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PROPHETSTOWN – It probably was obvious early in Dr. Karl Hohenboken’s life what path his career would take.
The 54-year-old grew up on a farrow-to-finish hog farm in rural Hillsdale, and enjoyed working with the pigs as well as the cats and dogs.
“Dad would bring home vaccines for the cats and dogs, and he would have me do those vaccines,” Hohenboken said. “I enjoyed it.”
Now, it’s one of many tasks he does as a rural Whiteside County veterinarian, his job for more than 2 decades now.
His contagious smile flashes frequently as he talks about his profession. It’s clear being a vet is more than just a job.
“I enjoy working with all of the animals, large and small, and I get to meet lots of different people, too. It’s great.”
After graduating veterinary school at the University of Illinois in Champaign in 1990, Hohenboken set up practice in Xenia, Ohio. About 2 years later, Dr. D.D. Sampson of Prophetstown called him, and Hohenboken found his calling.
“He knew I was originally from Hillsdale, and asked if I might be interested in moving,” Hohenboken said. “He needed another vet here, and asked me to come and work with him.”
He wasn’t looking to move, but it quickly became a welcome change.
“It was nice to get back closer to family,” Hohenboken said. “And I enjoyed getting back to more large animal work here than I was doing in Ohio. Of course, I love working with small animals, too.”
Being a rural vet “can be really busy sometimes,” Hohenboken said. “We have some very short nights sometimes, although that doesn’t happen too often, really.
“Usually, once we get past midnight, we’re generally good until 6 the next morning, when it can start picking up again,” he said.
When he started, he did a lot of farm and house calls – four to six a morning – then had office hours all afternoon at the Veterinary Clinic of Prophetstown.
“All of our clients have always been very friendly and hospitable, and I would often be invited into the house for coffee when the work was done. But with the number of animals we were seeing, I usually had to excuse myself and just keep moving.”
What brings him the most joy on the job?
“Any time I get to help deliver cows, pigs, or even dogs – especially if it goes well – it’s so enjoyable just to see the joy the owners are feeling when it’s all done,” he said with a smile. “To get to be a part of bringing new life into the world is always very satisfying.”
The least enjoyable part?
“Euthanasia,” he said with a sigh. “It’s never fun and never easy, but when it’s necessary, it’s for the good of the animal. You have to look at it like that. Still, it’s never easy.”
These days, there’s plenty to keep Hohenboken and his partners, Drs. Scott Aman and Quinn Robinson, busy.
“We usually have plenty of surgeries to keep us going, and we can usually do maybe four of those a day, and then routine visits for a variety of reasons are taking up more of our time now, too,” Hohenboken said.
As if that’s not enough, there is also the Hobo Pet Hotel, a boarding service Hohenboken and his wife of 31 years, Carolyn, opened at their home in rural Prophetstown 15 years ago.
Most of the clients are dogs and cats, but some rabbits are boarded as well.
“It’s always busy, and always open, except for maybe a week once in a while when we go on vacation,” Hohenboken said.
Busy is good: Hohenboken enjoys his work immensely, and said he doubts he ever will tire of it.
“It’s just a great thing, working with the animals and the people as well, helping to keep the animals healthy, and meeting lots of great people at the same time. It’s always good work to do.”
MORE INFORMATION
Veterinary Clinic of Prophetstown, 51 Grove St., can be reached at 815-537-5147.
Hobo Pet Hotel, 20477 Prophet Road in rural Prophetstown offers dog and cat boarding. Go to HoBoPetHotel.com or call 815-537-2374 for more information.
Both businesses also can be found on Facebook: