Susie was born and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado. She attended Colorado State University for both her undergraduate and graduate studies. Susie received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1997. She practiced at a mixed animal clinic in Flagstaff, Arizona for 2 years before joining Jeff at Carmel Animal Hospital in Phoenix. In 2003 with the birth of their first child, Susie cut back to part time at the clinic, specializing in surgery. The hospital was successful and a great place to work until closing at the end of 2008. At that time the Hirsch family moved to Cedaredge, Colorado and in 2011 opened Surface Creek Vet Center. Susie enjoys working on a wide variety of animals, with an emphasis on the ruminants (alpacas, llamas, sheep, goats, and cattle). Susie and Jeff have four children and are active in their church and the community [citation].
Dr. Susie has wanted to be a vet her whole life. She grew up in Grand Junction, Colorado, finished college in two years, and was ready for vet school at Colorado State University. She was one of the youngest people in her class. (Fun fact: Dr. Jeff was one of the oldest.) She loves all animals, and it's a love she nurtured as a kid, despite the fact that her parents weren't as enthusiastic as she was about all the pets she brought home; though, they did let her keep one cat and a couple hamsters [citation].