UC Veterinary Medical Center - San Diego

06/03/2026

Take a Look! New Renderings Show the Center’s Mission to Provide Highest Quality Care 🐾

Scheduled to open in Fall 2026, the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California will usher in a new era of veterinary care for the region. For more than 25 years, the UC Veterinary Medical Center in San Diego has served pets and their families with excellence and compassion — but demand for advanced veterinary services has far outpaced capacity. The new center will expand our space sevenfold, creating a 23,000-square-foot facility that offers specialty care, 24-hour emergency services, and opportunities for clinical research, ensuring that more patients receive the highest quality care.

The center is under construction at 5040 Shoreham Place, in San Diego’s University City, with a planned opening in the Fall of 2026. Now, take a look at what the new UC Davis Hobbs Veterinary Center through these new architectural renderings. (Note: architectural renderings may change as construction continues.)

Learn more at the link in the bio 🐾

Slide 1: Rendering of the outside of the new Janice K Hobbs veterinary medical center
Slide 2: Rendering of the new proposed lobby at the new Janice K Hobbs veterinary medical center
Slide 3: Rendering of the new Oncology suite

05/26/2026

Meet Dr. Joao Orvalho! Cardiologist at UC Veterinary Medical Center San Diego 🐾

No two days look the same for Dr. Orvalho. One moment he’s caring for dogs and cats with complex cardiovascular disease, the next he’s consulting on critical cases or partnering with teams like the San Diego Zoo to advance cardiac care across species.

For him, that variety is exactly the point. His dedication to mastering one system — the heart — means every patient, big or small, gets specialist-level care from someone who has made cardiology their life’s work.

Whether you’re a pet owner navigating a new diagnosis or a referring veterinarian looking for a trusted cardiology partner in Southern California — we’re here.

 📍UC Veterinary Medical Center San Diego
Link in bio to learn more



Slide 1: Meet the team, an image of a doctor introduced as Dr Joao Orvalho, Veterinary Cardiologist
Slide 2: Blue and turquoise graphic with quote “what drew me to this specialty was being able to focus on one organ and truly become an expert on that system”
Slide 3: A light blue graphic encouraging following the account for more info

05/19/2026

Know your breed! It could save their life 🐾

Dobermans are one of the breeds most commonly affected by dilated cardiomyopathy — a serious heart condition that can develop with little warning. Karl’s owner knew this before they even brought him home.

From puppyhood, Karl has been coming to us for regular cardiac screenings. As Dr. Timothy Hodge, our cardiology specialist, puts it: “Karl first came to see us in 2020 for an initial screening exam, based on his breed. Dobermans have a high rate of developing dilated cardiomyopathy.”

By 2024, those screenings had caught early signs of DCM and a heart arrhythmia. Karl was started on medication and the rest is history. Today he’s doing exactly what he should be — enjoying his walks, his snacks, his naps.

This is what proactive, specialist-led care looks like. Not waiting for a crisis, catching things early, managing them carefully, and giving dogs like Karl the best possible quality of life.

If your dog is a breed with known cardiac risks — Dobermans, Boxers, Great Danes, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, talk to your primary vet about a cardiology referral.



Slide 1: Karl, a brown Doberman in a blue harness, sitting outside the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center San Diego building.

Slide 2: Karl in the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center waiting room

Slide 3: Karl sitting on a waiting room sofa with a UC Davis 75 Years of Exceptional Care and Innovation banner behind him.

05/10/2026

With Mother’s Day this weekend, lilies will be in homes across San Diego — in bouquets, on tables, in vases. They’re beautiful. But if you have a cat, they can be fatal.

Most cat owners don’t know that common lilies can cause fatal kidney failure in cats from just licking pollen off their paws or drinking water from a vase. Swipe to know the signs, the timeline, and what to do if you’re worried.

If your cat needs specialist care, our team is here.

📍 10435 Sorrento Valley Road, San Diego
📞 858-875-7505
📧 [email protected]

PetHealth CatOwners SanDiegoCats

Slide1: graphic Lilly warning of its toxicity to cats
Slide 2: graphic explaining even the smallest amount can be fatal
Slide 3: graphic with signs to look for if your cat is exposed to lilies
Slide 4: graphic with contact info

05/07/2026

Things are taking shape at 5040 Shoreham Place in San Diego!

Construction on the 23,000-square-foot facility is well underway, led by award-winning global architecture firm Safdie Rabines and premier builder Swinerton — both with deep roots in the San Diego area.

