20 Years of Trusted Care: Tea Vet Clinic expands to meet community needs

For 20 years, the Tea Vet Clinic has been a trusted name for pet owners in the Tea area as Dr. Thomas Rentschler and his team have built a reputation on compassionate care and connection with pet owners. 

Dr. Rentschler and his team are celebrating the milestone with a remodel and expansion designed to meet the growing needs of his clients.

Dr. Rentschler started his path to veterinary medicine at Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa, where he graduated with a degree in biology and chemistry before attending State Veterinary College where he graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary degree. 

For 20 years, Dr.  Rentschler and his wife, Janelle, have been making their home in the area while raising a family. 

“We have four children, Mitchell, Taylor, Emersyn, and Ryker, along with three dogs and three cats,” he said.  

Treating clients as if they were family has always been a priority of the Tea Vet Clinic. As the area around Tea grows, so does the need for pet care. 

“Our clients and patients are so much more than that, they are family, and we love being a part of the special moments as well as the hard moments. We are passionate in making sure we take care of every family member to the best of our ability,” he said. 

Since 2004, Dr. Rentschler has been caring for community pets large and small at the Tea Vet Clinic. 

“When we first started out, the Tea Vet Clinic was located just outside of Tea and only had a few employees. We quickly grew out of the space and in 2006 we moved into our current location behind Subway where we are continuing to grow and are still seeing an average of five new patient calls a day,” Dr. Rentschler said.

Thanks to the growing support of clients, the Tea Vet Clinic now has 26 employees who offer small animal care, preventative care, and emergency care. 

“Our doctors are able to perform dental care, basic and emergency surgeries, palliative care and disease relates testing, along with routine checkups, grooming, prescription cat/dog food, vaccinations, and more,” he continued.

Outgrowing the space again, Dr. Rentschler was faced with a decision to make, move again, or add more space to the current facility. 

“We were able to add 3,000 sq. ft. to the clinic, doubling the clinic size and extending the parking lot to better serve our clients and patients,” he said.

Doubling the size of nearly all areas of the clinic allows pet owners more appointment options and availability for any of their services. 

“We had a 10 x 10 area for four doctors to work in, so it was quite cramped. Now, we have larger doctors offices, we have doubled the size of the surgery suite, and the dental suite, while upgrading the kennels for large dog with glass doors and improved climate control. A larger treatment area will allow us to take care of more pets, often time on the same day,” Dr. Rentschler continued.

Now, each doctor at the clinic will be able to have two designated exam rooms and two rooms for overflow as well as a dedicated space for the on-site groomer and her assistant. 

“One of the best things for our clients is that we now have a larger waiting room which has helped ease anxiety overall among pets and pet owners,” he said.

Looking back over the last two decades, Dr. Rentschler said that one of the biggest changes to the field has been technology advances available at his fingertips. 

“Our clinic now has better access to tools such as ultrasound, digital radiographs, and telemedicine. Keeping up to date with modern technology helps us treat pets with medications that are developed to specifically treat conditions with less side effects. We are also able to refer patients to many different clinics that provide specialty care including vision, orthopedic, chiropractic, and more,” Dr. Rentschler said.

On Tuesday, June 16 Dr. Rentschler and staff enjoyed an afternoon of fun as they celebrated with an open house filled with a ribbon cutting ceremony, drawings, giveaways, and refreshments.

“The open house was a great chance to talk with community members and other businesses in the area who have supported us from the beginning. Tea is a great place to run a small business and my motivation here at the Tea Vet Clinic is helping animal feel better while strengthening the bond between pets and their owners,” he said.