Dr. Lautenschlager graduated from Ludwig-Maximillian University (Munich, Germany) in 1999. After graduation, she started as a food animal doctor in Bavaria. When her husband was transferred to the United States in 2000, she accompanied him and the two began a new life in Michigan. She finished her doctoral degree in Munich in 2001, and continued to perform relief work in Germany.

She became licensed as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) through the Education Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) program. She currently works part-time for Brighton Animal Hospital, primarily performing surgery. Her passion for search and rescue dogs inspired her to serve as a K9 handler for her disaster dog, Senta. Dr. Lautenschlager lives with her husband and 3 teenage boys on a small farm with 2 horses, 3 goats, a pony, multiple chickens, and many other animals.