Services: Best Pet Clinic/Veterinary Hospital

PAUL BERSEBACH, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Greek and Associates Veterinary Hospital in Yorba Linda was voted the top pet clinic/veterinary hospital.

1. Greek and Associates Veterinary Hospital

23687 Via Del Rio, Yorba Linda; 714-463-1190; gavh.net

Not sure where to take your cuddly camel for veterinary treatment? At Greek and Associates, the motto is “If you can get it through the door, we’ll see it.”

And that’s “everything from goldfish to camels,” according to Desiree Greek, wife of Dr. Tom Greek. And, yes, he has treated a camel.

Desiree Greek said about 50 percent of the practice is devoted to dogs and cats, with full surgical and pharmaceutical services. But the rest are so-called “exotics,” which are Tom Greek’s passion.

Ever since Tom, as a 5-year-old, caught a gopher snake that he named Hercules, he has known what he has wanted to do. The family still has a crayon picture Tom drew in kindergarten with a giraffe, tiger and lion behind an entrance that read “zoo,” with a backwards “z,” Desiree Greek said.

One of the things that sets Greek and Associates apart, according to Desiree Greek, is its laid-back atmosphere, from the docs to the decor.

“A lot of places you’ll see are very clinical,” she said. “We try to make things warm and homey.”

Even the interior design is off-beat and decorated in a midcentury modern “Googie” style.

Dr. Greek graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 1993 and opened his practice in 2008.

He has also published stories in a number of national magazines from Reptiles, to Veterinary Product News, lectures at national regional conferences and is a regular on KTLA’s “Off the Clock” streaming show.

2. Back Bay Veterinary Hospital

4263 Birch St, Newport Beach; 949-756-0554; bbvh.com

With a full suite of services, ranging from emergency treatment to surgery to dental and boarding and daycare, Back Bay Veterinary Hospital in Newport Beach is a one-stop shop for all things veterinary.

The business has been a fixture in Newport Beach since the 1960s. Dr. George Katcherian bought it from the previous owners in 1978 and fellow vet Dr. Nabil Fanous has been on board for more than 15 years.

An Armenian immigrant from Cairo, Egypt, Katcherian has built a reputation as a noted canine orthopedic surgeon, who is often called up for difficult hip, knee and leg repairs. According to the hospital’s literature, Katcherian was the first veterinarian in Southern California to be licensed to perform advanced surgery on dog knees. The hospital also offers an array of surgeries ranging from amputations to spaying and neutering.

Fanous has a special interest in internal medicine and stem cell treatment for animals, especially those suffering from arthritis.

A practice consisting of more than 3,600 veterinarians worldwide, Banfield has become a force in Orange County with more than 20 locations.

Founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1955, Banfield has grown to become the largest general veterinary practice in the U.S. with more than 1,000 hospitals

Banfield offers Optimum Wellness Plans which provide year-long personalized packages of preventive veterinary care to monitor a pet’s unique health conditions and catch or stave off small issues before they become big problems.

As a company, Banfield is involved in numerous partnerships with nonprofit and community groups and is committed to corporate responsibility initiatives.

The company also offers free first visits to its clinics.

During the pandemic, the huge boom in U.S. pet ownership led to Banfield treating 9.2 percent more juvenile dogs and 12.4 percent more juvenile cats in 2020 compared to 2019. It was the first increase in the percentage of juvenile pets seen at the practice in 10 years.

3. Banfield Pet Hospital

Multiple locations, banfield.com

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