Meet Our Veterinary Team
Meet the wonderful veterinarians and staff of Arch Animal Hospital. We take great pride in providing excellent care for your pets!
Get to know our doctors.
Dr. Mike Richards
Veterinarian, Owner
Dr. Mike grew up in the Metro East since early childhood. After graduating from East Alton Wood River High School, he attended the University of Missouri-Rolla, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biological science. He then attended the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 2009. While in vet school, Dr. Mike married his high school sweetheart, Beth. After graduation, they moved back to the St. Louis area. Dr. Mike first practiced in Fairview Heights for 3 years, then in Waterloo for a year. They purchased Arch Animal Hospital in early 2013.
As a young child, Dr. Mike always had an affinity for animals of all kinds. The household that he grew up in with his older brother and younger sister always had pets around. Throughout childhood, they had four dogs, three cats, a guinea pig, a turtle, and several hamsters.
Dr. Mike became interested in veterinary medicine at a fairly early age, largely inspired by his uncle, Dr. Richard Vesper, who practices small animal medicine in Columbus, Ohio. His mother was also a major influence, herself an avid animal lover.
Dr. Mike and Beth have two amazing daughters, Audrey and Eleanor, and an awesome son, Charlie. In addition, they have Rylie, a golden retriever, and Crosby, an English retriever named Crosby. They love being a part of the St. Louis community and look forward to helping the pet owners of St. Louis by providing the best possible medical care for the furry family members all over St. Louis.
Dr. Kyle Ihnken
Veterinarian
After graduating in 2015, Dr. Kyle moved to St Louis to start his career as a veterinarian. Dr. Kyle Ihnken joined the Arch Animal Hospital team in 2016 and then the Fischer Animal Hospital team in 2018. He is thrilled to finally live in Valley Park with his wife, who he met while an undergrad at Mizzou. Together they have two dogs, Penny and Mabel, who are wild and energetic but so very loving. When not working or taking care of the messes from his dogs, Dr. Kyle is a big sports fan- he is always cheering for his favorite teams, including the Cardinals, Mizzou, and many others!
Get to know our team.
Kristen
Kristen has been at Arch since May 2016. She graduated from Hickey College Vet Tech Institute in 2011 with an AAS-Veterinary Technician Degree and passed the VTNE to become a Licensed Technician in 2020. Kristen has many pets, including 2 dogs, 2 cats, a ferret, and various reptiles, including 36 ball pythons, 2 iguanas, a tegu, and a sulcata tortoise. She is currently working towards becoming a CVPP, Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner, to extensively expand her knowledge on pain management to be able to help patients with any aspect of pain management they may need. Kristen is also very passionate about anesthesia and making sure my patients receive the most up-to-date care while they are at Arch Animal Hospital for any surgical procedure. In her free time, Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband and kids.
Dawn
Dawn has been in the veterinary field for well over a decade. She started as a Kennel Technician and worked her way to Veterinary Receptionist and Veterinary Assisting. She is completing her certification as a Veterinary Assistant. Dawn is passionate about helping others, and she wears many hats here at Arch Animal Hospital West. Outside of the hospital, you can find her with her family by the river or at the gym where she volunteers as a self-defense instructor.
Candace
Candace has enjoyed working at Arch Animal Hospital since 2012. She graduated from the Vet Tech Institute at Hickey College, where she earned her Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology. She loves working as a customer service representative at Arch because she loves helping animals and their humans too!
In her spare time, Candace loves to read books, take walks, and spend quality time with her family. Their family also includes a playful, sweet, and affectionate orange and white cat named Thor.
Annie
Rachel
Bio coming soon!
Tiffany
Bio coming soon!
Ashley
Bio coming soon!
Kenzie
Bio coming soon!
Angela
Bio coming soon!
Jon
Bio coming soon!
Louie
If this ginger kitty seems like a lot of fun, it’s because he is! He purrs a lot and always wants to be around his favorite person. Lou is affectionate, has a bold personality, and is not shy AT ALL about expressing himself. His motto: BE YOU, THEY’LL ADJUST. He is on the braver side as far as tabbies go. He enjoys time outdoors- harnessed and on a leash. Lou has claws and is not afraid to use them. (if you have a curious canine, consider this your warning!)
Louise
Fiercely independent and unpredictably quirky. She makes her needs and presence known with mews and meows throughout the clinic. She is a sensitive tortie cat that LOVES to eat. Louise came to us, an injured kitten, by way of a good samaritan. We don’t know how many lives she has left, but she intends to be weird with the rest of them!