It Takes a Village
21 Jan, 2026
Birdie probably doesn’t realize how many people have helped make her life better. If she did, she would be very impressed and grateful. Birdie’s village includes the Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska (GRRIN) and her Omaha foster family through GRRIN.
Her village also includes veterinarians at Iowa State University and Omaha’s Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital, including a College of Veterinary Medicine alumnus.“I first met Birdie when she was 12 weeks old, shortly after she had been placed in her foster home,” said Dr. Sydney Thorson (DVM ’21). “She was constantly dripping urine, and I was immediately concerned for ectopic ureters.” Because of her time at Iowa State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Thorson knew the internal medicine veterinarians at the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital would be the best resource for Birdie to receive treatment for ectopic ureters after successfully treating Birdie for a urinary tract infection. That’s when Dr. Paige Bodner, internal medicine resident, entered Birdie’s life and ultimate care.