Associate Veterinarian

• $175k - $225k base salary + production
• AVMA Professional Liability Insurance (PLIT) provided
• Relocation assistance (if needed)
• Door Dash

Introduction

Our client is a privately owned companion animal hospital seeking a General Practice/Urgent Care Associate Veterinarian to join their team on either a full-time or part-time basis. Caring for dogs and cats, the practice combines comprehensive general practice with same-day urgent care, providing a varied mix of preventative, medical, surgical, and urgent cases.

Role Description and Responsibilities

The General Practice/Urgent Care Associate Veterinarian is responsible for providing high-quality, compassionate care across a diverse mix of routine, preventative, medical, surgical, and urgent care cases. Responsibilities include performing comprehensive physical examinations, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic conditions, developing individualized treatment plans, interpreting diagnostic results, prescribing medications, and performing routine surgical and dental procedures based on experience. The veterinarian will manage both scheduled general practice appointments and same‑day urgent cases, including minor injuries, gastrointestinal concerns, respiratory conditions, wound care, pain management, and other non‑life‑threatening medical needs. They will work collaboratively with the wider clinical team, communicate clearly with clients regarding diagnoses, treatment options, and follow‑up care, maintain accurate medical records, and ensure patients requiring a higher level of emergency or specialty care are appropriately stabilised and referred. An experienced veterinarian is preferred, although mentorship is available for a general practice veterinarian looking to develop their urgent care skills. The schedule consists of three 12‑hour days, with day shifts from 8:00am to 6:00pm and evening shifts from 10:00am to 8:00pm.

The hospital is currently open Monday to Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and is closed on Sundays. Following the planned team expansion, opening hours will extend to seven days a week from 8:00am to 8:00pm.

This well‑equipped practice offers advanced diagnostic, dental, and surgical technology. Veterinarians have access to high‑quality digital radiography, diagnostic ultrasound, and comprehensive in‑house laboratory equipment, with testing capabilities including serum chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, heartworm testing, parvovirus testing, and FeLV/FIV testing. Dental equipment includes ultrasonic water‑cooled scalers and polishers, high‑speed drills, and dedicated dental X‑ray equipment. The surgical suite also incorporates laminar airflow and HEPA filtration to help minimise infection risk.

Opened in 2006, the modern facility includes advanced diagnostic capabilities, an in‑house laboratory, dedicated dental facilities, and a surgical suite. A planned expansion will provide additional capacity for veterinarians and patients, with plans including separate entrances for dogs and cats and examination rooms designed around patient comfort and convenience.

A comprehensive range of veterinary services provides exposure to preventative medicine alongside diagnostic, dental, medical, surgical, and urgent care cases. Services include puppy and kitten care, wellness examinations, vaccinations, senior pet care, parasite prevention and control, nutritional counselling, dentistry, dental radiography, professional scaling and polishing, extractions, periodontal treatment, oral tumor removal and biopsy, diagnostic ultrasound, cardiac and abdominal ultrasound, ultrasound‑guided biopsies, digital radiography, in‑house laboratory testing, and same‑day urgent care. Surgical services include spays and neuters, tumour removal, abdominal and advanced soft tissue procedures, biopsies, and gastropexy. Travelling board‑certified surgeons also provide advanced procedures on site, including TPLO, extracapsular cruciate repair, medial luxating patella repair, and advanced brachycephalic airway surgery.

Serving the Sacramento community since 2006, the practice focuses on personalized, relationship‑based veterinary care, client education, and reducing patient anxiety. Veterinarians take an individual approach to nervous patients, including sitting on the floor with pets to help them feel more comfortable. Domestic and international pet travel support is also available, while collaboration with travelling specialists allows selected advanced procedures to remain within the hospital rather than automatically requiring external referral.

Team

The hospital is currently home to two DVMs supported by a wider clinical team that helps deliver general practice, surgical, diagnostic, dental, and urgent care services.

The veterinary team brings a valuable mix of experience, education, and clinical interests. The practice owner is an adjunct instructor and fourth‑year veterinary student preceptor at Western University of Health Sciences and has developed mentorship specifically for new graduate veterinarians. Her continuing education includes advanced ultrasound training and emergency and critical care. The Medical Director has a strong focus on client education and is also involved in the hospital's planned expansion.