Series synopsis
The Incredible Dr. Pol is an American reality documentary television series that premiered on Nat Geo Wild on October 29, 2011. It ended on March 9, 2024. It stars Jan Pol and Ari Rubin.
Set in Central Michigan's farm country, this reality series follows the work done at Pol Veterinary Services. Specializing in large farm animals, Dr. Pol treats horses, pigs, cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, chickens and even an occasional reindeer. The program also features Dr. Brenda Grettenberger, who has worked with Dr. Pol since 1992.
Premise
Set in Central Michigan's farm country, this reality series follows the work done at Pol Veterinary Services. Specializing in large farm animals, Dr. Pol treats horses, pigs, cows, sheep, alpacas, goats, chickens and even an occasional reindeer. The program also features Dr. Brenda Grettenberger, who has worked with Dr. Pol since 1992.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
Episodes
This series spans 20 seasons with 219 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 4 | July 16, 2022 | December 11, 2024 |
| Season 1 | 4 | October 29, 2011 | April 13, 2012 |
| Season 2 | 17 | August 25, 2012 | March 9, 2013 |
| Season 3 | 6 | August 17, 2013 | September 21, 2013 |
| Season 4 | 12 | January 4, 2014 | April 12, 2014 |
| Season 5 | 10 | August 23, 2014 | October 25, 2014 |
| Season 6 | 10 | January 10, 2015 | March 14, 2015 |
| Season 7 | 10 | July 25, 2015 | September 26, 2015 |
| Season 8 | 13 | January 9, 2016 | March 26, 2016 |
| Season 9 | 12 | July 16, 2016 | September 24, 2016 |
| Season 10 | 14 | January 7, 2017 | July 9, 2017 |
| Season 11 | 12 | July 1, 2017 | September 16, 2017 |
| Season 12 | 13 | January 6, 2018 | April 7, 2018 |
| Season 13 | 13 | July 7, 2018 | September 29, 2018 |
| Season 14 | 12 | January 12, 2019 | March 30, 2019 |
| Season 15 | 12 | July 13, 2019 | September 28, 2019 |
| Season 16 | 13 | January 18, 2020 | April 11, 2020 |
| Season 17 | 12 | July 11, 2020 | September 12, 2020 |
| Season 18 | 10 | January 2, 2021 | March 6, 2021 |
| Season 19 | 10 | July 10, 2021 | September 11, 2021 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Incredible Dr. Pol: A 200th Polapalooza It’s been an incredible 200 episodes with the one and only Dr. Pol! Come along as Doc, Charles & Diane reminisce on a decade in front of the camera. |
July 16, 2022 |
| 2 | Birth-Takular Compilation | July 23, 2022 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | July 6, 2024 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Vet and Wild Dr. Pol receives an emergency call from a client who finds her horse down and fears he may not make it. Suffering from a spinal cord injury, he decides to give the horse a cortisone shot. Will he survive? Dr. Pol's son, Charles decides to extend his visit to help his father with the work overload. His only request—to palpate a cow. But trouble creeps up when Dr. Pol and Charles perform an emergency futotomy, an intense procedure to extract two dead fetuses from a cow. |
October 29, 2011 |
| 2 | How Now Downed Cow? | November 29, 2011 |
| 3 |
Up Sheep's Creek It’s another unpredictable, busy week for Dr. Pol as he does pregnancy checks on 60 feisty heifers, treats an injured alpaca and tries to save a sheep with a prolapsed uterus. |
April 12, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Polnado Warning | August 25, 2012 |
| 2 |
Udder Madness A pregnant cow has a fever, causing her to go into premature labor; Dr. Brenda removes an abscess from a puppy's head; Dr. Pol trims down a horse's teeth so it can comfortably chew. |
September 1, 2012 |
| 3 |
All Vets Are Off A veterinary student shadows Dr. Pol for a day as he treats a downed cow at a nearby farm and visits a local breeder and trainer of racehorses to ensure that the animals are in good health for breeding. |
September 8, 2012 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pol’r Plunge Dr. Pol challenges Charles to take part in the local Special Olympics charity event, the Polar Plunge, where participants dive into an icy lake in the height of winter.Then, Dr. Pol races to a farm call to check on a horse that's showing irregular symptoms. Meanwhile, Dr. Brenda discovers a cow is having respiratory issues and has twisted its stomach. Finally, Dr. Pol must race out on an emergency farm call to young racehorse who has severely wounded his leg, jeopardizing his racing career. |
