Educating Through TikTok

Dr. Cara Haden ('14)
Looks like Cara Dykhuis Haden has found her calling. Or at least a following. A year ago, Haden was searching for a new way to attract followers to her Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. One of her responsibilities at Pipestone Veterinary Services in Independence, Iowa, where she is an associate veterinarian, is getting the word out on swine production through social media outlets. “As a true millennial, I focused on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube,” she said, “but I only had around 5,000 followers and I wanted a bigger reach.” Her husband, who is a high school teacher, suggested TikTok. Today she has 255,000 followers on TikTok under “Cara Haden Pig Vet,” using the platform to educate the general public about swine production. “When I first started doing TikTok videos, I underestimated how little people understood where their food comes from,” Haden said. “So I started doing videos on really simple things including what a boar is and what a sow is.”