Santa Monica Veterinary Group: Comprehensive and Compassionate Care in Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica Veterinary Group Introduce

When a pet needs immediate attention or a specialized diagnosis, knowing where to turn for trusted veterinary care is essential for pet owners in Santa Monica and the greater Los Angeles area. Santa Monica Veterinary Group, an animal hospital and veterinarian practice, has earned a reputation for providing exceptional and compassionate care. Located in Santa Monica, this clinic stands out for its broad range of services, including advanced medical care and holistic treatments, positioning itself as a vital resource for pets with both routine and urgent health needs.

Unlike the often-overwhelming experience of an emergency room with long wait times and high costs, Santa Monica Veterinary Group provides an efficient and effective alternative for urgent care. The clinic’s focus on integrating a wide variety of services—from traditional medicine to advanced therapies—means that pets can receive comprehensive and continuous care under one roof. This article will provide a detailed look at the services offered, the clinic’s location and accessibility, and the unique features that make it a highly recommended choice for pet owners seeking quality, affordable, and compassionate care for their animal companions.

Santa Monica Veterinary Group is conveniently located at 1708 17th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA. This address places it in a central part of Santa Monica, making it easily accessible for residents throughout the city and surrounding communities. The clinic is designed to be accessible to all, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance and a wheelchair-accessible parking lot. This commitment to accessibility ensures a smoother experience for all clients, especially during what can be a stressful time. The facility also includes a restroom for the convenience of pet owners.

While the clinic recommends appointments to manage its schedule and provide dedicated attention to each case, it also offers urgent care and extended hours walk-in services. This flexibility is a significant benefit for pet owners dealing with unexpected health issues that don't warrant an expensive trip to a 24/7 emergency hospital. The clinic’s thoughtful operational model, which balances scheduled visits with the ability to see urgent cases, demonstrates a clear understanding of the needs of the local community.

Santa Monica Veterinary Group provides an extensive and impressive list of veterinary services, reflecting its role as a full-service animal hospital. Their offerings go beyond a standard general practice, covering a wide array of specialized needs.

General and Preventive Care: Includes comprehensive routine exams, vaccinations, parasite prevention, and geriatric care for senior pets.
Urgent and Emergency Care: The clinic provides urgent care services and extended hours for walk-ins, offering a more accessible and affordable option for emergencies like snake bites, ear infections, and other sudden health issues.
Advanced Diagnostics: Services include in-house blood work, digital radiographs, abdominal ultrasounds, echocardiograms, and endoscopy, enabling quick and accurate diagnosis of internal and complex health issues.
Surgical Procedures: The hospital is equipped for a variety of surgical needs, including general surgery, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, Co2 laser surgery, and non-invasive surgery, ensuring patient monitoring throughout the process.
Specialty and Integrative Medicine: They offer specialized care in internal medicine, ophthalmology, and dermatology (for allergies and skin diseases). They also provide integrative medicine options, including veterinary acupuncture, cold laser therapy, and Chinese medicine, such as food therapy.
Dental Services: Comprehensive dental care is available, including dental exams, dental radiographs, and various dental surgeries to address oral health issues.
Exotic Pet Care: The clinic offers exams for exotic pocket pets, demonstrating a broader scope of practice than many clinics that only treat dogs and cats.

The wide range of services, particularly the combination of Western medicine with Eastern therapies, highlights the clinic's commitment to providing a holistic approach to pet wellness.

Several features and highlights make Santa Monica Veterinary Group a highly recommended choice for pet owners in the area.

Affordable and Transparent Pricing: Clients have noted the reasonable pricing, especially when compared to local emergency rooms. The staff is also praised for being transparent about billing and insurance, and not pushing for unnecessary diagnostics or procedures.
Exceptional Staff and Compassionate Care: The doctors, including Dr. Khalaf, and the entire team of technicians and receptionists are consistently described as knowledgeable, friendly, and compassionate. They take the time to explain every step and offer peace of mind to worried pet owners.
Efficient Urgent Care: The clinic’s ability to see urgent cases within a short timeframe, as highlighted in a review, provides a crucial and valued service that can save pet owners significant time and money compared to a standard emergency vet.
Holistic and Specialized Expertise: The practice offers unique services like veterinary acupuncture and Chinese medicine, providing pet owners with a wider range of treatment options for their pets' health issues, particularly for chronic conditions and pain management.

These features collectively create a pet care experience that is not only medically sound but also empathetic, efficient, and cost-conscious.

