San Marin Animal Hospital

San Marin Animal Hospital Offering quality veterinary medical and surgical care for dogs and cats. Our goal is to offer compassionate and affordable medical care to your animals. in 2003.
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Dr. Jeff Williams, Dr. Erin Bennett, Dr. Monica Ortiz, Dr. Polly James, Dr Sarah Reardon
www.sanmarinanimalhospital.com San Marin Animal Hospital is a 4-doctor veterinary clinic, offering pet services to Marin and Sonoma counties. The practice includes in-house laboratory equipment, surgical facilities, laser therapy, radiography, and ultrasonography. Dr Jeff Williams graduated from Tufts Universi

ty, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. He worked in private practice in Derry, NH after graduation until moving to Marin County in 1993. He was in private practice in San Rafael and Larkspur, where he met Dr. Bennett, for 10 years before accepting the job as Veterinary Medical Director at Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. After working at GDB for 12 years, Jeff left to create San Marin Animal Hospital in June 2015 with Dr Erin Bennett. Dr Erin Bennett graduated from University College Dublin, Ireland in 2008. After working as a veterinarian in Ireland for 3 and 1/2 years, she moved back to her home state of California in 2011. Prior to joining Animal Hopsital of San Marin in June 2014, Dr Bennett worked as the Chief of Public Medicine for the Sonoma Humane Society in Santa Rosa. Finally, June 2015, she created San Marin Animal Hospital with Dr. Jeff Williams. Dr Monica Ortiz graduated from St. George's Univeristy, Grenada in 2011. She finished an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey, then moved on to a vet hospital in Massachusetts, where she stayed for 5 years. She returned to the Bay Area in 2017, practicing in both Sonoma and Marin counties, before she joined San Marin Animal Hospital in 2020. She is owned by 2 dogs and 2 cats. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, and reading true crime. Dr. Polly James grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and completed her undergraduate studies at Brown University. She earned her D.V.M. in 1999 from the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, performed an internship at the Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group in Ventura, California, then practiced at San Francsico SPCA, now Pets Lifeline, for the past 20 years. She joined our team in Aug 2021.

Though we couldn't have you with us longer on this earth, we know your angel form will constantly remain in our hearts. ...
06/25/2024

Though we couldn't have you with us longer on this earth, we know your angel form will constantly remain in our hearts. We loved you big, Gordon. We are all forever grateful to have been around you for as long as we were. Xoxo, sweet boy. Love, SMAH staff

Our dear clinic cat, Gordon, has been recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is one of the great joys in all of our...
06/22/2024

Our dear clinic cat, Gordon, has been recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is one of the great joys in all of our lives, and we are taking this news very emotionally. We will cherish the time that we have left with this angel on earth, so if you see him in the lobby in the next couple of weeks, blow him a kiss. We love you, Gordo.

We will be closed tomorrow in observance of Juneteenth. We are here tonight until 7pm and then back in office Thursday a...
06/18/2024

We will be closed tomorrow in observance of Juneteenth. We are here tonight until 7pm and then back in office Thursday at 8am. Thank you for understanding!!! (P.S. here is a good reminder that the asphalt as well as the concrete can quickly reach damage causing temperatures. Walk pets in the early or late hours to avoid burning their feet.) 🐾

06/06/2024

Beat the heat. Keep those pups inside during the peak sun hours. Cool them off regularly with water or damp clothes. Owners of short-faced pups, be very weary of the temps both inside and outside as these dog breeds can overheat easily. Ice cubes can be added to water bowls. Pupsicles can be offered. Let them run through the sprinklers.

05/26/2024

Thinking and honoring those that served and sacrificed their lives to secure our country.
May we support the leaders that ensure our safety and humanity.

Just a friendly reminder, we are closed in observance of Memorial Day this Monday, May  27th. We are open again on Tuesd...
05/23/2024

Just a friendly reminder, we are closed in observance of Memorial Day this Monday, May 27th. We are open again on Tuesday, May 28th at 8am. Here is to all the dogs that have served alongside the brave men and women. 🎖️🪖🇺🇸

Wishing this tremendous human/wonderful veterinarian a very happy birthday today. We feel so fortunate that she is part ...
05/13/2024

Wishing this tremendous human/wonderful veterinarian a very happy birthday today. We feel so fortunate that she is part of our team. You're a rockstar, Dr. Monica.

More and more we get calls from our clients about their senior pets showing signs of cognitive dysfunction. Because more...
05/07/2024

More and more we get calls from our clients about their senior pets showing signs of cognitive dysfunction. Because more and more studies are being done, we have a better understanding on how to help our aging pets. This article has great information about what to look for, what we have to rule out and how to manage these signs going forward. Effective management may involve environmental and behavioral interventions, dietary modifications, nutritional supplements, pharmaceutical treatments, and complementary therapies.

Senior dogs and cats should be evaluated for signs of cognitive impairment by using the diagnostic tools available, and treatment should be initiated as early as possible.

04/25/2024

It's Veterinary Receptionist Appreciation week. We are so lucky that our CSRs are top notch, compassionate, dedicated individuals. 👏 Running the show up front and holding us all together sure can be though, but they do it with grace. Thank you to our Front staffers.

