1. Alicia Pet Care Center
25800 Jeronimo Road, Suite 100, Mission Viejo; 949-768-1313; mypetsdr.com
Acupuncture — yes, acupuncture — for Alfie or laproscopic surgery for Leo. Concierge service for Charlie, dental work for Daisy or boarding Brutus. Alicia Pet Care Center provides all of these services — and many that other clinics can’t or won’t provide.
Tim Wheaton, the office manager and younger brother of clinic owner Dr. Matthew Wheaton — who bought Alicia Pet Care in 2000 — said Alicia Pet Care is founded on four pillars: patient care, client service, hospital efficiency and employee happiness. For patient care, Alicia Pet Care’s seven vets provide the usual small-animal services, such as shots, spaying, grooming, pet dentistry, surgery and preventative care.
But Alicia Pet Care goes beyond the basics. Three of the staff’s vets perform acupuncture, which helps dogs and cats with everything from pain relief to gastrointestinal issues to epilepsy. The clinic prides itself in its laproscopic surgery abilities, which Tim Wheaton said only 10% of veterinary hospitals perform.
“Every one of our doctors does laproscopic surgery. That’s another big thing that sets us apart,” Tim Wheaton said. “We also have six registered veterinary technicians on staff. Other hospitals struggle to get one. It’s not an easy class to get through.”
Alicia Pet Care features three state-of-the-art operating rooms for those surgeries and surgeries are available by appointment until 7 p.m. One of the clinic’s surgeons is board-certified, meaning he has to complete a three-year residency, produce published research and meet specific training and caseload requirements.
Alicia Pet Care’s vets also provide behavioral counseling for troublesome pets, along with referrals to trainers and veterinary behavioral specialists for more challenging cases. Along with a complete pharmacy, the clinic has a concierge service that delivers food and medication to patients’ homes.
2. Friendly Animal Hospital
6832 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach; 714-784-0680; friendlyah.com
This two-vet animal clinic provides all of the services you expect from a full-service veterinarian hospital. Drs. Rick Kohltfarber and Long Tran perform dental care, spay and neuter surgery, vaccinations, preventative exams, orthopedic surgery, ultrasound and digital radiography, emergency treatment and grooming.
Friendly Animal Hospital, however, goes deeper into diagnosing what’s wrong with your pet. It offers a blog informing you on everything from keeping your pet safe during the holidays to keeping your pet cool in the heat. The information answers plenty of pressing questions all pet owners have at one point, including the myriad of benefits in spaying or neutering your pet. In addition, Friendly Animal Hospital makes pet dermatology a key to its practice.
Another service it offers is radio surgery, which the doctors say goes beyond typical laser surgery in terms of reducing bleeding and recovery time.
3. San Juan Animal Hospital
32391 San Juan Creek Road, San Juan Capistrano; 949-493-1147; sjah.com
Now under the direction of Dr. Randall Bondurant, who founded a multiple-doctor practice in Atlanta before moving to California in 2011, 55-year-old San Juan Animal Hospital is one of two Orange County veterinary clinics to own more than 25 years of continuous American Animal Hospital Association membership.
The AAHA limits membership to small animal hospitals that maintain strict standards in patient care, client service, diagnostic tests, facility upkeep and other measures of care and service.
Bondurant’s smorgasbord of services run the gamut of pet care: complete physical exams, onsite labs, enhanced X-rays, low-risk vaccines, full-service dental care, laser surgery, cardiology, a full pharmacy, allergy treatment, internal medicine, fertility and pregnancy assistance, emergency services and pet urgent care, behavioral and dermatology issues and boarding care.
In addition, he has a full Rolodex of specialists on call for referrals.