About Us

Dr. Joan McCleary grew up on a farm in Muscatine Iowa, graduated from Iowa State University in May of 2000, and has been a veterinarian at Colonial Terrace since then. She enjoys her role as the Veterinary Medical Director. She enjoys the daily challenges of veterinary medicine, especially internal medical cases and performing ultrasounds. Seeing the joy pets bring to people’s lives every day is her favorite part of her position. She feels blessed to have such wonderful support staff both at work and at home. She is married to Brian, and investment specialist at MidwestOne and they have two teenagers, two dogs, four cats, five goats, six chickens, and one black sheep. In her free time, she enjoys going camping, hiking, reading, and baking.

Dr. Abbie McClain is a 2012 graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and has been with Colonial Terrace since graduation. Dr. McClain is driven by the relationships and connections we have with our pets and understands that they are not only our animals, but they are members of our families. The areas of practice she enjoys the most are dentistry, oncology, and dermatology, while also focusing on the importance of hospice care. Dr. McClain is originally from Dubuque and is happy to be practicing medicine close to family and friends.  She is married to her love Jonathan, and has 2 young, wonderful children who never fail to keep her on her toes!  Her furry family members include Lincoln, an energetic Bernese Mountain Dog, and Daisy, a sweet old rescued Lab.

Dr. Marianne Kirkendall is a 2007 graduate from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Her professional areas of interest include internal medicine, cardiology, preventative medicine, nutrition, behavior, and exotic animal care. She maintains membership in the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) and provides veterinary care for the animals at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium here in Dubuque. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Dubuque Regional Humane Society and enjoys helping at community events such as the Dubuque Oktoberfest.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Kirkendall keeps busy with a variety of hobbies from hiking to gaming to gardening and is interested in everything from Planet Earth to Middle-Earth (and galaxies far, far away). She is eager to get more involved with competitive dog sports such as agility and obedience with her papillon, Pippin (aka “The Fluffmonster”). She is known in the clinic as being more than a little obsessed with dachshunds, catering to every need of her two elderly rescue dachshunds, Penny (aka “PinPin”) and Waldi (aka “The Wurm”).

Dr. Kylee Bessine is a 2016 graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She is originally from Burlington, Iowa. Her areas of interest in the veterinary field include internal medicine and dermatology. Her favorite part of veterinary medicine is seeing the strong bonds built between pets and their families. In her free time, she enjoys boating, fishing, reading, cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals, and of course spending time with family. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Jarren, and together they share a daughter, Madelyn.

Why did you choose to work in the veterinary industry?

I think the human-animal bond is an amazing thing and I wanted to be a part of strengthening that between pets and their owners.

Tell us about your animals:

We have a Golden Retriever named George. He is FULL of energy and personality! He’s always keeping us on our toes. His favorite hobbies include eating peanut butter, barking at squirrels, and waiting under our daughter’s high chair to see what she drops.

Dr. Mariah Crotty is a 2019 graduate of Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and also holds a B.A. in Biology from Luther College. Her areas of interest include exotic animal medicine, surgery, and behavioral medicine and she is Fear-Free Certified. She’s passionate about providing the best possible care to all animals, big or small. Mariah grew up in Ames, Iowa but her favorite college sports team is the Iowa Hawkeyes. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and fishing around eastern Iowa’s beautiful natural areas with her fiancé, Jacob, and her favorite TV show is The Office. She has two pet rabbits, Moose and Caribou, who are an adorable pair despite all the mischief they get into.

Clare Slagel is a 2020 graduate of Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and is excited to be joining Colonial Terrace Animal Hospital. Her interests include animal nutrition, dermatology, and public health. She is incredibly grateful for the wonderful team and mentorship she has found at Colonial Terrace. Clare is originally from Dubuque. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the gorgeous Driftless area by bike, kayak, or foot with her trusty side-kick pup, Willow.