Our Team

Dr. Emily Ruesch grew up in rural Missouri, often raising kittens and helping take care of cows on her parents’ cattle farm. After shadowing her uncle at his veterinary clinic, Dr. Emily decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and obtained her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri in May 2020. Besides loving to work with her feline friends and having previously earned the nickname “Cat Whisperer”, Dr. Emily has a passion for surgery, dermatology, and internal medicine. In her spare time, Dr. Emily and her husband, John, love to spoil their dog, Ruby, and their 3 cats, Claire, Kit, and Spike.

I grew up in a very small town in Illinois named Shiloh. One of my fondest childhood memories was the day I received my first dog, Peppi, a silver toy poodle. My mother gave me Peppi for my 6th birthday and he became my best friend. We did everything together and he was part of our family for many years. As I said goodbye to him during my junior year in high school, I remember holding him in his favorite blanket while watching his veterinarian gently give him peace. I learned and felt at a young age the power and love of the human-animal bond. My commitment, as a veterinarian to my patients and their loving owners, is to enhance and extend those bonds as long as possible. I was accepted to vet school in 1997 and my childhood dream came true in 2001, when I graduated from the University of Missouri – College of Veterinary Medicine. I received two scholarships from the College of Veterinary Medicine, recognizing both outstanding skills in veterinary medicine, as well as client relationships and patient care. Upon graduation, I spent the next 4 years working and volunteering in St. Louis honing my veterinary skills before purchasing Spencer Creek Animal Hospital in 2005. My mission is to provide high-quality veterinary care with the same kindness and compassion in which we would treat our own pets and friends. I cherish the relationships I have had and still have with my clients and patients. I love my own pets like family, but I also love interacting with all of my extended pet family at the animal hospital. 

I have always been passionate for animals and their health and knew early on that I wanted to be in this field. I attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale and received my bachelor’s degree in Zoology. During my time shadowing a veterinarian in preparation to apply for veterinary school, I realized that I was much happier in the technician role instead. I have spent the last 7 years starting in shelter medicine, to private practice, to corporate medicine. I take great pride in bringing the best management, customer service, client support, and patient care that I can to the hospital.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, being outdoors, music, games, and spending time with my friends, family, and fur family. My world revolves around my two cats, Tula (18 years old) and Momma Ivy (8 years old).

I really enjoy working at Spencer Creek as a Receptionist/Vet Assistant and getting to meet the clients and their wonderful pets.

My pet family consists of my cat, Neko and my Great Pyrenees, Misha.

I have been in the veterinary field for 16 years and obtained my associates degree in Veterinary Technology. My favorite part of my job is bringing comfort to the animals, as well as their owners, during their times of need. I have a dog named Ares (pictured) and a cat named Paisly. I also have a beautiful baby boy named Jace.

Hello, I am Keith. I graduated with my Certificate in Veterinary Assistance from the Academy of Pet Careers. I have two dogs, Jarvis, my whippet/shepherd mix, and Clea, my chihuahua mix. My hobbies include dog training and video games. My retirement goal is to own a small ranch and provide hospice care for dogs, cats and farm animals. I am happy to be a member of the team.

Hi! My name is Abby and I am a part time veterinary assistant. I started at Spencer Creek in May of 2024. I am currently a student at Missouri State University studying Animal Science on the pre-veterinary path. I am hoping that this position will allow me to gain experience in the veterinary field. I have a chocolate labradoodle named Maggie May. In my free time I love to be in the outdoors, walking my dog, running, and spending time with friends and family.