NOW OPEN in the former Fort Gatlin Village in the heart of Orlando -- Salazar Veterinary Hospital!
We are excited to bring our passion for helping pets live long and prosperous lives (so we can love on them longer!) to the community.
06/13/2025
Summer in Florida means frequent thunderstorms — while we might be used to them, our dogs often aren’t. If your dog trembles, hides, or pants excessively during a storm, these are signs of thunderstorm anxiety.
Here are a few tips to help your pup get through the storm:
⛈️ Create a safe, cozy place where they can retreat
⛈️ Use calming music to help mask the sound of thunder
⛈️ Thundershirts can be bought at pet stores and help to “swaddle” dogs to ease their anxiety
⛈️ Pheromone-based products, like Adaptil, have also been shown to help with storm anxiety
Do you feel like your pup needs a little extra help? We offer safe and effective anxiety medications that can make a big difference. Reach out to us if you’d like to discuss whether medication might be the right option for your dog.
06/12/2025
If you have tried calling us in the past couple of hours and haven’t been able to get through, that is because our incoming call system is currently down. Our phone system provider is aware of the issue and is actively working toward a resolution. In the meantime, please text our office number for immediate assistance. We appreciate your patience and understanding!
06/05/2025
Riley and Hunter were a joy for us to see today! They were all wags and kisses and they both did such a good job for their visits! 🥹
05/30/2025
Who doesn’t love cooking for the ones we love? This includes our fur babies, of course!
Homemade diets can be beneficial to our furry companions, but it is important to ensure their meals are nutritionally balanced and meeting their individual needs. Life stages, energy/exercise levels, chronic illnesses, and other factors all play a role in determining each pet’s dietary needs…and it’s more complicated than you might think!
The good news is there are resources, such as BalanceIt.com, to help you achieve the best customized diet for your cat or dog. Founded and continually support by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, BalanceIt.com provides a free recipe generation tool to create a custom, balanced recipe that’s wholesome, nutritious, and safe for your pet.
Before making the switch to a homemade diet, make sure any website or cookbook you choose to use is FDA and AAFCO compliant and is supported by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. And, of course, if you have concerns about your pet’s diet and want to be sure their individual needs are being met, give us a call! Homemade diets aren’t for everyone and there are lots of wonderful commercial products available that we can recommend.
05/25/2025
As a reminder we will be closed on Monday, May 26th for Memorial Day. Please utilize Veterinary Emergency Clinic (VEC) for any emergencies over the weekend - they can be reached at (407) 644-4449. We will resume normal office hours of 8am-6pm on Tuesday, May 27th. Have a safe weekend!
05/23/2025
Little Miss Ivy came to see us for her first puppy visit today and she got all the attention! She gave us the sweetest puppy kisses and did such a great job for her first exam!
05/16/2025
Our friend Sq**rt was able to stay dry this week in his adorable raincoat! He is the sweetest boy ever!! 🥰🐶
05/09/2025
Is your pet a senior? It might be time for a check up! Just like us, our furry friends need extra care as they age. Pets are considered seniors around 6 years old and their health needs can change quickly.
A senior checkup helps us catch issues early, like arthritis, kidney disease, or dental problems, so we can keep your pet comfortable and happy for as long as possible. These visits include a full physical exam, bloodwork, and a conversation about changes in behavior, mobility, or appetite.
If your pet is entering their golden years, let’s give them the care they deserve. Let us know if you’d like to schedule a senior wellness exam!
05/02/2025
We had a very special visitor - Squiddly came in for his annual checkup! This sweet pupper was so excited to see us, and we were just as happy to see him. Squiddly wagged his tail through the whole appointment and soaked up all the cuddles he could get, which, of course, we were happy to provide!
