Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital contact guide for small animals, exotics, horses, livestock, pharmacy, records, and emergency care
Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital usually refers to the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis. It is a large teaching hospital serving dogs, cats, exotic companion animals, horses, livestock, referring veterinarians, and animal owners who need advanced veterinary care.
Use this guide to call the correct number, understand emergency access, schedule a new appointment, prepare records and referrals, find the right reception area, use the client portal, request medical records, check pharmacy details, and avoid common arrival mistakes on the UC Davis campus.
UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Davis, California.
UC Davis Health Science District, Davis, CA 95616.
Dogs, cats, exotics, appointments, records, refills, and emergency contact.
Horses and livestock in-clinic appointments and emergencies.
Large animal field service appointments at a ranch, farm, or production facility.
Call first and follow the correct reception and parking-lot directions.
Start here: which UC Davis veterinary department should you call?
The right phone number depends on the animal, urgency, and whether you need a specialty referral, primary care visit, emergency care, pharmacy refill, or records help.
| Your need | Best route | What to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Dog or cat emergency | Call Small Animal Hospital at 530-752-1393 and follow emergency directions. | Pet name, species, age, symptoms, medications, toxin exposure if any, and estimated arrival time. |
| Horse or livestock emergency | Call Large Animal Hospital at 530-752-0290 before loading or arriving. | Species, weight, symptoms, trailer status, fever, diarrhea, cough, nasal discharge, and location. |
| New small animal appointment | Call 530-752-1393 for dogs, cats, and exotic companion animals. | Owner contact, patient species, breed, age, sex, color, problem, regular veterinarian, and referral details. |
| Large animal appointment | Call 530-752-0290 for in-clinic appointments or 530-752-9618 for field service. | Animal type, farm/ranch location, trailer needs, medical history, reason for visit, and referring veterinarian. |
| Specialty referral | Ask your primary veterinarian to send records and referral information, then confirm with the correct UC Davis service. | Referral letter, lab work, imaging reports, radiographs, medication list, discharge notes, and insurance forms if needed. |
| Medical records copy | Contact Client Services or call Small Animal 530-752-1393 or Large Animal 530-752-0290. | Owner name, patient name, service seen, visit date, receiving clinic email, and requested record type. |
| Prescription refill | Call 530-752-1393 and choose the pharmacy prompt, or use the client portal when available. | Patient name, medication name, dose, prescribing service, pharmacy choice, and current supply left. |
Official UC Davis VMTH links and what to do after each opens
Use official UC Davis pages first because maps, entrance instructions, referral rules, pharmacy hours, billing information, and emergency guidance can change.
Veterinary Hospital home
Open UC Davis Veterinary Hospital
- Use the Client Information area for the portal, care-team contact, appointments, and emergency numbers.
- Confirm whether you need small animal, exotics, equine, livestock, pharmacy, laboratory, or clinical-trial information.
- Use official links instead of third-party directory phone numbers.
Emergency services
- Call the correct emergency number before traveling.
- Follow reception parking directions because GPS can be confusing on campus.
- Use Lot 50 or 55 for small animals and Lot 51 for large animals as directed.
Schedule an appointment
- Have owner contact, patient signalment, symptoms, and referring veterinarian details ready.
- Check whether your service uses Small Animal Reception A, Reception B, or Large Animal Reception.
- Plan extra time because teaching-hospital appointments may take several hours.
Small Animal Hospital
- Use for dogs, cats, exotic companion animals, primary care, emergency, and specialty services.
- Check which specialty service best fits your pet’s problem.
- Call 530-752-1393 before sending records or traveling.
Large Animal Hospital
- Use for horses, livestock, equine specialties, camelids, herd health, field service, and large animal emergencies.
- Call 530-752-0290 for in-clinic large animal care or 530-752-9618 for field service.
- Do not unload an animal with diarrhea, fever, cough, or nasal discharge before notifying reception.
Directions and parking
- Use UC Davis Health Science District directions instead of relying only on a street address.
- Use Lot 50 for Small Animal Reception A, Lot 55 for Reception B, and Lot 51 for Large Animal Reception.