For all inquiries and to schedule an appointment, you can contact Santa Monica Veterinary Group using the following information:

Address: 1708 17th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA

Phone: (310) 477-4400

Mobile Phone: +1 310-477-4400

For those in the California region, Santa Monica Veterinary Group is worth choosing for several compelling reasons. The clinic strikes a rare and valuable balance between high-level medical care, efficiency, and affordability. For pet owners dealing with a non-life-threatening emergency, the option to visit an urgent care clinic with reasonable wait times and pricing is a significant relief. Furthermore, the extensive range of services—from advanced surgery and diagnostics to holistic therapies—means that pets with a variety of needs, from puppies to seniors, can be treated in one familiar location. The compassionate and knowledgeable staff, as praised by numerous clients, ensures that both the pet and the owner feel comfortable and well-cared for. In a market where veterinary costs are a major concern, Santa Monica Veterinary Group’s commitment to providing a transparent and value-driven service makes it a highly recommended and trustworthy option for the health and well-being of your beloved animal companion.

Santa Monica Veterinary Group Services

Veterinarian
Abdominal Ultrasonography
Abdominal Ultrasounds
Advanced Medical Care
Care Treatment
Chinese Medicine
Co2 Laser Surgery
Cold Laser Therapy
Complete Medical Examination
Dermatology (allergies and skin disease)
Digital Radiographs
Digital Radiography
Ear Infections
Eastern Medicine
Echocardiograms (heart ultrasonography)
Emergency And Critical Care
Emergency Service
Emergency Surgery
Emergency exams and emergency surgery
Endoscopy
Exotic pocket pet exams
Fecal Tests
Food Therapy
General Practice
General Practice comprehensive routine exams
Geriatric Care
Health Certificates (international and domestic)
Heartworm Tests
In House Blood Work
In-House Blood Testing
Integrative Medicine
Intensive Care
Internal Medicine
Internal medicine
Online Pharmacy
Ophthalmology
Orthopedic & Soft Tissue Surgery
Orthopedic surgery and exams
Pain Management
Parasite Prevention
Patient Monitoring
Pet Care Services
Pets Medical
Preventative Healthcare
Preventive Medicine
Second Opinion Exams
Snake Bites
Soft Tissue And Orthopedic Surgery
Specialty Care
Stem Cell Therapy
Surgery (Laser and non-invasive)
Surgical Procedures
Surgical Service
Therapy Consultations
Urgent Care & extended hours walk-ins
Urgent Care Services
Vaccines
Vet Practice
Veterinary Acupuncture
Veterinary Diagnostics Labs
X-Rays
dental surgeries and dental including dental radiographs

Animal Hospital
Abdominal Ultrasound
Dental
Dental Radiographs
Dental Surgery
Dermatology
Dermatology (allergies & skin disease)
Emergency Exams
Exotic pet exams
Extended Hours walk-ins
Health Certificates (International and Domestic)
Laser Surgery
Non-invasive Surgery
Orthopedic Exams
Orthopedic Surgery
Pocket pet exams
Surgery
Ultrasound
Urgent Care

Santa Monica Veterinary Group Details

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Amenities
Restroom

Planning
Appointments recommended

Santa Monica Veterinary Group Photos

Santa Monica Veterinary Group Location

Santa Monica Veterinary Group

California Los Angeles County Santa Monica Pico 17th Street

1708 17th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA

Santa Monica Veterinary Group Reviews

An average rating of ★4.4 from 279 user reviews.

dr. bergbabiesdeskhospitalcompassionquestionsurgent caretechnicianspricingfront office