August 17, 2013 |
| 2 |
Charles in Charge After successfully handling a cow with a twisted stomach, a rabbit with overgrown teeth and a complicated foal delivery, Dr. and Mrs. Pol head off to their much needed vacation. Taking care of his patients is Dr. Brenda, who tends to Debo, a rambunctious escape artist dog who has broken his foot in four places. She also aids a cow that may have slipped on ice and a cat with a toy in its intestines. Eager to help, Charles goes on a farm call with Dr. Brenda to check on a baby goat with pneumonia. |
August 24, 2013 |
| 3 |
Baby, It’s Cold Outside Roses are red, violets are blue, when animals go crazy, Dr. Pol knows what to do. For Dr. Pol, Valentine's Day means flipping a cow upside down to fix his stomach, de-worming a champion goose, and curing the relentless cough of Zev, the Siberian Huskie. Now, that's love. Inspired by Zev the huskie, Charles takes a shot at driving a sled dog team, but realizes that mushing isn't as easy as it seems. Meanwhile, Dr. Brenda dehorns a group of loud, but loveable pygmy goat babies. |
August 31, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Noah's Bark The winter snow has turned into torrential rain, bringing a flood of farm calls to Pol Veterinary Services. In the pouring rain, Dr. Pol rushes out to Pohl Dairy to check on a normally docile dairy cow that is acting out of its mind. Meanwhile, Jacob the goat and Nellie the pig come in with their concerned owner, who's worried they are sharing a skin infection. And Pickles the chameleon has a cyst that needs Dr. Pol's astute eye to check it over. |
January 4, 2014 |
| 2 |
Spring Fever Spring is beginning to bloom as the animals begin to run wild. First on the doctor's list is mini-horse, Mateo, whose hormones have kicked in, making him go wild for the mares. The solution is to castrate Mateo to lessen the testosterone, but this turns out to be no ordinary castration. Then, Jezebel the cow is in distress and unable to birth her calf. Dr. Pol and Charles discover that she has milk fever and if not treated quickly enough, could slip into a coma, causing her and her calf to die. |
January 11, 2014 |
| 3 |
The Bull Pen Dr. Pol and Charles start their day by heading out to see a sick ox who has lost weight and is having trouble breathing. After an examination, Dr. Pol finds that the ox's lungs are in bad shape; most likely he's contracted pneumonia and it's so advanced, Dr. Pol is unsure if the animal will make it. Back at the clinic, Dr. Brenda sees Remington, a dog that has accidentally ripped the skin off the top of his back. Meanwhile, Dr. Pol and Charles head off to a farm to fix a castration gone wrong. |
January 18, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Piggin' Out Dr. Brenda tries to save a calf with a dislocated hip. Dr. Pol helps a hedgehog and a retired stallion and then judges a chili-cook off. |
August 23, 2014 |
| 2 |
The Amazing Dr. Brenda Dr. Brenda's 21-years working at the clinic is taken a look at. A horse receives help with weight management whilst a dog with a stomach wound is helped. |
August 30, 2014 |
| 3 |
Puppy Love This fall, love is in the air at Pol Clinic as Charles plans a surprise anniversary getaway for his parents. But the Pols aren't giving just their marriage some TLC; there are sick animals across central Michigan that need Dr. Pol before he can get out of town and celebrate 46 years of marriage with Diane. First up is a bellowing, bloated calf with a problem much worse than a bellyache. Meanwhile at the clinic, Dr. Brenda is dealing with a snarly dog that has a gnarly hot spot on his cheek. Still, every so often a client comes in that stops everyone in their tracks. Today it's a beloved family cat suffering from a severe gunshot wound. From dachshunds to Rottweilers, sore husky pups, and to an abandoned pit bull. |
September 6, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nerves of Steer Horses are driving Dr. Pol wild as he works to fix chunky runny noses, gruesome gashes and even penile problems. He’s always up to the challenge, but it’s a horse of a different color when Dr. Pol is asked to deliver a commencement address to the entire graduating class of Central Michigan University. |
January 10, 2015 |
| 2 |
Udderly Frozen Vets, calves and cats are all having a hard time after getting the cold shoulder from Jack Frost this winter. Farmers, livestock and pets work to adapt while Dr. Pol stays warm the only way he knows how — by keeping busy. |
