Rick Kohltfarber was born in Hawaii on the big island in Kona. As a young boy, he moved to Fallon, Nevada where he helped with the family goat farm and fell in love with caring for animals. He attended University of Nevada at Reno where he graduated with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Biology. Following undergraduate school, he moved to California to continue his education at Western University of Health Sciences where he received his DVM degree in 2010. Dr. Kohltfarber has spent his career fostering his special interest in orthopedic and soft tissue surgery and has spent many years as an emergency physician [citation].