Dr. Lykins grew up in Dayton, OH and attended Ohio State University for her undergraduate degree. During her undergrad, she spent most of her free time volunteering for wildlife rehabilitation centers and fostering orphaned wildlife. She later graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023. During vet school she founded a herpetology club with friends and worked in a parasitology lab. Her parasitology research focused on invasive amphibians and reptiles of Florida and their impact on parasite lifecycles and geographic distribution. Her veterinary medicine interests include surgery, dentistry, parasitology, and infectious diseases. She looks forward to meeting all your scaly, feathery, and furry friends in the clinic!
Outside of veterinary medicine, she enjoys backpacking, trail running, herping, and painting. Her pet family includes a Western Hognose snake, Rotini.

PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Chase, E. C., Ossiboff, R. J., Farrell, T. M., Childress, A. L., Lykins, K., Johnson, S. A., Thompson, N., & Walden, H. (2022). Rat Lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) in the Invasive Cuban Treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) in Central Florida, USA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 58(2), 454–456.

https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-21-00140

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS PUBLICATIONS
Lykins, K. The prevalence of endoparasites of the non-native Cuban tree frog and Greenhouse frog in Florida. Poster presented at the 2022 UF College of Veterinary Medicine Phi Zeta Competition, Gainesville, FL.

Lykins, K. Examination of paretenic hosts of Angiostrongylus cantonensis: an emerging zoonotic parasite.  Poster presented at the 2020 virtual National Veterinary Scholars Symposium.