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

I can’t say enough good things about Santa Monica Veterinary Group! I brought my pet in for an urgent care appointment and was so impressed with the experience from start to finish. While surrounding ERs were quoting 3+ hour wait times with triple the price, SMVG was able to see us within an hour.The receptionist was helpful, answering all my questions about billing and insurance without making me feel rushed or brushed off. Once we arrived, the technicians were kind, patient, and very informative. They took the time to walk me through every step and answer all of my questions.The doctor we saw was exceptional. Very thorough, compassionate, and incredibly knowledgeable. Not only did they take the time to explain what was going on, but they also offered treatment options I hadn’t heard from any other vet and did not force me to do unnecessary diagnostics. It felt like they genuinely cared about both my pet’s well-being, my peace of mind, and my cost concerns.The pricing was very reasonable, especially for the level of care we received. It’s rare to find a clinic that combines compassion, efficiency, and affordability these days.Highly, highly recommend Santa Monica Veterinary Group.
August 01 · Cynthia Ciabatti
All the staffs there are very friendly and you can tell they care about your animals. The doctors are also very knowledgeable and I would trust them with my baby. Dr. Khalaf knows his stuff and will make you feel comfortable to trust them with your pet.
August 05 · Jason Li
My pups Nala and Rue saw Dr. Robbins today, and I just had to leave this review. The care she gave them was truly above and beyond. She genuinely cares about the pups.She was incredibly gentle and patient with both dogs, taking her time to help them feel comfortable and safe. She was so understanding and considerate towards us as dog parents, too. She listened, explained everything clearly, and never made us feel rushed or silly for asking questions.I rarely leave review but I absolutely had to. Dr. Robbin’s is kind, knowledgeable, and deeply compassionate. We felt completely at ease with her, and so did our pups. I can’t recommend her enough.
August 11 · Raphaela Ortenberg
I normally don’t leave negative reviews, but pet owners need to be warned about my experience at Santa Monica Veterinary Group.Three weeks ago, my cat started vomiting repeatedly. After 5–6 episodes, I rushed him to an emergency vet where they did X-rays and bloodwork, but didn’t find anything. They gave him fluids and told me to follow up if his condition didn’t improve.The next morning (Saturday), I took him to his regular vet. They did more extensive bloodwork, which again came back normal, but he was severely dehydrated. They gave him IV fluids and recommended an ultrasound if his condition didn’t improve.On Sunday, still concerned and desperate for answers, I found Santa Monica Veterinary Group because they advertised both regular and emergency services 7 days a week. I called in advance and specifically asked if they performed ultrasounds on-site. I was told, yes—the tech who performs them was there.I explained I had already seen two vets and that I was coming in solely for the ultrasound. I was told it was a walk-in and there may be a wait. That was fine—I got there quickly and waited.Dr. Galvan saw my cat, reviewed all previous labs and notes, and told me he seemed fine and that I should come back the next day for the ultrasound. I reiterated that this was the only diagnostic step left, and I wanted it done that day. When the tech (Steph) came in, I asked again about the ultrasound, and she rudely told me there was no time today, even though she was the tech I was told would be available.She admitted the front desk never confirmed with her and that she was fully booked. She even said she listened to my call and claimed they only said the tech was present, not available to perform the procedure. That kind of technicality is unacceptable when someone is calling about an emergency.I pleaded again, explaining my cat had been vomiting for two days and that this was urgent. Eventually, she said she could do the ultrasound after 6:30pm, but results wouldn’t be available until Monday afternoon. I asked what the point was if I wouldn’t know anything until the next day. Her response: “You can go somewhere else.” Unbelievable.By then, it was already after 3 p.m. I had been there over 2 hours, waiting, hoping to be seen. I asked to speak to Dr. Galvan again. She rolled her eyes and said she’d check. I waited another 30 minutes. While waiting, I called other emergency vets. One told me to go to a specialty hospital immediately if I suspected anything serious.I called VCA ASEC, and they said if I could get there before 4 p.m., they could do the ultrasound right away. I informed the front desk that I needed to leave urgently, and that I had been waiting over 30 minutes for Dr. Galvan. Again, more stalling. I had to leave without ever speaking to the doctor again.I barely made it to VCA in time. They performed the ultrasound and discovered a life-threatening condition: an intussusception. My cat needed emergency surgery. If I had waited until Monday, he may not have survived.No one from Santa Monica Vet Group ever called to follow up—not even Dr. Galvan, despite knowing I had been in distress and waited for him to return. Absolutely no compassion, no accountability, and completely unprofessional.To anyone reading this: if you care about your pet, take them somewhere else. This clinic showed a shocking lack of urgency, empathy, and responsibility. The tech, Steph, was dismissive and rude, and the front desk staff misled me about a critical medical service.Thankfully, my cat is now healthy and back to normal, but only because I acted fast and found a clinic that took his condition seriously.Save yourself the stress, the risk, and the heartache, go to a clinic that genuinely cares about pets, not just billing for office visits.
August 02 · Irene Faghihi
Came in here as a non-emergency walk in appointment on a saturday afternoon. was able to get in right away.The office is clean and newly renovated. The techs were super communicative, friendly and kept checking in on us. Big shout out to Claudia and Mary for working on the weekend and being super nice through the whole thing and helping me with my big dog and prescriptions. Everyone just seems to really like working there, which is always a good sign! one always hopes to not have to go to the vet, but if i had to, i would come back to this one again.
August 01 · Carrie Wong