Dr. Melissa Smith grew up loving animals, and now she gets to work with them here at Higley Groves Animal Hospital She is from the coastal town of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. She spent her childhood exploring the woods behind her house, kayaking in the bayou, biking around town, and loving every animal she could find. From the age of 5, she knew she wanted to be a veterinarian. Dr. Smith graduated with honors from The University Of Mississippi, majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry and Psychology. She then went to the rival school, Mississippi State to pursue her dream of veterinary medicine.
After graduating in 2019, she practiced medicine in Houston, Texas for over a year before being swayed by family to explore the beautiful state of Arizona. Now here, she and her husband Ryan are enjoying the mountains, hiking, food scene, and nearby getaways. They have two dogs, sweet Leila and mischievous Murphy, and a fluffy orange cat named Izzy. In her spare time, Dr. Smith enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, hiking, biking, and yoga.
Dr. Smith has strong interests in preventative medicine, behavior, dermatology, and enhancing the human animal bond. She focuses on individualizing plans for each unique situation and practicing the highest quality medicine possible within each case. She is excited to help grow the practice and form relationships with new clients and their fur babies [citation].