January 17, 2015 |
| 3 |
Bugged Bunny The Pol Clinic vets are up to their coverall collars in clients and the new vet, Dr. Emily, can’t start soon enough as Dr. Pol juggles cases that send him out to help a horse combating colic, a rabbit that can’t hop to it, and a working dog named Stitches, with possible head trauma. |
January 24, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Squeal of Dreams Dr. Pol is fielding farm calls all over Isabella County now that the spring birthing season is in full swing. Dr. Pol is ready to catch whatever curveball a cow throws his way, but when the local minor league baseball team asks him to throw the first pitch, it comes right out of left field. He may not be a baseball pro, but Dr. Pol knows how to play hardball, and after practicing with Charles, he’s going to show Michigan a first pitch to remember. But practice comes last when Dr. Pol still has so many farm calls to deal with first! |
July 25, 2015 |
| 2 |
Back to the Suture It's no secret that Dr. Pol has a need for speed; in his stable of unique cars, the stainless steel DMC DeLorean is one of his all-time favorites, but much like his patients this week – a prolapsed 4-H pig, a duck with a mangled web, and a cow with udder issues – this iconic car needs some TLC. |
August 1, 2015 |
| 3 |
My Fair Piggy The Isabella County Fair is just around the corner – which means Dr. Pol, Dr. Emily and Dr. Brenda are busy treating fair animals, making sure they are in tiptop shape for competition. Dr. Pol and Charles start the day tending to a fair pig, whose future isn’t looking so fair after all. Will Dr. Pol be able to get this prolapsed show pig back in shape? Across town, Dr. Emily’s up to bat, with a cow named Toro – who’s abdominal hernia seems to be more than a hiccup on the road to winning the blue ribbon. Now it’s Dr. Brenda’s turn – there are two horn-y things on the heads of steers, Big Ron and Hannah, preventing them from getting fair-side. |
August 8, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Freezin’ Pol’d It’s the dead of winter in Michigan, but the arctic temperatures can’t stop clients from blowing into the Pol Veterinary Clinic — from Nugget the hedgehog who has a sticky situation, to Tiny the quarter horse who has a severely torn eyelid — and not snow, nor sleet, nor ice will slow down the Pol vet team when an animal’s in need! |
January 9, 2016 |
| 2 |
Dairy Queens The elements have never stopped the staff at Pol Veterinary Services from working their tails off — not even lots of snow and ice! They are in the midst of one of Michigan’s toughest winters, but the team won’t let the frigid temperatures slow them down. The clinic receives a call about an agitated cow at a nearby farm. The situation is not looking good for the cow, who recently birthed a calf. Will she even let Dr. Pol close enough to help her? |
January 16, 2016 |
| 3 |
Frostbitten in the Mitten Central Michigan is in the throes of yet another brutal winter, but the staff of Pol Veterinary Services remain undeterred — no matter the conditions, there are sick animals that need care, and these are just the vets for the job. The deep freeze of late winter has everyone feeling uncomfortable — but Dr. Pol won’t let the temperatures stop him from taking on a new home improvement project. |
January 23, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Peacock-a-doodle-do Spring is on the horizon in central Michigan, and with it comes new life. Calves and puppies are being born, and the Pols go all out to boost their peafowl flock! |
July 16, 2016 |
| 2 |
E-I-E-I-POL Bill calls on Dr. Pol because his 1,800-pound bull has been limping around. After a quick and very careful investigation, Doc realizes this burly bull simply needs a mani-pedi! |
July 23, 2016 |
| 3 |
Flip 'N Stitch Hailing from Georgia, Dr. Elizabeth Grammer is the latest addition to Team Pol, and she's arrived not a moment too soon. Her first weeks bring big surprises and helpful lessons as she learns the ropes at Pol Clinic. |
July 30, 2016 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
OH, POL-Y NIGHT Ho, oh, no! It is the holiday season in Michigan and Dr. Pol and his team make their patient list, check it twice, and treat those who are naughty, spotty, snotty, and nice! |
January 7, 2017 |
| 2 | Show Me the Bunny | January 14, 2017 |
