Photo by Holly Allen – Dr. Molly Spire, DVM, travels the county and surrounding areas in her mobile veterinary clinic, recently rewrapped with images of her family pets. Pet patients can also visit Dr. Molly’s clinic at her rural Meriden home, at no addition travel cost.
by Holly Allen
Rural Meriden’s Dr. Molly Spire, DVM, is making the rounds in her mobile vet clinic.
Her non-compete agreement with Brown County completed this month, Spire is now free to travel at will, though she advises her primary radius is 40 miles around her new hometown of Meriden.
A 2010 graduate of Hiawatha High School, Spire went to Kansas State University for her undergraduate and veterinary schooling. Originally undecided as to whether she would choose to practice health care on people or animals, it was a stent working with K-State’s mobile animal clinic which cemented the choice for her, and lit the spark for her current venture.
“Once I decided I was better with animals than people, it was a fairly easy decision for me,” she laughed.
Following her graduation in 2017 and with a bachelor of science in biology with a business minor as well as a doctorate of veterinary medicine, she worked at a Wichita veterinary clinic for one year before returning to her native Hiawatha area to work in a clinic there.
Upon moving back she met her husband, Cody Spire. They married in November of 2020 and had a son in August of 2021.
In 2022, she purchased a sprinter van set up with veterinary equipment and began her own mobile operation. A non-compete with her prior employer in Brown County meant for two years she was disallowed to do her job in her own area, so she traveled outside the county for work.
The van came with one cage, which enabled her to handle just one animal at a time, but it was a start and allowed her to see that the mobile clinic setup was the best fit for her life and work.
“In starting a family, I saw how important having control over my own flexibility of schedule was,” she stated. “My heart lays with my small town communities, and the mobile experience is what works best for them and for us.”
With the aging population of our rural communities, the convenience of a mobile veterinary service is invaluable. Some pets are difficult to transport or do better in their own environments, and most people are at work during a regular clinic’s open hours. With Dr. Molly’s flexible schedule and mobile services, she is able to accommodate these (and other) circumstances.
With an expanding family, Spire and her husband decided they had outgrown their home, and moved to Jefferson County. An outdoors couple who enjoy hunting and fishing, the rural Meriden location is just right for their lifestyle.
“It has been the perfect fit for us here,” she said.
Late last year, they upgraded their veterinary rig from a sprinter van to a much larger bumper pull trailer with 14 kennels and a surgical table.
“The upgraded space has really changed what we are able to do in here, especially on surgery days,” Spire stated.
Her schedule is busy enough that her husband, Cody, formerly assistant chief of police for the city of Horton, has quit his job and now works together with Spire as a veterinarian’s assistant. This arrangement allows the couple to spend the most time possible with their family, which includes Kinsley, 8, Benjamin, 2, and Reagan, 8 months.
The family has several pets themselves, including Ari, a 10-year-old black Labrador retriever and former drug dog, and Bear, a 7-year-old husky/malamute rescue, both of whom are featured in the design of the freshly-wrapped mobile trailer.
Primarily the Spires tend to pets and small animals, including some exotics on request. They offer a full range of medical and surgical services. Common procedures include spays, neuters, tumor removals, teeth cleaning, and same-day heartworm testing and bloodwork for internal organ function. They also administer vaccines and heartworm, flea, and tick prevention, conduct wellness and sick visits, as well as allergy consultations.
They have a bloodwork machine and will soon obtain an X-ray machine. They are happy to entertain unusual requests and are open to getting more equipment as demand requires.
In addition to regular customers, the duo also schedules days to help out animals at rescue shelters and pet hospitals.
In 2023, Dr. Molly completed 160 dog spays, 135 dog neuters, 167 cat spays, and 149 cat neuters, and had 657 surgical patients, despite being out part of the year on maternity leave.
As part of her services, Spire will also perform in-home euthanasia for pets.
“For some people, letting their pets go at home is so important, and I’m honored to help with that,” Spire stated. “I take a group approach to veterinary care, and always want to do what’s right for you and your pet.”
Dr. Molly is available by appointment only and for some emergencies, when possible. She can be reached by text at 785-741-3104, email at docmollysmobilevet@gmail.com, or on Facebook messenger.
Clients who bring their pets to her mobile unit’s location in rural Meriden will not be charged a travel fee. A listing of common services, prices, and travel rates can be found on the Dr. Molly’s Mobile Veterinary Clinic Facebook page.