2024
Last updated:
LicensingUser ReviewsMystery Shopping CallsOur goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Jacksonville Veterinarians on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.
214Reviewed
134Curated
16Top Picks
Learn about our selection process.
= Featured ProviderAnimal Clinic of Mandarin is a Jacksonville veterinary practice. The office provides preventative medicine, diagnosis and treatment, in-house blood work, dental care, surgery, geriatric care, vaccinations, nutritional counseling, boarding, bathing and nail trims, and microchipping. Animal Clinic of Mandarin carries Royal Canin and Hill’s Prescription Diets. Dr. Pamela Kaiser received her DVM from the University of Prince Edward Island in 2003.
First Coast Veterinary Specialists is a practice serving the Jacksonville community. It offers a wide range of veterinary services and surgeries for dogs, including orthopedics, regenerative medicine, oncology, neurosurgery, and rehabilitation & physical therapy. Its team of veterinary surgeons also specializes in oral or maxillofacial surgery procedures for fractures in mandibular/maxillary and oral/jaw tumors. One of its resident doctors, W. Thomas McNicholas, Jr., has over 18 years of experience in a surgical setting. He is also active in research, presentations, publications, and consulting. Emergency services are available 24/7.
(22)(15)Animal Hospital of Onslow County is a pet health provider in the Greater Jacksonville area. Services cover internal medicine, diagnosis, puppy and kitten wellness plans, urine analysis for diseases, dermatology services, ear problems, spay/neuter procedures, senior wellness, vaccinations, dentistry, and orthopedic surgery. Patients can come in for emergencies during normal business hours and will be referred elsewhere otherwise. Dr. Altman and Dr. Corry were both Army veterinarians, and the clinic offers military discounts.
(17)(11)Animal Clinic of Oceanway has been a Jacksonville veterinary center for almost 30 years. The office provides wellness checks, diagnostics, dental care, ultrasound, surgery, spay/neuter, dermatology, cardiology, laser therapy, therapeutic baths, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and specialized treatment for such conditions as hip dysplasia. The clinic has dog training services as well as weight management, nutritional counseling, and microchipping.
(4)(1)San Pablo Animal Hospital has been treating pets in Jacksonville for over 25 years. The practice offers boarding, grooming, health certificates, dermatology, laser therapy, surgery, and behavioral counseling. It also has a pharmacy, pet food, and kids' play area. Dr. Moody McCall graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine and is on the Board of Directors of Canine Companions for Independence
Timuquana Animal Hospital provides cats and dogs in the Jacksonville area with medical services. These offerings cover vaccinations, lab work, parasite checks, spaying/neutering, orthopedic surgery, tumor removal, dentistry, and obstetrics. Patients can also receive geriatric care, prenatal care, behavioral and nutritional counseling, and referrals to specialists as needed. Timuquana Animal Hospital is closed on weekends
(96)(52)(18)Serving the Jacksonville area, Atlantic Veterinary Hospital is a mixed animal hospital that provides healthcare services for small and large animals alike. The hospital provides animal patients with health exams, blood testing, cleaning of wounds, and conducting surgeries. It also offers vaccination programs to help animals prevent disease in the long term. Clients needing assistance with regular checkups can avail of the clinic's wellness and dental visit services. For convenience, the hospital is on-call for emergencies.
(16)Fort Caroline Animal Clinic provides veterinary services to Jacksonville and the surrounding areas. The practice treats dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, rats, hamsters, mice, gerbils and guinea pigs. It handles preventative and routine care, vaccinations, dentistry, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, laboratory testing, geriatric medicine, pain management, K-Laser therapy, and video otoscopy. Nutritional counseling, digital radiology, in-house pharmacy, boarding, and microchipping are also available.
(5)(4)Companion Animal Hospital of North Florida has been offering pet health services to Metro Jacksonville for over 60 years. Patients receive annual examinations, vaccinations, dental care, diagnostics, pain management, pharmacy, hospitalization, and surgery. Dr. Kristen Zalud attended the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine as well as Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Zalud spent four years practicing emergency medicine.
