We all want the best for our pets, and of course that includes the best medical care. Whether you’re moving to a new city, got a pet for the first time, or have decided to switch practices, finding the right vet for you and your pets can be a daunting task. In a large, metropolitan city like San Francisco there are nearly hundreds of options, so good news! You’ll definitely be able to find one that fits your needs! Bad news! You might have a lot of trouble finding them amongst all of the other options! But we’re here to help you by giving some suggestions for the top veterinarians in the San Francisco area. These practices have good patient reviews, have accreditations and awards, and are known for their experience and professionalism. Because they’re all great, it’s hard to definitively rank them, so instead we’ve listed them alphabetically, and all are in San Francisco unless otherwise noted.
The Best Vets (Alphabetically Listed)
All Pets Hospital
All Pets Hospital is an American Animal Hospital Association accredited veterinary hospital. Founded in 1968, the facility has provided high-quality medical services such as wellness exams, dental, diagnostic services, and vaccines. Basically they cover everything needed to keep your pet happy and healthy. The hospital is composed of highly skilled veterinarians who are dedicated to providing compassionate and comprehensive veterinary care in a warm and comfortable environment. In 2014, All Pets Hospital was recognized by The San Francisco Bay Guardians as the Best Veterinary Practice in the San Francisco area.
(415) 861-5725
What pets they treat: Just like their name says: all pets! Cats, dogs, birds, reptiles, exotic animals, fish, rabbits, and more.
Anything Special: They offer free first exams for new patients!
Allcare Veterinary Hospital of Pacifica
Allcare Veterinary Hospital of Pacifica is a Pacifica, California-based hospital committed to providing the highest quality of veterinary care for dogs, cats, and small household animals. Led by an experienced and knowledgeable veterinarian, Dr. Jeremy Grossbard, it offers caring and efficient veterinary medical services ranging from preventive to surgical care. They are registered with the California Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Pacifica, CA(650) 359-8387
What pets they treat: Cats, dogs, and other small household pets (rodents like hamsters, rabbits, mice, and rats)
Anything Special: Specialized puppy and kitten care are offered, and they’re one of the few vets on this list to service pets other than just dogs or cats. In addition, they offer appointments seven days a week (though normal office days are Monday through Friday). You can call to schedule a weekend appointment if necessary.
Animal Emergency Services (AIMSS)
Animal Internal Medicine and Specialty Services and Animal Emergency Services are locally-owned and operated veterinary hospitals that have been serving pet owners in the San Francisco Bay area for over 5 years. These veterinary hospitals are composed of experienced and highly-skilled veterinarians who specialize in small animal internal medicine, veterinary oncology, advanced critical care, cardiology, and more. They take pride in providing their patients with personalized veterinary care in a warm and comfortable environment.
(415) 566-0540
What pets they treat: Cats and dogs, possibly others (website doesn’t specifically list any species). Might be best to call beforehand to see if they can treat pets other than these two.
Anything Special: Because they specialize in emergency services, all of their locations are open 24/7. They have very strong specialty units, and if you and your pet must be transported to one of their facilities from your typical vet, they have an ambulance service.
Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care
Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care is a state-of-the-art veterinary facility in San Ramon, California that has been serving the community for 15 years. Their veterinarians utilize the latest equipment and procedures to provide quality and efficient care for cats, dogs, and exotic pets. Their services include vaccinations, parasite prevention, puppy and kitten care, and emergency care. They are registered with the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Veterinary Chiropractic Association, and the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians.
San Ramon, CA(925) 866-8387
What pets they treat: Cats, dogs, other mammals, reptiles, and exotic pets
Anything special: If you’re a breeder or interested in breeding your dogs, they have a whole unit dedicated to aiding in dog reproduction, including insemination, semen collection and evaluation, semen freezing, cardiac screenings for pregnant dogs, caesarian sections, and more.
Blue Sparrow Holistic Veterinary House Calls
Blue Sparrow Holistic Veterinary House Calls is a San Francisco mobile veterinary team that specializes in canine and feline care. It has been serving the community since 2014, providing comprehensive and compassionate veterinary care to its patients. Their well-trained and experienced veterinarians include owner and head veterinarian Dr. Oglesby, who has been working in the Bay Area's veterinary field for 20 years. Blue Sparrow Holistic Veterinary handles various veterinary medical services such as preventative and wellness care, acupuncture, and cold laser therapy and they also offer hospice care and euthanasia.
(415) 202-6313
What pets they treat: Mostly cats and dogs; enquire as to whether they can treat your pet.
Anything special: Blue Sparrow is the only practice on this list founded and still currently run by a female veterinarian. (We know this doesn’t really impact their care or services, but we found it kind of shocking how few of these vets had mostly male staffing.) In addition, they use a combination of Chinese medicinal techniques partnered with nutritional guidance to restore balance to your pet’s system. Of course they also offer the best of western biomedicine as well, all in the comfort of your home.
Irving Pet Hospital
Irving Pet Hospital is a veterinary facility that has been serving pet owners in the San Francisco area for more than 50 years. It is staffed with well-trained and experienced veterinarians who specialize in veterinary dentistry, surgery, radiology, dermatology, and emergency care. They offer a wide variety of veterinary services, including wellness exams, diagnostic services, and vaccinations and provide affordable health care packages for puppies and kittens.
