Dr. McKeage decided she wanted to be a veterinarian when she was 8 years old. To be honest, she was inspired by her “Pet Doctor Barbie”; but she had a deep-rooted love for animals and it took off from there. She grew up just outside of Wichita, Kansas and her family had several pets throughout the years – dogs, cats, ferrets, fish, anole lizards – she loved them all. Her grandfather is a farmer, and she always enjoyed riding through the pasture with him in his pickup truck to check on the cattle. Her aunt is an avid horse enthusiast, and Dr. McKeage loved having the opportunity to go on trail rides at family get-togethers. Since a young age she has dedicated herself to nurturing animals of all shapes and sizes.

 

During her senior year of high school, Dr. McKeage had a temporary change of heart. After a particularly rough loss of one of her beloved dogs, she wasn’t sure she would be able to deal with some of the sadness that comes along with being a veterinarian. She spent her first year of college at Wichita State University in the pursuit of a degree in Forensic Science. While she would have loved that career (why couldn’t she just have two careers?!), the thought of helping animals never left her and she re-visited her choice. In an effort to better understand her options, she started a job at Goddard Veterinary Clinic first as a receptionist and later as a veterinary assistant. From then on, she absolutely knew veterinary medicine was the place for her.

 

Dr. McKeage transferred to Kansas State University for the remainder of her educational career. She took undergraduate classes in the Biology program, but was ultimately accepted into the veterinary school prior to obtaining her Bachelor’s degree. She completed her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University in 2013. Prior to opening Fur Family Animal Hospital, she worked as an associate veterinarian in Savannah, Georgia for 1 year and then back in Manhattan for almost 4 years.

 

Dr. McKeage has a special interest in preventative medicine and fostering the companion bond between pets and their people. One of her favorite things about her job is the chance to watch a pet and its family grow together from the time they’re a puppy or kitten all the way through their distinguished senior years. It’s truly an honor and blessing to witness. She wants all her patients to live long, happy, fulfilling lives and believes the best way to encourage that is through minimizing the occurrence of preventable diseases. Vaccination, heartworm and other parasite prevention, spaying and neutering, and dental care are just the tip of the iceberg of topics she is passionate about. She loves learning and enjoys attending conferences and seminars where she learns the latest and greatest ways to keep her knowledge and Fur Family Animal Hospital up-to-date with the ever-changing field of veterinary medicine.

 

Dr. McKeage married her high school sweetheart, Mitch, who is also the Practice Manager at Fur Family Animal Hospital (you can read all about him in his own bio though!). They have been married since 2010 and together have two children, Warren and Madilyn. They also have a cat, Luna, and a dog, Minerva. When Dr. McKeage isn’t working at the hospital, she enjoys traveling, crafting, staying up all night reading, and watching her favorite sports Formula One (Forza Ferrari!) and ice hockey. 

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