Dr. Josh Zacharias, DVM, MS, DACVS, DACVSMR

Veterinarian / Surgeon

Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Services

Veterinarian / Surgeon
Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons
Diplomate College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation

Dr. Zacharias was raised in Persia, Iowa on a farm raising corn, soybeans, and beef cattle, with both a cow/calf and feedlot operation.  Dr. Zacharias showed cattle in 4-H and was active in FFA.  He participated in calf roping, steer wrestling, and team roping in high schooled and roped calves in college.  Dr. Zacharias attended Iowa State University, completing two years of coursework towards a degree in Animal Science before being admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine.  He graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 from Iowa State University.  In 2004, he completed an internship at Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Oklahoma.  Here he gained extensive experience and exposure to equine surgery and lameness, moticating him to pursue a large animal surgical residency.  Dr. Zacharias then moved to Lafayette, Indiana to complete this residency at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University. During this time, he obtained a Master’s of Science Degree in Veterinary Clinical Medicine. He then went back to Iowa State University for a year as the Equine Emergency Surgeon. In 2009, he passed the board certification exam of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He spent two years in Katy, Texas at a private equine practice as a surgeon and clinician, prior to coming to CLAVS. In 2013, Dr. Zacharias passed the board certification exam of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in Equine.

Dr. Zacharias also attended Kentucky Horseshoeing school during the summer between his first and second year of vet school.  He began to work with Dan White, CIF, who was the resident farrier at the veterinary school.  This "apprenticeship" throughout the remaining three years of veterinary school gave him the experience in building corrective shoes and treating a vast array of cases that presented to the university teaching hospital.  He also competed in a few horseshoeing and forging competitions.  Dr. Zacharias enjoys therapeutic shoeing cases such as laminitic horses.  His main interests are associated with lameness in the performance horse and all aspects of surgery.          

Dr. Zacharias enjoys spending time with his wife, Shaya, and their son, Carson, and daughter, Callie.  Although he has hobbies in woodworking, fishing, water-skiing, golf, and hunting, Dr. Zacharias enjoys roping the most!