Following the closure of the Lake County Veterinary Clinic in Grand Marais last September, Hovland resident Dr. Katie Neshek is launching Sawtooth Mountain Mobile Vet to fill the local service gap. Her new practice begins operations next week, bringing much-needed veterinary care directly to residents and their pets across Cook County. The service area covers all of Cook County from Taconite Harbor to Grand Portage and up the trails.
Katie grew up in northeastern Wisconsin and is a lifelong dog lover. Her bird-hunting father made sure his family had dogs at home. In fact, when she entered high school, her parents gave her a chocolate brown American Water Spaniel that she named Dove.
“I was one of those kids who wanted to be a vet forever,” Katie said.
Dove followed Katie to the University of Minnesota for undergraduate work and to its College of Veterinary Medicine, which is considered one of the top veterinary schools in the country. Katie says that she first met Dove at the U of M school, where Dove’s breeder was participating in a study.
After graduation, Katie completed a one-year rotating internship in Maryland across all veterinary specialties. She returned to the Twin Cities and found limited openings to practice her profession. A friend told her about an open position at a general practice clinic in North Carolina, which she eventually took.
For the past five years, Dr. Neshek has served as the head veterinarian for the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, overseeing the health of hundreds of canine athletes across the Arrowhead backcountry each winter. She had volunteered at the race as a veterinarian almost every year while a student at the U of M.
Katie is certified as a Level 2 Fear Free Professional, a veterinarian who has moved beyond the basics of “low-stress” animal handling into more advanced behavioral and medical protocols. “The goal is to reduce the pet’s stress, which helps improve healing outcomes,” she said. “It means less bites, too,” she added.
Katie’s husband, Matt Kelm, is also her partner in the clinic. The couple made Hovland their permanent home in 2024. With a kennel of five sled dogs now, the pair can be found on local trails for some recreational dog sledding. They also enjoy hiking, trail running, camping, and canoeing.
An avid photographer, Katie said, “Most of my hobbies are dog-related.” A sample of her photography work can be seen at her website, sawtoothmtnmobilevet.com.
Mobile veterinarians provide a convenient alternative to traditional vet clinics, bringing medical care directly to your home. Mobile vets handle about 80% of what a traditional clinic does. Katie has a long working relationship with Nadder Samari, D.V.M. of Cedar Grove Veterinary Clinic in Grand Marais. For matters such as surgery, emergencies, and dental care, Katie will collaborate with Samari.
“Our main goal is to be another resource for the community and provide care for the animals,” Katie said.
To further that goal, Katie and Matt have created a tiered pricing model for services. Pet owners can choose from three price levels based on their financial situation. The website explains this as “More if you have, less if you don’t” and “Pay what you can,” meaning owners select what they can afford for each service.
Sawtooth Mountain Mobile Vet has been accepting appointments and is going live on Monday. For more information, you can visit its website at sawtoothmtnmobilevet. com or email Matt and Katie at info@sawtoothmtnmobilevet.com. The phone number is 218-206- 6262, and text messages can be sent to 218-306-7401.