Cat owners...be very aware:
03/30/2024

Cat owners...be very aware:

A very happy birthday to this wonderful human and veterinary nurse, Blair. One of the greatest. You're incredible, Blair...
03/23/2024

A very happy birthday to this wonderful human and veterinary nurse, Blair. One of the greatest. You're incredible, Blair. We are the luckiest.

Thank you for your patience about our early Friday closure. We had a team bonding paint excursion and we knocked it out ...
03/23/2024

Thank you for your patience about our early Friday closure. We had a team bonding paint excursion and we knocked it out of the park. Back to regular hours on Monday. Thank you Parties By Yuli for guiding us and keeping us moving.

03/21/2024

We get hay fever; dogs get itchy skin. This condition is usually seasonal - but not always - and many treatments are available. Find out the causes and what you can do to relieve your pet's discomfort.

03/21/2024

Spring is here! And so are the allergies. Just yesterday almost all of our afternoon appointments were for signs of allergies. Those signs can be:
discharge in/or red eyes
itching
licking paws
red skin or ears
hair loss
sneezing
shaking or scratching at the ears
Below is one of the handouts about allergies in pets that we give out the most:
https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951475

May the luck of the Irish be with you today!!! ☘️🌈
03/17/2024

May the luck of the Irish be with you today!!! ☘️🌈

Happy International Love Your Pet Day!!!!Here we love all of our patients like our own but we do have 4 special souls th...
02/20/2024

Happy International Love Your Pet Day!!!!

Here we love all of our patients like our own but we do have 4 special souls that have our hearts. Meet the clinic cats: Gordon (orange tabby), Jerry (brown tabby), Shimmy (black/white) and Toonces (brown tabby). If you come in for food or medications then you most likely will see Jerry up front. The other three tend to stick to the back.

All of them provide stress relief and much needed love through out the day!! ❤️

Just a heads up we will be closed this Monday,  February 19th for President’s Day. We will be open as usual on Tuesday. ...
02/16/2024

Just a heads up we will be closed this Monday, February 19th for President’s Day. We will be open as usual on Tuesday. Have a great holiday weekend!! ❤️

If you need off hours help try:

Pet Emergency and Specialty Center
San Rafael
415-456-7372

TruVet
Petaluma
707-787-5340

VCA Animal Care Center
Rohnert Park
707-584-4343

Happy Valentine’s Day from Louie!!!! ❤️❤️❤️
02/14/2024

Happy Valentine’s Day from Louie!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Helping  Marin Humane Society is wonderful.
02/08/2024

Helping Marin Humane Society is wonderful.

Behavior can be a hot topic in the veterinary field. We are asking a lot of our pets to come into the office, ignore all...
02/06/2024

Behavior can be a hot topic in the veterinary field. We are asking a lot of our pets to come into the office, ignore all the cats and dogs and people, tolerate what can be an invasive exam (sometimes uncomfortable if the pet is in pain), get poked and prodded (for lack of better terms) and then be on his/her way.

Below is a great infographic about dogs and something called trigger stacking. It can shine a light on the myth that pets ‘just snap out of nowhere’.

Some pets need a little pharmaceutical help to make the visit more productive and less stressful! We can send home medications you can give before the appointment.
Let us know if your pet could use a little help!!

We really like to give back to our local shelter. Yesterday, we helped Marin Humane service 100 patients with vaccines, ...
02/04/2024

We really like to give back to our local shelter. Yesterday, we helped Marin Humane service 100 patients with vaccines, microchips, amd flea prevention.

ATTN: CLOSING EARLY 1/31/24It is predicted to rain CATS AND DOGS tomorrow!!! We will be closing early at 4pm to accommod...
01/31/2024

ATTN: CLOSING EARLY 1/31/24

It is predicted to rain CATS AND DOGS tomorrow!!! We will be closing early at 4pm to accommodate our staff (most of who commute from Santa Rosa, Vallejo, Vacaville and Sonoma) so they can get home safely.

If you need to pick up medications please try to come prior to 3pm. 🙏🏼

Thank you for your understanding!!!
❤️San Marin Animal Hospital

Beware the Fungi!!!! As much as we appreciate the rain, it does mean that mushrooms will be popping up in our yards or o...
01/30/2024

Beware the Fungi!!!! As much as we appreciate the rain, it does mean that mushrooms will be popping up in our yards or on the trails we frequent with our dogs. Mushrooms are toxic and can be VERY difficult to identify. So to be super safe we recommend avoiding them. We also know that pets will do what they want (including eating all types of things) so here is what to watch for:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Lethargy
Tremors/Seizures

If you think your pet may have ingested mushrooms, please contact us or an emergency facility immediately!

Be careful out there!! 🍄

In our continued effort to provide ease of appointment making and prescription refills, Meet AVA!!! AVA can help schedul...
01/29/2024

In our continued effort to provide ease of appointment making and prescription refills, Meet AVA!!! AVA can help schedule appointments and request refills on medications for your pet. This little chat box will allow you to do this from our website: www.sanmarinanimalhospital.com ! Go on and chat with AVA!!!