| 3 | Doc Nose Best | January 21, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | It's All Dutch to Me | July 1, 2017 |
| 2 |
Hooked on a Feline A three-legged feline hangs around the clinic. |
July 9, 2017 |
| 3 |
Happy Birthday to Moo! Pol Veterinary Services deals with a busy week as a potbelly pig, hurt horses and injured cats need help. |
July 15, 2017 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
What's Moo with Ewe? In this very special episode, it's all furry felines --- the second most common animal to visit Pol Vet --- and that makes for a jam-packed hour of purrfect patients! From the gripping to the gross, tears of pain and joy, Doc and his team help cat lovers get the right care for their favorite fur balls. Whether it's a fishhook in the mouth, a seriously damaged eye, or an infected wound so gnarly it makes your skin crawl, Dr. Pol's cat clients get into all sorts of trouble – meow-ch! |
January 6, 2018 |
| 2 |
Rock-a-Baa Baby As the weather begins to warm up, the staff members receive frantic telephone calls from clients needing their help. |
January 13, 2018 |
| 3 |
Birth Wind & Fire This week, Dr. Pol helps with a basket of newborn puppies, and Dr. Brenda treats a thrashing horse with an injured leg.. |
January 20, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Whack-A-Pol From cows that kick to bloodhounds that bite, the team of doctors has to shake off the pain to finish the job. |
July 7, 2018 |
| 2 |
Grub-a-Dub-Dub A piglet named Winston is rushed into the clinic after his owners become worried about his sudden decline in health. |
July 14, 2018 |
| 3 |
May the Horse Be With You The clinic encounters constipated cats, gassy horses and even a surprise proposal. |
July 21, 2018 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Swine and Dandy The vets have their hands full doing what they do best: saving animals in distress. |
January 12, 2019 |
| 2 |
Something Pol, Something New Winter is making a slow exit, but the animals are coming in fast at PVS and Dr. Pol's son marries his childhood sweetheart! |
January 19, 2019 |
| 3 |
The Foal Monty Dr. Pol finds himself giving around-the-clock care with two emergency foalings. |
January 26, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Boot-Scootin' Boogie Dr. Pol glides into the clinic and sports a newly replaced ankle and a new set of wheels. |
July 13, 2019 |
| 2 |
North Pol Express 'Tis the season for mysterious cases, wild chases and a little Christmas magic. |
July 20, 2019 |
| 3 |
Pol-iver's Travels From first-time mama dramas to a goat as sweet as honey and a trusty police horse choking, it’s all a balancing act that keeps the vets on their toes! |
July 27, 2019 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
One Dane at a Time Dr. Pol adds a Great Dane puppy to the Pol Pack. |
January 18, 2020 |
| 2 |
That's a NoNo! It's spring in Michigan, and the baby farm animals are keeping the Pol team on its toes. |
January 25, 2020 |
| 3 |
Love Is a Cattlefield Between a baby bonanza and barnyard emergencies, it's a nonstop week for the docs at PVS. |
February 1, 2020 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Su-Pol Sized! | July 11, 2020 |
| 2 | Sprain, Sprain, Go Away | July 18, 2020 |
| 3 |
Supe-Pol-stitious A full moon has been known to make the animals of central Michigan act a little crazy, and this month is no exception. Things are even weirder since it's also Friday the 13th! From unique animals to strange situations, it's a freaky Friday on this episode of The Incredible Dr. Pol. |
July 25, 2020 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Love Wool Find a Way Dr. Pol performs health checks and gives vaccinations to puppies and foster kittens. |
January 2, 2021 |
| 2 | Shiver Me Puppers | January 9, 2021 |
| 3 | Feel the Born | January 16, 2021 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Magic Touch Dr. Pol and team work on cases from a tiny reptile to an injured horse. |
July 10, 2021 |
| 2 |
Dramatic Paws The vets take on a pregnant pooch, a choking mare and a wobbly steer. |
July 17, 2021 |
| 3 |
Here Comes Guinea Boo Boo The vets at Pol Veterinary Services tackle a wide range of summer ailments. |
July 24, 2021 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Nat Geo Wild |
|---|---|
| First aired | October 29, 2011 |
| Last aired | March 9, 2024 |
| Runtime | 44 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Saturday at 21:00:00 |