When the doors open in 2026, the existing UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego will move to the new Shoreham Place facility and become the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center Southern California — a space seven times larger than today’s clinic.



Slide 1: photo of construction update of the new updated veterinary clinic

Slide 2: Video of construction update inside the new veterinary clinic

04/14/2026

Meet Cupcake 🐾

Cupcake came to UC Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego needing advanced cardiology care. Thanks to compassionate care funds made available through philanthropic support, she received the critical treatment she needed — including surgery for a congenital heart condition — at the time she needed it most.
She’s back home now doing what she loves best: sunbathing and keeping a watchful eye over her people. 🌞

Compassionate care funds help ensure that financial barriers never stand in the way of life-saving treatment. Stories like Cupcake’s are why this matters.

To learn more, visit the link in our bio 🐾



Slide 1 — Cover
A small fluffy white dog lies contentedly on a blue towel in warm sunlight. Text overlay reads: Gratitude in Action. Meet Cupcake.
Slide 2 — Quote
Navy branded graphic with teal and gold geometric circle accents. Text reads in teal italic font: “Thanks to compassionate care funds made available through philanthropic support, Cupcake received critical treatment at the time she needed it most.”
Slide 3 — Thank You
Teal branded graphic with navy and gold geometric circle accents. Text reads: Gratitude in Action. Thank you. Stories like Cupcake’s are thanks to donors who pave the way for veterinary care when a beloved companion animal needs it most. Learn more at hobbs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/giving. Handle: .

04/07/2026

We’re UC Davis Weill Veterinary Medical Center, San Diego, a specialty referral center backed by the #1 ranked veterinary school in the nation.

We currently offer three core specialty services:

🔵 Nephrology, Urology & Hemodialysis
🔵 Cardiology
🔵 Clinical Pharmacy

Swipe to learn more about each service and what we can do for your pet

📍 10435 Sorrento Valley Rd, San Diego
📞 858-875-7505
🕘 Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm



Slide 1: Navy & teal graphic. Text reads: UC Davis Weill Veterinary Medicine, Southern California. Specialty Care That Goes Further. Backed by the number one ranked veterinary school in the nation, right here in San Diego.

Slide 2: Navy & teal graphic. Text reads: Nephrology and Urology plus Hemodialysis. One of the only veterinary centers in the country offering renal replacement therapy for companion animals. We treat acute and chronic kidney disease, urinary tract disorders, and complex cases requiring hemodialysis, CRRT, or therapeutic plasma exchange. Tags: AKI/CKD, Hemodialysis, CRRT, Urolithiasis, Plasma Exchange.

Slide 3: Navy & teal graphic. Text reads: Cardiology. Heart and Vascular Care. Our board-certified veterinary cardiologists provide expert diagnosis and management of heart and vascular disease, from advanced echocardiography and Holter monitoring to long-term cardiac care planning. Tags: Echocardiography, Heart Disease, Arrhythmia, Holter Monitoring

Slide 4: Navy & teal graphic. Text reads: Clinical Pharmacy. Our on-site veterinary pharmacy team provides specialized medication services including compounding, therapeutic drug monitoring, and clinical research, ensuring every patient receives precise, evidence-based pharmaceutical care. Tags: Compounding, Drug Monitoring, Clinical Research, On-Site

Slide 5: Navy teal graphic. Text reads Coming Fall 2026. We are growing. We are expanding into a brand new state-of-the-art facility, seven times larger, bringing even more specialty services to Southern California. Becoming the Janice K. Hobbs UC Davis Veterinary Medical Center, 5040 Shoreham Place, San Diego and expanding services

10/29/2025

We’re excited to welcome Olivia to the UCVMC San Diego team! She recently relocated from the Bay Area and can’t wait to explore everything San Diego has to offer.

Her passion for veterinary medicine comes from a lifelong love for animals, including her 13-year-old chinchilla rabbit, Ashton.

When she's not working, you'll probably find her figure skating, playing volleyball, or hunting down the best iced coffee in town.

She's looking forward to meeting new people and getting involved in the community!

10/28/2025

Kirsten has joined the UCVMC San Diego Team with 6 years of customer service experience in specialty and ER veterinary medicine.

She loves to expand her understanding of the field by shadowing the team and attending conferences.

Kirsten is also proud to be Recover BLS and ALS certified.

Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with her cat, Bindi.

10/07/2025