DETROIT — Detroit pet owners now have an option of a veterinarian who makes house calls.
Dr. Marcy McKeithen is believed to be the first Black woman whose veterinary practice is mostly mobile. Carrying a weight scale and a backpack, McKeithen traverses Detroit and its adjacent suburbs to tend to the area's pets.
McKeithen, who earned her doctorate at the University of Florida, started her remote practice, Motor City Vet Care, last year.
"There's definitely a need for it ... the pandemic aside," McKeithen said.
She has 25-30 pet clients and said she is adding more as her business grows. McKeithen said while pet owners enjoy and appreciate her visits, it depends on the animal whether they like being poked and prodded.
"There are some dogs that like going to the vet," said McKeithen. "They like getting out and socializing with other animals. Some do not like the car ride. They do not like the pet hospital. I think it depends on the dog."
The 12-year veterinarian, a native of Detroit and graduate of Florida A&M University, said she finds house calls beneficial to pets and their owners. McKeithen is also a 2002 graduate of Cass Tech High School in Detroit.
She set her sights on being a mobile veterinarian early in her career because she likes the flexibility it offers she and her family. Married to a member of the U.S. military, McKeithen said with the constant moving due to her husband's military duty, having a stationary veterinarian didn't seem practical for her.
There are times, of course, a brick-and-mortar site is necessary for her clients, so she also maintains a clinic for surgeries and other functions.
Detroit resident and business owner Monife Knuth is among pet owners who use McKeithen's services.
"It's has been a Godsend," said Knuth. "I love it. I'm a business owner, a mom and wife, so I don't have time to drive to his vet, referring to her mix-breed pup. which previously was in Farmington Hills.
Knuth said she missed some vet appointments during the pandemic because she and her family were afraid of going to a lot of public places for fear of getting COVID-19.
Knuth's 4-year-old Bug, a Boston Terrier and Pug mix, recently began seeing McKeithen, starting with a checkup. Knuth said Bug is taken with McKeithen.
"She's personable. He loves her," said Knuth, noting that Bug demonstrates his affection through tail wagging.
"I think the pets appreciate it," said McKeithen of her house call practice.
Knuth said McKeithen fills a much-needed service. Knuth said Detroit is underserved by veterinarians.
McKeithen said she thinks people who are skittish about leaving their homes and going to a veterinarian really appreciate her services.
She said she hasn't given up on establishing a traditional clinic but for now, McKeithen likes taking her services on the road.
Dr. Erin Howard, president of the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association, said mobile veterinarians have increased over the past two years in particular.
More Michigan veterinarians are making house calls and pivoting to mobile practices, said Howard.
"Mobile veterinary services are certainly becoming more attractive for a lot of reasons. It increases an animal's access to care, Howard said. "(Pet owners) are still able to get those animals medical treatments and evaluation ... if they are not able to transport them to a brick-and-mortar clinic or animal hospital."
Howard said mobile services also offer veterinarians more flexibility so they are able to accommodate home and work balance and still care for animals.
The pandemic hasn't only affected how pets receive care. It has highlighted severe shortages in staffing veterinary clinics, said Howard. It's a problem "not unique" to Michigan, he said.
"We don't have enough veterinarians, vet technicians, kennel workers and client care specialists (office staff)," said Howard. "We don't have enough people to handle the needs that we've been faced with."
The increase in pet adoptions during the pandemic added to the demand for veterinary services, said Howard.
"The demands for services have increased as well as the amount of patients that we had to see," said Howard.
Veterinary schools are evaluating an increase in student enrollment to meet the demand for more veterinarians, he said.
"But it's going to take time," said Howard. "We need to retain folks in our profession already."