- Register your license plate at reception for designated client parking.
Pharmacy and laboratories
- Use for VMTH pharmacy contact, medication pickup windows, lab services, and diagnostic support.
- Remember medications can only be dispensed during pharmacy hours.
- Ask whether your refill must be approved by the prescribing VMTH service.
Client rights and responsibilities
- Review communication, appointment, payment, safety, and animal-control expectations.
- Use leash, carrier, halter, trailer, and livestock-control rules before arriving.
- Ask the hospital if you need accommodation or clarification before your visit.
Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital contact directory
Use the correct department number so urgent cases, records, pharmacy requests, and large animal appointments are routed correctly.
| Department or need | Phone or contact | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Small Animal Hospital | 530-752-1393 | Dogs, cats, exotics, small animal appointments, records, refills, and emergency contact. |
| Small animal emergency | 530-752-1393 | 24/7 emergency care for cats and dogs. Press the emergency option if prompted. |
| Exotic animal emergency | 530-752-1393 | Exotics emergency questions. Published exotic emergency hours are not the same as dog/cat 24/7 emergency coverage, so call first. |
| Large Animal Hospital | 530-752-0290 | Horses, livestock, in-clinic large animal appointments, and 24/7 large animal emergency contact. |
| Large Animal Field Service | 530-752-9618 | Field service appointments at ranch, farm, stable, or production facility. |
| VMTH Pharmacy | 530-752-0187 | Medication dispensing, refill questions, pharmacy pickup timing, and VMTH prescription support. |
| Billing concerns | vmcbilling@ucdavis.edu for small animal billing; billingla@vmth.ucdavis.edu for large animal billing | Invoice questions, estimate concerns, supplemental charges, and billing clarification. |
| General school contact | 530-752-1360 | General UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine information, not urgent patient care. |
Emergency and urgent care at UC Davis VMTH
UC Davis VMTH provides emergency veterinary access, but the correct entrance and phone number depend on the animal type.
Cats and dogs
Call 530-752-1393. UC Davis lists cat and dog emergency care as 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Horses and livestock
Call 530-752-0290. UC Davis lists horse and livestock emergency care as 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
Exotic animals
Call 530-752-1393. The emergency page lists exotics emergency hours separately, so call before traveling with birds, reptiles, rabbits, rodents, or other exotic pets.
Severe symptoms
Difficulty breathing, collapse, seizures, major trauma, inability to urinate, suspected poisoning, severe bleeding, bloating, or foaling/calving trouble should be treated as urgent.
How to schedule an appointment at Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
Appointments can be made directly or through a referring veterinarian, depending on the service and problem.
Where to go: Reception A, Reception B, and Large Animal Reception
The UC Davis VMTH campus has different reception points. Confirm your appointment location before driving.
| Reception area | Common services listed by UC Davis | Parking and check-in |
|---|---|---|
| Small Animal Reception A | Behavior, Dentistry/Oral Surgery, Emergency, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Nutrition, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery. | Park in Lot 50, follow Emergency signs to the Small Animal Clinic entrance, and check in on the 2nd floor. |
| Small Animal Reception B | Cardiology, Community Surgery, Companion Exotic Animal Medicine/Surgery, Dermatology, Oncology, Primary Care, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. | Park in Lot 55 and proceed into the glass-front Center for Companion Animal Health building adjacent to the lot. |
| Large Animal Reception | Equine, livestock, large animal medicine, surgery, emergency, field-service-related intake, and specialty appointments. | Park in Lot 51. Trailer parking is in the dirt section of the lot. Enter through the double glass doors labeled Large Animal Clinic. |
| Game-day route | Small animal, exotic, and large animal clients traveling during UC Davis football game-day traffic. | Use the hospital’s game-day directions and UC Davis Exit 71 route when posted to avoid traffic delays near the stadium. |
Small animal and specialty veterinary services
The Small Animal Hospital serves dogs, cats, and exotic companion animals with primary care, emergency care, and advanced specialty services.
