Dr. Loden grew up in central Texas, graduated from Gatesville High School, and afterwards attended Texas A&M where he received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. When he began veterinarian school at Texas A&M, Dr. Loden intended to be a large animal veterinarian. As Dr. Loden began his professional training, however, he fell in love with internal medicine and solving the medical problems of dogs and cats. Dr. Loden changed his training focus, and began to absorb everything possible about small animal medicine.

In 1979, Dr. Loden completed his professional training at Texas A&M College of Veterinarian Medicine. Dr. Loden joined the staff at Rutty Animal Hospital in Port Arthur, Texas. After a year of practice, Dr. Loden felt that even though he was having a great time with the Rutty Animal Hospital staff, he could do a better job if he had more training. As always, Dr. Loden is driven by the desire to improve his skills. When the opportunity to accept an internship (veterinarians are not required to do an internships or a residency) at Purdue College Veterinarian Medicine, he took it. He completed a year long internship in medicine and surgery working with some of the top specialists in veterinarian medicine. After completing an internship, Dr. Loden headed to Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine to do a residency in internal medicine. At KSU, Dr. Loden was exposed to exotic medicine in which he began to develop a new interest.

Dr. Loden's career then took a new twist. A group of veterinarians from the Houston area, who desired to start an emergency hospital, selected Dr. Loden to manage and to run this specialty clinic. During the years at the Southwest Emergency Clinic, Dr. Loden had the opportunity to continue his training in exotic medicine. Dr Paulet Andrews, who was well recognized in the Houston area for her knowledge in exotic medicine, began working with Dr. Loden and helped to advance his knowledge in exotic medicine.

In 1985, Dr. Loden arrived in Joplin to assume the responsibility for the newly named Cornerstone Animal Hospital. Dr Loden begin providing care for dogs, cats, and exotic animals.

Dr. Loden believes continuing education and advanced training is very important in order to provide quality care for his patients. While Dr. Loden is required to complete ten hours of continuing education each year, he completes well over forty hours each year. Dr. Loden  is a member of the Missouri Academy of Veterinary Practitioners - a small group of veterinarians committed to continuing education, reqiuring its members to complete at least forty hours of continuing education per year. 

Dr. Loden has a strong interest in working with older patients. Over the years Dr. Loden has found many of the chronic condtions of these older patients to be a challege when trying to manage his patients' health problems and pain with conventional medications. Often, these patients require multiple medications that his patients were not able to tolerate due to interactions of medicine or the health status of their kidneys, liver, or heart.

Dr. Loden began to study alternative forms of medicine. In 2010, Dr. Loden began to train in the art of acupuncture under the direction of the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. In June 2011, Dr. Loden completed all the requirements to become a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist (CVA).

In addition, Dr. Loden is the father of eight children. He is actively involved with his church and the many activities of his children.