(7)(4)Harbour Place Animal Clinic offers pet health care services to the Greater Jacksonville area. Services include dermatology, soft tissue surgery, dentistry, opthalmology, preventative care, boarding, and grooming. Pet owners can find patient forms as well as an online pharmacy on the clinic's website. Doctors are on call six days a week, and there are referrals to other clinics for emergencies outside normal hours.
(26)(7)Southside Animal Clinic is a Jacksonville veterinarian center first opened in 1964. The office primarily treats dogs and cats and provides spay/neuter, vaccinations, dental care, and surgery. Dr. Tim Holloway has been at the clinic since 2009 and is a member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society. He is current President of the Jacksonville Medical Society. The practice is open six days a week and can take emergencies during office hours. Southside Animal Clinic is AAHA Certified.
(17)(16)Riverside Animal Hospital is a Jacksonville veterinary clinic which handles animals ranging from bats to boas. Emergency treatment, medical, surgical, and dental services are offered to dogs, cats, rabbits, pocket pets, exotic pets, reptiles, and soft-billed birds and chickens. Dr. John Rossi is a licensed small/exotic practitioner and has a BS degree in zoology as well as a DVM. He is also a published expert on reptile medicine.
First Coast No More Homeless Pets (FCNMHP) is a Jacksonville animal health center offering free and low-cost veterinary services, adoption initiatives, and innovative pet retention services. The center's goal is to eliminate shelter killings. The group has helped achieve over 170,000 pet sterilizations in the First Coast area since 2002. FCNMHP uses 85 cents of every dollar donated to help current programs.
For more than 17 years, Pet Paradise in Jacksonville has been offering a range of veterinary and pet services for clients within the local area and surrounding communities. Its scope of services include pet boarding and overnight care for both dogs and cats, day camp for pets and Get Acquainted day camps for new customers, grooming, and veterinary services. Pet Paradise also operates an animal hospital. It also offers pet parents web cam access to their pets from remote locations.
Alta Bluff Animal Hospital offers veterinary services to Metro Jacksonville. Veterinarians on staff can treat infections, tooth pain, sprains and fractures, inflammatory bowel disease, geriatric issues, feline acne, arthritis, inflammations, allergies, wounds, and hip dysplasia. Spaying and neutering procedures, as well as laser therapy, are also available. Alta Bluff Animal Hospital also has website membership. The clinic sees dogs, cats, reptiles, rabbits, and birds.
Serving Jacksonville, Birch Island Veterinary Center offers veterinary care to dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs. The clinic was founded in 2018 by lead doctor Deanna Greer. It offers a diverse range of services, including dental, medical, and surgical care. Its veterinarians handle each patient with care, which is backed by the facility's modern equipment. Cats and dogs have separate treatment areas to encourage a calm and comfortable atmosphere. Birch Island Veterinary Center also provides boarding and daycare services.
This depends on the age of your pet. Ideally, puppies should have their first vet visit between six to eight weeks old, and kittens should see the vet within one week of bringing them home. Healthy adult animals need a checkup once per year. Vets recommend two exams per year for senior pets (age 10 and up).
Aside from preventing unwanted pregnancy, sterilization has other benefits for pets. Spayed females won't go into heat, and they have a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer and mammary gland tumors. Neutering males reduces aggressive behavior, territorial marking, and roaming urges. It also eliminates the possibility of testicular cancer and can reduce the chance of prostate disease.
Dogs are very commonly affected by heartworm disease, so they should be on medication to prevent it all year long. Heartworm preventatives are available as topical “spot-on” medications, monthly chewable pills, and injections that are given every six to 12 months. Heartworms are less common in cats, but preventative medication is still recommended.
In general, puppies and kittens need several types of vaccines every three to four weeks until they're 16 weeks old. Depending on the vaccine, your pet might need a booster shot every one to three years. Pets that are indoors-only may require fewer and less frequent vaccinations.
Poor oral hygiene can lead to dental disease in animals as young as two to three years of age. To help prevent this, vets recommend that you brush your pet's teeth at least two to three times a week. Dogs and cats should also have a professional dental cleaning once per year.
According to the ASPCA, cats need a diet that's high in protein and taurine, which can only be found in meat and other animal products. They also struggle to digest carbohydrates from plants. Dogs can eat plants, but it's difficult to provide adequate nutrition for them on a vegan diet.