| Service area | Common use | Before booking |
|---|---|---|
| Primary care | Routine care, wellness needs, general exams, preventive care, and non-specialty small animal visits. | Ask whether your pet should see primary care first or a specialty service directly. |
| Emergency and ICU | Acute illness, injury, critical care, hospitalization, monitoring, and emergency diagnostics. | Call 530-752-1393 before arriving and follow Emergency signs. |
| Internal medicine | Complex medical problems, endocrine, kidney, liver, gastrointestinal, immune, respiratory, or multi-system disease. | Send lab work, imaging, current medications, and referral notes. |
| Surgery and orthopedics | Soft tissue surgery, orthopedic surgery, advanced procedures, surgical consultations, and recovery planning. | Ask about fasting, estimate, imaging, anesthesia, and possible hospitalization. |
| Dentistry and oral surgery | Advanced dental care, oral surgery, extractions, oral tumors, jaw problems, and specialized dental treatment. | Confirm referral requirements and bring dental radiographs or prior treatment records. |
| Cardiology, oncology, neurology, ophthalmology | Heart disease, cancer, seizures, spine/brain disease, eye disease, and complex specialty care. | Confirm service location and bring diagnostic records from your primary veterinarian. |
| Sports medicine and rehabilitation | Mobility, lameness, post-surgical rehab, performance recovery, conditioning, and pain-management support. | Bring prior imaging, surgery notes, medication list, and home-exercise history. |
| Nutrition and behavior | Diet planning, complex nutrition cases, weight concerns, behavior concerns, and telemedicine when offered by the service. | Ask whether the visit is in-person or telemedicine and what forms are required. |
Large Animal Hospital: horses, livestock, ranch visits, and specialty care
The Large Animal Hospital serves equine and livestock patients at the hospital and, for some needs, at ranch, farm, stable, or production locations.
Equine care
Services include equine medicine, surgery, lameness, sports medicine, dentistry and oral surgery, ophthalmology, reproduction, neonatal care, emergency, and farrier-related needs.
Livestock care
UC Davis lists livestock medicine and surgery, herd health and reproduction, camelid medicine, and production-medicine connections.
Field service
Call 530-752-9618 for field-service appointments when care may be provided at a ranch, farm, stable, or production facility.
Arrival caution
If a large animal has diarrhea, fever, cough, or nasal discharge, do not unload before notifying reception because isolation may be needed.
Exotic companion animal care at UC Davis VMTH
Exotic pets may route through the Small Animal Hospital and the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service.
| Animal or need | Call | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Birds and parrots | 530-752-1393 | Ask whether the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service is the right service and what carrier or heat-support setup is safest. |
| Rabbits, rodents, and small mammals | 530-752-1393 | Call quickly for not eating, breathing trouble, collapse, severe diarrhea, or trauma. |
| Reptiles and amphibians | 530-752-1393 | Ask how to transport with proper temperature support and whether prior habitat details should be brought. |
| Wildlife | 530-752-1393 or follow UC Davis service instructions | Do not handle wildlife unnecessarily. Call first for safe routing, legal limits, and wildlife-service direction. |
| Emergency exotics | 530-752-1393 | UC Davis lists exotics emergency hours separately from cat/dog 24/7 emergency coverage, so verify current availability before traveling. |
Medical records, referral records, imaging, and insurance paperwork
Records are especially important at a teaching hospital because many patients arrive with complex histories or referral workups.
| Record type | Who should send it | Why UC Davis may need it |
|---|---|---|
| Referral letter | Your primary veterinarian or referring clinic | Explains the problem, prior treatment, response to treatment, and reason for specialty care. |
| Lab results | Primary veterinarian, emergency hospital, or diagnostic lab | Helps UC Davis compare progression and avoid unnecessary repeated testing when clinically appropriate. |
| X-rays and imaging | Referring veterinarian or imaging facility | Specialists may need original images plus reports, not only summary notes. |
| Medication history | Owner and primary veterinarian | Dose, frequency, response, side effects, supplements, and discontinued medications can affect treatment decisions. |
| Vaccination and preventive history | Primary veterinarian or owner portal | Needed for boarding, infectious-disease risk, preventive care planning, and hospital safety. |
| Insurance records | Owner, insurer, or VMTH Client Services | You may need invoices, discharge instructions, diagnosis information, and medical notes for reimbursement claims. |
UC Davis VMTH client portal: appointments, estimates, invoices, prescriptions, and messages
The client portal is useful for current VMTH clients, but it does not replace emergency calling.
