Animal Emergency of South Orange County

06/03/2026

06/01/2026

🎉 WE'RE NOW ANIMAL EMERGENCY OF SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY! 🎉

Today, Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County officially becomes Animal Emergency of South Orange County.

Our new name better reflects the care we already provide. Our hospital has been treating emergency patients since 1995, and we will continue seeing pets with urgent care needs.

What you need to know:
• Same location: 28085 Hillcrest Road, Mission Viejo
• Same phone number: 949-364-6228
• Same 24/7 hours
• Same emergency veterinarians and hospital team
• Same care for dogs, cats, pocket pets, birds, reptiles and exotics

Our team will continue to provide compassionate and comprehensive emergency and urgent care for all pets, including, but not limited to:

• In-house diagnostic testing
• Bloodwork
• Cytology
• Digital X-ray
• Ultrasound
• In-house point of care
• On-call specialty ultrasound
• Specialized services
• F***l microbiota transplantation
• Autologous cancer vaccine
• Emergency surgery & postoperative care
• Endoscopy
• End-of-life care
• Care for dogs, cats and exotics (supportive emergency care)
• Partnering with animal services & local rehabilitators for injured wildlife

Our exterior sign may still show our former name until the sign update is completed later this summer. If you see Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County on the building, you are still in the right place.

If your pet needs care, call 949-364-6228 or visit us anytime.🐾

05/27/2026

🎉🐾 Dakota is officially 3/3 on her vaccine injections today! 🐾🎉

This sweet Husky girl came back to see us on 5/27 for her THIRD injection in her personalized cancer vaccine series — and she walked in looking bright-eyed, happy, and ready for all the love from her team. 💙

After Dakota’s emergency splenectomy in April and diagnosis of Hemangiosarcoma, her family chose to pursue an innovative autologous cancer vaccine created specifically for HER through Torigen Pharmaceuticals. Using her own tumor tissue, the vaccine was designed to help teach Dakota’s immune system to recognize and respond to cancer cells. 💉✨

And today marks a HUGE milestone in her journey:
✅ Injection 1 — DONE
✅ Injection 2 — DONE
✅ Injection 3 — DONE
Mom reports Dakota has been happy, thriving, and doing well at home, exactly the kind of update we love hearing. ❤️

One of the amazing things about personalized immunotherapy is that treatment plans can sometimes be adjusted or boosted again in the future if needed, giving families additional options in their pet’s cancer journey. Veterinary medicine continues to evolve, and stories like Dakota’s remind us how important hope, innovation, and quality of life truly are.

Dakota has handled every visit like an absolute rockstar, and we are all cheering her on as she continues forward. 🐾✨

Keep shining, sweet girl, our whole team is rooting for you! 💙

05/24/2026

⚠️ Garden Grove Chemical Emergency ⚠️

We are OPEN and here to support pets and families affected by the evacuation and chemical incident.

To help our community during this emergency, we are offering:
• Reduced-rate temporary stay for evacuated pets.

If the chemical does leak or explode in the community we will be offering:
• Discounts on medical services for pets affected by smoke or chemical exposure.
••If your pet is experiencing coughing, breathing difficulty, vomiting, lethargy, eye irritation, or other concerning symptoms, post the expected event, please seek veterinary care immediately.

Please call us if you need assistance or have questions regarding your pet’s care.

05/23/2026

Pet Safety Alert – Garden Grove Chemical Incident
If you are near the evacuation or affected area, pets can be sensitive to chemical exposure even before humans show symptoms. Please monitor closely for:

🐾 Signs of possible chemical exposure in pets:
Difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, or rapid breathing, Excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth
Vomiting or diarrhea, Red, irritated, or watering eyes
Sneezing or nasal discharge, Weakness, stumbling, tremors, or collapse, Lethargy or sudden unusual behavior, Burns or irritation on paws/skin after being outside.

⚠️ What pet owners should do:
Keep pets indoors with windows and doors closed if possible
Avoid walks or outdoor exposure in smoky/chemical-smelling areas
Wipe paws and fur with a damp towel if they were outside
Bring medications, food, and carriers if evacuating

If your pet seems distressed or exposed, seek veterinary care immediately

🏥 We are OPEN and available to help. 24/7.

If your pet is showing any concerning symptoms related to smoke or chemical exposure, please contact us or come in right away for medical evaluation and treatment. Early intervention can make a significant difference.

05/20/2026

🐾💙 One week down, and Dakota continues to show us just how strong she is. 💙🐾

If you have been following Dakotas journey: Today, 5/20, Dakota came back to see us for her next autologous cancer vaccine treatment as part of her personalized immunotherapy journey with Torigen. This marks vaccine 2 of 3 in her current treatment series. 💉

After being diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma following emergency surgery and a splenectomy on April 30th, Dakota’s family chose to pursue innovative treatment options to help give her the best quality of life possible.

The best update? Mom reports Dakota’s energy is improving, she’s eating well, and she’s acting more like herself again. 🐺✨

One of the goals of personalized cancer immunotherapy is to help the immune system recognize and target cancer cells using a vaccine created specifically from the patient’s own tumor tissue. While every cancer journey is unique and outcomes can vary, seeing patients feel brighter, happier, and more comfortable during treatment is something we celebrate every step of the way.

Dakota continues to handle her treatments like an absolute champion, and we are so honored to walk alongside her family through this process. The love, commitment, and hope they continue to show her is truly inspiring. ❤️

05/18/2026

💛 Tiny patient update!

This baby coyote was separated from his mom after falling from a tunnel bridge on a golf course. Mission Viejo Animal Services safely rescued him after mom could not be located and brought him in for evaluation and supportive care post fall.

He’s now resting comfortably and will soon be transferred to a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Ramona where he can continue to recover and hopefully be reunited with the wild where he belongs. 🌿

A huge thank you to Mission Viejo Animal Services for helping keep this little one safe! 🐾

05/18/2026

Our hospital is getting a new name! 🎉

Beginning Monday, June 1, Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County will become Animal Emergency of South Orange County.

This is a name change only. The new name better reflects the care our team has been providing to pets in Mission Viejo and nearby communities since 1995.

What stays the same:

• Same location: 28085 Hillcrest Road, Mission Viejo
• Same phone number: 949-364-6228
• Same 24/7 hours, including weekends and major holidays
• Same emergency veterinarians and hospital team
• Same care for urgent and emergency patients

We’ll continue caring for dogs, cats, pocket pets, birds, reptiles and exotics.

You may still see the Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County name on our exterior sign for a short time after June 1. Our sign is expected to be updated later in the summer of 2026.

If your pet needs urgent or emergency care, call us at 949-364-6228 or visit us anytime.

05/14/2026

🎉 We Have a New Name! 🎉

Beginning Monday, June 1, Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County will officially become Animal Emergency of South Orange County.

This is a name change only, the hospital, team, and level of care you know and trust remain the same. Our new name better reflects the emergency and urgent care services we have proudly provided to pets in Mission Viejo and surrounding communities since 1995.

What Stays the Same

✔ Same location:
28085 Hillcrest Road, Mission Viejo, CA

✔ Same phone number:
949-364-6228

✔ Same 24/7 hours, including weekends and holidays

✔ Same experienced emergency veterinarians and hospital team

✔ Same compassionate care for urgent and emergency patients of all species.

Please note: you may still see the Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County name on our exterior sign for a short period after June 1. Our updated signage is expected later in Summer 2026.

If your pet needs urgent or emergency veterinary care, we are here for you anytime, day or night.

Call us at 949-364-6228 or visit us 24/7. 🐾