked in multiple veterinary clinics, has experience with small and large animal practices as well as spent 3 years milking Holsteins for a small dairy farm in Vermont. She and her husband moved to Wisconsin 2 years ago, where they built a house out in Deerbrook and are raising their two boys. She has 3 dogs, 2 cats, and a horse and enjoys spending her free time outside with her boys, gardening, rock hounding, and exploring the Northwoods.
Cora
Cora started at the Antigo Veterinary Clinic in October 2024. She is passionate about helping and caring for animals. Cora currently is attending the University of Wisconsin – Steven’s Point and plans to graduate in the spring of 2027 with a Bachelor’s in biology and a minor in chemistry. After completing her undergraduate degree, she will then continue her journey by getting into a school of Veterinary Medicine and becoming a veterinarian. Cora enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends outside of work.
Kayla
Kayla joined the AVC team in November 2024. She has been working in veterinary medicine since 2017 and has been passionate about animals her whole life! She especially enjoys education and aspires to help each client provide the best possible life for their pets. Outside of the clinic, Kayla specializes in Wisconsin animal law as a certified humane officer. She enjoys spending time outdoors and has a small hobby farm which includes dogs, cats, chickens, peafowl, turkeys, and goats. When not working, Kayla spends as much time as possible with her husband and daughter.
Autumn
Autumn is currently a Kennel technician but will be attending UW River Falls in the fall for Pre-Vet. Autumn enjoys working in the clinic because she is constantly learning new things which is helpful for her because then she has knowledge of vet med before attending college. Autumn’s hobbies include sewing and learning. Outside of work, Autumn enjoys going for walks with her pets, hand-crafting things and baking new things for her family to try.
Jessica
Jessica is the office manager at Antigo Veterinary Clinic, where she oversees daily operations and ensures that our team provides the highest level of care to our furry patients. With a deep commitment to both the animals we serve and the families that love them, she strives to create a welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors. Outside of work, Jessica is a proud mother of two teenage boys, who keep her life dynamic and full of joy. Balancing her professional responsibilities with family life has taught her the importance of organization and adaptability. Jessica is passionate about what she does and is dedicated to making a positive impact in our community.
Office Greeters
Buzz
Buzz has been at Antigo Veterinary Clinic since 2020. His favorite things at work are lunch breaks and snoozing on top of the cabinets. When not working, Buzz enjoys a little outdoor time and laying in the kitchen sink.
Clay
My full name is Clay Cleatus Gandalf the Grey, but you can call me Clay. I have been with Antigo Veterinary Clinic since 2019 and my main role is assistant anesthesia recovery nurse. My favorite toys are rubber bands and I enjoy casual chat times with my coworkers.
Cabbage
Cabbage has been with Antigo Veterinary Clinic since 2020 when she visited on externship for our clinic cat program. She liked it so much she decided to stay. Cabbage’s favorite things at work are walking on keyboards and laying on blankets. In her free time, Cabbage enjoys creative writing.