Throw up Thursday?!? Not sure if this should be an ongoing thing BUT we take education where we can. The yellow lab mix ...
01/11/2024

Throw up Thursday?!? Not sure if this should be an ongoing thing BUT we take education where we can. The yellow lab mix on the left (Gary) is the counter surfer who ate a bowl of grapes and onions set aside for chickens!! Luckily his owner (our very own Dr Erin Bennett) knows how to induce vomiting and she jumped into action. The result is on the right side: a large meal with grapes and onions. Now because the offending behavior was noted within an hour of ingestion, the vomiting was enough to remedy the problem.

IF YOUR PET HAS INGESTED SOMETHING TOXIC OR IF YOU ARE UNSURE, CALL US! 415-892-8387

Or there is a Pet Poison control:
855-764-7661

Why worry about grapes you ask? Well grapes (including raisins and currants)are toxic to dogs. They can cause kidney failure. The frustrating thing is it is not all dogs that are affected this way and the veterinary community has been unable to do comprehensive studies to figure out the why. So to be SUPER safe we say NO GRAPES for any pets.

Onions (also including garlic and leeks) can cause damage to red blood cells resulting in anemia!

Stay safe out there!

We get calls almost on the daily about pets peeing in the home, whether it be a cat not going into the litter box or a d...
01/08/2024

We get calls almost on the daily about pets peeing in the home, whether it be a cat not going into the litter box or a dog having accidents despite being well house trained.
The first thing the doctor talks about when trying to figure out if the problem is behavioral versus medical is performing a urinalysis.
A urinalysis can give us a ton of information:
Urine dilution (which can indicate kidney disease)
Checks for red cells (blood) white cells (infection)
Checks for bacteria (infection)
Checks for crystals (which cause trauma to the bladder wall and can be the start of bladder stones)
Checks urine pH, for protein and for glucose in the urine, all indicators of other disease processes that can cause increased urination

Recently we saw a dog that was urinating in the house, and the owner noticed blood in it. We performed a urinalysis and found bacteria in the urine which we cultured to find the specific antibiotics to treat it. While we were obtaining the urine sample, we noticed using the ultrasound that there were bladder stones. The dog was started on the correct antibiotic, a diet to help keep the urine pH at a level to where crystals cannot form and we surgically removed all the big stones from the bladder as these were too big to dissolve with diet alone.

We will continue the medicated diet and the dog should make an uneventful recovery!

***CHECK OUT THE PICTURES FOR MORE DETAILS***

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES: BLOOD, SURGERY, PARASITESLet’s talk about worms!!! Yesterday we encountered a type of common in...
12/29/2023

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES: BLOOD, SURGERY, PARASITES

Let’s talk about worms!!! Yesterday we encountered a type of common intestinal parasites in one of our patients: Roundworms! They were found while performing a laparotomy (a surgery to remove a rock stuck in the intestines of a dog). Roundworms are transmitted by f***l to oral contamination (by pets eating f***s, walking in it and licking their paws or even eating contaminated dirt). Roundworms can also be transmitted from a nursing mother to her puppies. Signs of roundworms are diarrhea, vomiting, poor coat quality, pot-bellied appearance and weight loss. An added concern for us humans (besides worms being 🤢 ) is that they are zoonotic (which means we can catch them from our dogs if they have an active infection)! Luckily one of the preventative measures we recommend is giving a once monthly dewormer. This is included in most if not all of the heartworm medications that you give by mouth.

Ways to prevent transmission:
Good hygiene - wash your hands!
Prompt removal and disposal of f***s
Previously rodent ingestion
Keeping children from the areas pet defecate
Using a monthly parasite dewormer

Ways to diagnose worms:
A f***l test - we only need 2 tbsps of fresh f***s to send to our lab to check for the most common intestinal parasites: roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, coccidia and giardia!!
Or visually - your pet vomits them up or they are in their f***s, this is more rare as most of the time only eggs will be in the stools.

If you have any questions about prevention of intestinal parasites and/or testing, feel free to reach out to us via text or call: 415-892-8387. Or you can email us: [email protected]

Stay safe out there!!! 🐾🐶🐱

Merry Christmas to all our wonderful clients and their furry family members who they entrust with their care. May your t...
12/25/2023

Merry Christmas to all our wonderful clients and their furry family members who they entrust with their care. May your trees be safe and your cuddles be warm! 🎄❤️🐾

Merry Christmas. Keep your pets away from those ornaments 🤣
12/24/2023

Merry Christmas. Keep your pets away from those ornaments 🤣

Merry Christmas to you from Romeo!!!! He is one of our longtime patients. Olimpia Ghiringhelli brings him twice a week f...
12/23/2023

Merry Christmas to you from Romeo!!!! He is one of our longtime patients. Olimpia Ghiringhelli brings him twice a week for subcutaneous fluids for his kidney disease. We have all grown to love him as we take his weight, give him his fluids and have a quick chat with mom. Thank you Olimpia for being a wonderful pet parent!!!! ❤️🎄😽

Address

103 San Marin Drive
Novato, CA
94945

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 7pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 7pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+14158928387

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