04/25/2025
“Hey, who’s the tall guy who sits on the floor and plays with my dog?” That’s Calix, our Certified Veterinary Assistant who has been part of our team for the past 3 years. You may have seen him in the lobby greeting your pet or helping you to and from your car. Although you might not see him all the time, he plays an integral role in keeping our hospital running smoothly. From assisting the doctors and technicians by holding pets for exams and procedures, to helping prepare pets for surgery, Calix has his hands in all aspects of our day-to-day operations. He is also known for his paparazzi-like tendencies, taking adorable pictures of animals, yet incredibly unflattering pictures of the team. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games and spending time with his three dogs. We’re so lucky to have Calix on our team!
04/18/2025
Spring season is here!
With blooming flowers and excessive pollen in the air, our pets, just like us, can experience environmental allergies. Pets with allergies often lick or scratch excessively, which can irritate the skin.
With the spring also comes the Florida heat! We would recommend avoiding walking your dog in the middle of the day, and keeping plenty of fresh water available at all times. We want your pets to remain happy and healthy all season long!
04/11/2025
Happy National Pet Day!
Today we’re celebrating the furry companions who make our lives brighter and the incredible bond we share with them every day.
To mark the occasion, we’re showing off some of the very loved pets of our amazing team!
Swipe through to meet our extended family - these are the pets who inspire us to do what we do.
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The origins of Salazar Veterinary Hospital (SVH) could easily be traced back to Dr. David Salazar’s youth, as he knew from a young age that he wanted to be a veterinarian and start his own practice. But let’s skip forward to recent years...
Dr. Salazar graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2012 and accepted a position at a mixed animal practice in Las Cruces, New Mexico. After nearly two years of working with everything from dogs and cats to horses and pigs, he decided to move back to his home state of Florida to be closer to his family. Shortly after relocating, he met and began dating April Evans, who (as an animal lover) was immediately drawn to his passion for his profession. On November 7, 2015, David and April married.
With Dr. Salazar’s varied and intensive experience as a veterinarian and April’s managerial background, becoming practice owners seemed like a no-brainer. In late 2015, they began looking into purchasing an existing veterinary hospital. After three years of exploring this option and failing to find a hospital that felt “right,” Dr. Salazar decided that the best way for him to achieve his dream would be to open a hospital from scratch. So, in December 2018 -- with barely any idea of the process ahead -- Dr. Salazar contacted a veterinary practice consulting group for guidance and applied for a bank loan. Before the end of 2018, Salazar Veterinary Hospital, LLC was created.
The funny thing about starting a business is that some things move quicker than anticipated, while other things require a lot of sitting around and waiting. Basically, patience and adaptability are key. Even with consultants and excellent contacts, though, the process has not been smooth or easy. Finding the right location to open a hospital was a challenge -- while Orlando is still developing, it’s also pretty jam-packed and lacking lease spaces appropriate for a veterinary hospital. Let’s not even get started on the process of negotiating lease terms and how long that took! Connecting with a contractor who could see Dr. Salazar’s dream through to fruition was (mostly) painless, but waiting on approvals and permits from the city to even begin construction was excruciating.
Now that the ball is rolling and construction is well underway, the light at the end of the tunnel (“Grand Opening Day”) is finally in sight. There is still much to be done -- as this is being written, Salazar Veterinary Hospital is currently four blank walls, concrete flooring with plumbing protruding, and exposed air conditioning ducts where a ceiling will eventually be. Outside of the construction zone, Dr. Salazar and April are diligently working at hashing out the day-to-day details of daily hospital operation to ensure they can meet their ultimate goal which they set forth at the inception of SVH: “Through preventative care, our ability to help pets in need, and our passion for building the human/animal bond, our primary goal is for patients to live long and prosperous lives so their families can love them longer.”
The Salazar family -- David, April, and their 3-year-old son, Hunter -- welcome you to join them on their journey toward opening Salazar Veterinary Hospital. Progress updates will be posted regularly, along with appearances in the community, information about the hospital, and more. We look forward to meeting you and your furry family members!
