Animal care shows that feature veterinarians come and go, but The Incredible Dr. Pol is definitely different, and in the best way possible. Watching Dr. Pol and his staff deal with large animal issues is fascinating, so it’s not surprising that the show has developed a serious following.
Some of that was due to Dr. Brenda Grettenberger, a vet whose approach to large animal problems is both direct and unique, to say the least.
She’s definitely cool under fire, but episodes about Grettenberger have been increasingly hard to find, and many fans have wondered why. Has she made herself scarce, or have the producers made that call for her?
Is Dr. Grettenberger Still on the Show?
To reassure fans, their fears are groundless. Grettenberger has been working with Dr. Pol for nearly three decades, so the idea that their professional relationship would end because of disputes about the show would be a serious stretch.
This was confirmed recently by Dr. Pol’s son, Charles, who certainly should know given that he’s the executive producer for the show. During a Facebook Live event last June, he reassured fans that she would be appearing in Season 19.
Financially, it would seem tough to give up the money generated by a gig like Dr. Pol, but Grettenberger doesn’t seem all that motivated by the money side of the show.
Her net worth is estimated at somewhere in the neighborhood of $300,000 to 800,000, and since the 55-year old veterinarian has spent decades working in a lucrative profession, she’s probably already have attained that level simply by being successful, which she definitely is.
The money she gets from appearing with Dr. Pol seems to constitute a lucrative side hustle for her, something she does as part of their friendship rather than any serious financial motive.
Early Days
Grettenberger’s story is a fascinating one, so let’s step into the way back machine and trace her path. Born in 1967 in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, Grettenberger grew up on a dairy farm, so it was only natural for her to begin offering veterinary services at an early age.
She did wait to become a vet officially, though. Grettenberger attended the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 1992, and after that she began working at Pol Veterinary Services.
Grettenberger did land the gig by answering a help wanted ad in a prominent veterinary journal, which is very much a Dr. Brenda thing to do if you’ve seen the show.
Her relationship with Dr. Pol is unique in the sense that she’s been friends with the large animal vet for a long time, and she’ll occasionally go off and take care of real life things for extended stretches when necessary.
A Different Approach
Regardless of how often she turns up, Grettenberger’s appearances on the show are special.
It’s definitely unusual to see her reach inside a cow to deal with a problem, and her matter-of-fact approach to life-and-death situations with Dr. Pol’s huge four-legged patients can be mesmerizing.
Good luck finding out more about her, though. Grettenberger takes considerable pains to keep her private life private—she doesn’t do social media in any meaningful way, which means fans have to rely on show announcements to get any real information about her ongoing status.
She is married, however, and Grettenberger definitely has a sense of humor. She lists her hobbies as “dancing, reading, and training her oxen to pull wagons,” so if you happen to be in that part of Michigan and you see a team heading your way, you’ll very much know who’s large and in charge, so to speak.
