Mission Animal Hospital of SLO

10/29/2025

Lucy is ready for Halloween! 🎃 👻

10/21/2025

10/15/2025

To celebrate Veterinary Technician Week, today our wonderful doctors provided us with breakfast! Bagels, pastries, and coffee! We are fueled up and ready to take on the day!

10/14/2025

✨What is a veterinary technician?✨
A veterinary technician is someone who works under the supervision of a veterinarian to help animals. A more clinical role than a veterinary assistant, vet techs will assist the veterinarian during exams, complete laboratory tests like blood draws, and help during surgery. Because skilled vet techs play a large role in the clinical aspects of a vet office, they often need to be credentialed – meaning they must pass a national examination, and be licensed to practice – and have extensive medical knowledge and skills.

✨Veterinary technician duties and responsibilities✨
- Client relations: Examining patients, usually under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian or in some cases, handling telehealth appointments. This also includes educating pet parents on proper health and nutrition for their animals.
- Imaging: Performing diagnostic imaging, such as x-rays.
- Labs: Taking specimens for laboratory tests, such as drawing blood, obtaining urine, and cytology's.
- Prep: Preparing patients and equipment for surgery.
- Procedures: Administering and monitoring anesthesia as well as administering vaccinations or medications prescribed by the veterinarian. Taking and recording patient vital signs as well.
- Admin: Recording and updating patient medical records as well as various other administrative tasks.

✨Where do vet techs work?✨
Veterinary technicians don’t just work in small animal clinics; they also work in...
- Specialty animal hospitals and clinics
- Non-profit organizations, such as human societies or animal advocacy groups
- Research facilities, like research labs and product manufacturing labs
- Government agencies and teaching institutions

10/13/2025

This week we celebrate the incredible humans who keep our hospital running — our veterinary technicians & assistants.
They are anesthetists, lab techs, dental hygienists, phlebotomists, radiology pros, teachers, and animal advocates all in one.
Their knowledge, compassion, and dedication make the difference between good care and exceptional care.
Happy Vet Tech Week 2025 to the heroes behind every patient’s recovery and every doctor’s success!

10/09/2025

Spooky Season Savings Await at our online pharmacy!
✨Take 15% off✨ new Autoships of $100+*!

When you shop online using code: SPOOKY15
Offer valid from Oct 8, 2025 to Oct 12, 2025

*Offers available online only. Terms vary by promotion. Limit one use per customer unless stated. Certain product exclusions apply, including compounds, Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Merck, Nutramax, and certain Zoetis products. While supplies last. Pre-tax subtotal only. No cash value. May be combined with other offers unless otherwise stated. Offers may be modified or ended at any time. Void where prohibited. Additional terms apply to each promotion.

10/06/2025

Costumes and masks, lights and decorations, and a constant parade of strangers coming to your door on Halloween can be a downright spooky experience for pets. You can protect your pets by taking these steps to reduce the risk of them being hurt, poisoned, or lost.

🔵 Don't feed pets Halloween treats. Raisins can be dangerous, and candy may contain substances toxic to pets, such as chocolate or xylitol. Often, you won’t be able to tell what a treat or piece of candy contains just by looking at it.
🔵 Make sure your pets have identification (microchip, collar, and ID tag) that will make it easy for someone to contact you and return them home in case they escape through an open door while you're distracted with trick-or-treaters.
🔵 Keep lit candles, jack-o-lanterns, and other Halloween decorations out of reach of pets.
🔵 Keep all human costume pieces away from pets, along with glow sticks, decorations, batteries, and other holiday items. When chewed, glow stick items can release liquid that tastes really bad and can make pets drool excessively or act strangely (though it isn’t likely to be harmful). Other costume parts and decorations might cause choking, internal injury, or illness.
🔵 If your pet is wary of strangers or has a tendency to bite, put them in a room away from the front door during trick-or-treating hours, or provide them with a safe hiding place.
🔵 Keep your pet indoors.

09/17/2025

Lucy is one of the sweetest, most courageous pups we have the honor of caring for here at MAH. Recently, she was diagnosed with lymphoma, but she’s been handling it with so much grace, strength, and love, and we are truly inspired by her.

She’s currently undergoing chemotherapy, and alongside that, she’s been coming to us for acupuncture treatments. Why acupuncture? It’s a gentle, holistic therapy that helps support her immune system, manage nausea, and improve her overall quality of life during her cancer treatments. It’s all about helping her feel her best, inside and out.

Lucy is a total rockstar during her visits. She absolutely LOVES relaxing on our Barker Dog Beds , it's her happy place! Whether she’s snoozing, getting her needles placed, or just soaking in the calm vibes, she makes herself right at home (and we wouldn’t have it any other way).

Every time she walks through our doors, she brings so much light and joy. Her sweet personality, her wagging tail, and those soulful eyes remind us why we do what we do.

We’re all rooting for Lucy as she continues this journey. We know she’s got what it takes to kick cancer’s butt, and we’re honored to be part of her support team.

We love you, Lucy! You’ve got a whole team behind you.

09/15/2025

Does your pet struggle with nonstop itching, red skin, or ear infections? Allergies are one of the most common causes of discomfort in pets — and they can be triggered by things like pollen, mold, insects, food, or even human skin.

✨ Ask your vet about VARL serum allergy testing, a safe, reliable way to help identify what’s really causing your pet’s symptoms. Unlike many standard tests, VARL is designed to give more accurate results, helping your vet create a personalized treatment plan.

✅ Safe and reliable
✅ No sedation required - just a quick blood draw!
✅ Helps guide custom immunotherapy (allergy shots or drops)

The goal: less scratching, more comfort, and a happier pet.

Ask us about VARL!

09/12/2025

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding.
If your pet experiences an emergency during this time, please contact Atascadero Pet Hospital & Emergency Center at (805)466-3880.

09/11/2025

🇺🇸 Remembering 9/11 🇺🇸

Today we honor the thousands of lives lost on September 11, 2001, as well as the emergency responders and search and rescue dogs who risked everything to save others.

These brave humans and canines showed incredible courage, dedication, and selflessness. Their efforts remind us of the strength of community, compassion, and perseverance even in the darkest times.

We will never forget the lives taken, the heroes who answered the call, and the dogs who worked tirelessly at Ground Zero.

09/10/2025

💡 Did you know? Just because your dog’s food is expensive, grain-free (which we don’t recommend), organic, human-grade, or even raw doesn’t automatically make it “better.”

When dogs develop food allergies, the most common trigger is the protein source, such as chicken, beef, dairy, or even lamb. Not the grain, not the label.

True grain allergies in dogs are extremely rare. Grains can actually be a healthy part of a balanced diet, providing important nutrients and fiber. So remember: grain-free doesn’t mean allergy-free.

If your pup struggles with chronic itching, ear infections, or digestive issues, the best way to pinpoint the cause is with a strict elimination diet trial under veterinary guidance.

The bottom line: Good nutrition isn’t about fancy marketing — it’s about what keeps your dog healthy and comfortable.