Titles and Education

1. Clinical Professor of Clinical Pathology
2. BA (Bacteriology) 1986 University of Wisconsin - Madison
   
3. DVM 1991 University of Wisconsin - Madison 
   
4. Residency, Clinical Pathology, University of Wisconsin, 1999-2002
   
   
5. Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Clinical Pathology), 2003 

Research

I collaborate with investigators within and outside the University of Wisconsin to establishing reference intervals in specific populations of animals, e.g., Fiesian horses, free roaming polar bears, captive elephants, conservation cranes, et et. Reference intervals are baselines by which to assess and monitor health the disease. Histiocytic sarcomas are an aggressive neoplasm in cats and dogs in which the biology, presentations, and treatments are continuing to be investigated and defined. Quality Laboratory Medicine is concerned with the validation, utilization, and monitoring of assay performance to ensure accurate and precise results for the assessment of health and disease.  

Responsibilities

My diagnsostic responsibilities include co-administration of Clinical Pathology Laboratory and participation as a duty pathologist while training and mentoring clinical pathology residents and consulting with clinicians and clinical students.  I teach veterinary clinical pathology and diagnostic clinical reasoning to year 2 DVM students. In the new OnWard curriculum, I am co-coordinator of the Circulation & Respiration Module in Phase 2 that will be unrolled in fall of 2026. 

Clinical Interests

My clinical interests include exploring the statistical tools of and establishing reference intervals for a diversity of species. This is a small part of my overall interest in maintaining laboratory quality and standards through effective validation and efficient monitoring of laboratory assays. My regular diagnostic work of cytopathology, hematology, and other clinical pathologic testing is anything but routine - almost every week I am presented with a variation on a familiar (or unfamiliar) disease process that continues to expand my knowledge and experiences. Validating ancillary tests such as serum tumor markers and immunochemistry expand our diagnostic capabilities. Both the pandemic and a new curriculum provide opportunities to teach in new ways to students who learn in new ways in this age of readily available resources and augmented intelligence. 

Graduate Training

Former Clinical Pathology residents

• 2002-06     Ryan Dickinson, DVM, DACVP. Current position: Associate Professor, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, SK, Canada
• 2008-11      Erica Behling-Kelly, DVM, PhD, DACVP. Current position: CMO Ellie Vet Diagnostics, Louisville, KY
• 2009-12     Josely Figueiredo, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVP. Current position: Staff Pathologist, Charles River Laboratories, Arlington, MA
• 2011-14     Sandra Sample, DVM, DACVP. Current position: Zoetis Diagnostic Laboratories, New  Albany, IN
• 2012-15     Ruth Houseright, DVM, PhD, DACVP. Current position: Remote Pathologist, Antech Diagnostics, Oak Brook, IL
• 2014-17     Katherine Irvine, MAVetMB, PhD, MRCVS, DACVP. Current position: Clinical Pathologist, Pathology Manager Antech, Dick White Referrals Veterinary Specialists, United Kingdom
• 2015-19     Cynthia Lucidi, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVP. Current position: Assistant Professor – Clinical Pathology, Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine
• 2017-20     Diya Sharma, BSc, DVM, MPVM, DACVP. Current position: Toxicologic Clinical Pathologist, Charles River, Reno, NV
• 2018-21     Omer Lerman, MSc, DVM, Current position: Remote Pathologist for Antech Diagnostics.
• 2020-20     Angela Borchers, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC, DACVP. Current position: Remote Pathologist for IDEXX, Laboratories
• 2021-24     Betsy Murdock, DVM, DACVP. Current Position: Toxicologic Clinical Pathologist, Charles River, Reno, NV

Recent Publications

1. Friedrichs KR, Thomas C, Plier M, Andrew GA, Chavey S, Young K. Evaluation of serum ferritin as a tumor marker for canine histiocytic sarcoma. J Vet Intern Med 2010;24(4):904-11.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2010.0543.x
2. Figueiredo J, Culver S, Breen M, Behling-Kelly E, Friedrichs KR. Acute myeloblastic leukemia with associated BCR-ABL translocation in a dog.  Vet Clin Pathol 2012;41(3):362-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-165X.2012.00450.x
3. Gunn-Christie RG, Freeman K, Routsalo K, Friedrichs KR, Knoll J, Wamsley H, Harr, K. ASVCP quality assurance guidelines: control of preanalytical and analytical factors for clinical chemistry, urinalysis, and cytology in veterinary laboratories.  Vet Clin Pathol 2012;41(1):18-26. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-165X.2012.00412.x
4. Vap LM, Harr K, Friedrichs K, Arnold J.  ASVCP quality assurance guidelines: control of preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical factors in veterinary laboratories related to hematology for mammalian and non-mammalian species, hemostasis, and crossmatching.  Vet Clin Pathol 2012;41(1):8-17.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-165X.2012.00413.x
5. Friedrichs KR, Harr KE, Freeman KP, Szladovits B, Walton RM, Barnhart K, Blanco-Chavez J.  ASVCP reference interval guidelines: determination of de novo reference intervals in veterinary species and other related topics. Vet Clin Pathol 2012;41(4):441-53. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12006  
6. Friedrichs KR, Young KM. Histiocytic sarcoma of macrophage origin in a cat: case report with literature review of feline histiocytic malignancies and comparison with canine hemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma. Vet Clin Pathol 2008;37(1):121-128. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-165X.2008.00005.x
7. Sample SH, Fox KM, Wunn D, Roth E, Friedrichs KR. Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for adult Friesian horses from North America. Vet Clin Pathol 2015;44:194-199. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12248
8. Sample SH, Fox KM, Wunn D, Roth E, Friedrichs KR. Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for adult Friesian horses from North America. Vet Clin Pathol 2015;44:194-199. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12248
9. Pinkos A, Friedrichs KR, Monaghan K, Sample S, Trepanier L. Transient cold agglutinins associated with Mycoplasma cynos pneumonia in a dog. Vet Clin Pathol 2015:44:498-502. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12286
10. Foy DS, Friedrichs KR, Bach JF. Evaluation of iron deficiency using reticulocyte indices in dogs enrolled in a blood donor program. J Vet Intern Med 2015;29:1376-80. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.13598
11. Irvine KL*, Mans C, Friedrichs, KR. Validation of 2 point-of-care meters for measuring triglycerides in chickens using whole blood and plasma. J Vet Diag Invest 2018;30:197-204. https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638717739059   
12. Irvine KL*, Mans C, Friedrichs KR. Method comparison using 2 point-of-care meters and reference analyzer for measuring blood triglycerides in psittacine birds. J Avian Med Surg. 2019;9(3):229-234. https://doi.org/10.1647/2018-374 PMID: 31893617
13. Fry TL, Friedrichs KR, Atwood TX, Duncan C, Simac K, Goldberg T. Reference intervals for blood-based biochemical analytes of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Conserv Physiol 2020;7(1):1-16. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coz040
14. Fry TL*, Friedrichs KR, Atwood T, Duncan C, Simac K, Goldberg T. Long-term assessment of relationships between changing environmental conditions and the physiology of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus). GlobalChangeBiology, 2023;29:5524-5539. https://DOI.org10.1111/gcb.16883    
15. Stickford Becker A, Friedrichs K, Stiles M, Herold K, Seibert C. The clumsy horse: a professional development tool for facilitators of self-directed, case-based learning. MedEdPORTAL. 2020;16:10901. https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10901