(415) 664-0191
What pets they treat: Cats and dogs
Anything special: Special healthcare packages are available for puppies and kittens to ensure the best of early-life preventative care, vaccinations, and more.
Mission Pet Hospital
An established veterinary practice for decades, Mission Pet Hospital is known for its integrative approach to treatment that includes looking at deeper causes of a pet’s health problems. Led by Dr. Curtis Press, Mission Pet Hospital is staffed by six doctors and thirteen registered veterinary technicians who work together to treat all the causes of your pet’s ailments while also covering dental, preventative, and surgical care.
(415) 552-1969
What pets they treat: Mostly cats and dogs. Inquire for other species of pets to double check.
Anything special: They have an advanced radiology and ultrasound unit, as well as an impressive oncology department. If your pet has a serious illness or health issue, this is a good vet for them due to the treatment-at-the-root approach that can accommodate multiple treatments for multiple issues without these treatments interfering with each other.
Nob Hill Cat Clinic
Nob Hill Cat Clinic is a feline care center in San Francisco, California that is composed of knowledgeable and experienced veterinarians who offer high-quality and comprehensive veterinary care for all ages and breeds of cats. They handle a wide variety of veterinary services, including preventative, medical, surgical, and dental services. They also offer cat grooming and boarding services.
(415) 776-6122
What pets they treat: cats!
Anything Special: Specialized care for feline friends can help cats and cat owners feel more at ease about trips to the vet (no worries about dogs spooking your cats!).
Smith's Veterinary Service
Smith's Veterinary Service provides in-house veterinary care for cats and dogs in the San Francisco area. Led by Dr. Kelly Smith, a caring, and reliable veterinarian, they utilize an integrative approach to providing quality veterinary care to their patients by listening to pet owners and trying to work with you to figure out the best course of treatment to fit your financial needs and treatment beliefs. They provide safe and efficient veterinary medical services such as wellness care, acupuncture, and nutrition counseling and programs as well as in-home euthanasia.
(415) 231-5222
What pets they treat: Cats and dogs
Anything special: When they say “in-house” they mean your house! Smith’s offers home-visit treatment, which is infinitely less stressful for your furry friends. In terms of difficult care, Dr. Smith also provides home euthanasia, which can help you feel that your pet’s final moments are in the home, surrounded by that and those they love. For owners, there is a portion of Smith’s website with resources for pet owners when the time comes to say goodbye to a pet, including support groups.
Sunset Veterinary Hospital
Sunset Veterinary Hospital is a full-service veterinary facility that has been serving San Francisco, California and communities nearby for over 50 years. Their team of caring and well-trained veterinarians are experienced in handling various veterinary medical services such as laser therapy, surgery, dental services, and preventive and wellness care. Sunset Veterinary Hospital strives to provide the highest quality of veterinary care to its patients in a comfortable environment, and they will also work with clients to find what will fit best in with their financial needs and limitations. In addition, they will always refer patients of consult with specialists if they feel things are out of their range of ability or expertise.
(415) 753-2884
What pets they treat: Cats and dogs
Anything Special: They offer laser therapy for pain treatment and to speed injury healing in pets. They also offer information about emergency facilities and specialists for cases that they cannot treat.
The Country Vet
The Country Vet is a veterinary practice in Novato, California that provides the highest quality of veterinary care to its patients at reasonable rates. It has been serving the community for more than 30 years with its team of knowledgeable and experienced veterinarians. Its veterinary services include pet vaccination, surgical services, microchipping, dental services, and emergency care. They also offer referral discounts and affordable treatment packages.
Novato, CA(415) 897-8380
What pets the treat: Cats, dogs, and other small mammals (call before booking to make sure they can treat your pet)
Anything special: This vet is probably a bit more budget friendly than a lot of the others on this list. They also have a digital dental x-ray that makes finding and diagnosing dental problems earlier much easier. They also offer holistic medicine and treatments in addition to traditional biomedical procedures.
Urban Pet Hospital
Urban Pet Hospital is a San Francisco-based veterinary care center that is composed of licensed veterinarians who specialize in pet dentistry, internal medicine, and dermatology. They offer a wide variety of veterinary medical services ranging from preventive and wellness care to surgical care. They aim “to offer the most affordable, quality and comprehensive veterinary services so that each and every dog and cat gets the care and attention he or she need.” Their veterinary facility is equipped with state-of-the-art veterinary tools and equipment to provide prompt, accurate, and efficient veterinary care to their patients seven days of the week.
(415) 400-5754
What pets they treat: Cats and dogs
Anything Special: Open seven days a week with evening hours to accommodate pet owners who work. They also work closely with other local specialists and can easily refer you to them if your pet needs more specialized care.
Things to Keep in Mind
While all of these vets are great, we totally understand if you want to do some more searching on your own (in fact, you always should!). We recommend keeping in mind these few search guidelines:
- Make sure the vet can serve your kind of pet, especially if you have an exotic or unusual pet. This can include other more-common-but-not-cat-and-dog-common pets like reptiles and birds. Chances are always pretty good that you can find a specialty vet for your pet, but that’s not always necessary.
- Make sure you know what the appointment policies are. Do they charge for cancellations? How long before your scheduled appointment time should you be there? Is there new patient paperwork that must be completed prior?
- Ask what a typical exam entails and ask how much vaccines cost.