Pharmacy, prescription refills, and laboratory support
UC Davis VMTH has hospital pharmacy and laboratory services that support patient care and referring veterinarians.
| Need | Contact or route | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Main VMTH pharmacy | 530-752-0187 | The pharmacy page lists weekday and Saturday dispensing hours. Medications can only be dispensed to clients during pharmacy hours. |
| Small animal prescription refill | Call 530-752-1393 and use the pharmacy prompt when available. | Have patient name, medication, strength, dose, remaining supply, and prescribing service ready. |
| Prescription from outside veterinarian | Ask VMTH pharmacy first. | VMTH pharmacy may be limited to prescriptions connected to a VMTH appointment or clinician order. |
| Clinical laboratory questions | Use UC Davis hospital laboratory services or referring-veterinarian lab instructions. | Laboratory services support diagnostics, pathology, transfusion medicine, and clinical care. |
| Insurance claim invoice | Use portal invoices or contact Client Services. | Ask for itemized invoices, discharge instructions, and medical notes required by your pet insurance provider. |
Billing, estimates, deposits, insurance, and payment planning
UC Davis VMTH provides estimates, but final cost can change because diagnostics, hospitalization, procedures, and response to treatment vary by patient.
| Billing topic | What UC Davis tells clients | What to ask before treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Cost estimate | Veterinarians cannot always determine exact cost before diagnosis and treatment are underway. | Ask for the current estimate range, likely tests, possible hospitalization, and when you will be updated. |
| Deposit | The appointment page explains deposit expectations when an animal is admitted for diagnosis or treatment. | Ask what deposit is due now, what balance is due at discharge, and what could create supplemental charges. |
| Paperless billing | UC Davis states invoices and statements are sent by email rather than mail. | Confirm your email address and ask how to access invoices in the portal. |
| Small animal billing | Small animal billing concerns route to vmcbilling@ucdavis.edu. | Include invoice number, patient name, visit date, service, and question. |
| Large animal billing | Large animal billing concerns route to billingla@vmth.ucdavis.edu. | Include farm or owner name, patient name, visit date, field-service or hospital service, and invoice number. |
| Pet insurance | Owners usually need itemized invoices and medical records for reimbursement claims. | Ask for documents your insurer requires, including diagnosis, treatment plan, invoice, and discharge summary. |
What to bring to a UC Davis VMTH appointment
A little preparation can reduce delays, repeated testing, and confusion at check-in.
For dogs and cats
- Leash or secure carrier
- Medication list with doses
- Prior lab work and imaging
- Referral letter if available
- Insurance information if you plan to file a claim
For exotics
- Secure species-appropriate carrier
- Diet, habitat, temperature, humidity, and lighting details
- Photos of enclosure if relevant
- Recent droppings or sample if requested
- Prior veterinarian records
For horses and livestock
- Trailer and halter control
- Feed, medication, vaccine, and deworming history
- Prior radiographs, ultrasound, lab work, or farm records
- Fever, diarrhea, cough, or nasal discharge status
- Ranch/farm contact and directions for field service
For all visits
- Owner photo ID if requested
- Updated phone and email
- Payment method and insurance details
- Questions for the clinician
- Extra time for teaching-hospital workflow
Client rights, responsibilities, animal control, and hospital safety
UC Davis VMTH’s client rights and responsibilities document emphasizes respectful communication, accurate information, appointment responsibility, payment terms, and control of animals on the premises.
| Safety area | Rule to follow | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Keep dogs on non-retractable leashes in parking and public areas. | This protects other patients, clients, staff, and your dog in a high-stress hospital setting. |
| Cats and small animals | Use safe carriers for cats and smaller animals. | Carriers prevent escapes, injuries, and stress reactions in busy reception areas. |
| Horses and camelids | Keep horses and llamas or alpacas haltered and under control. | Large animal areas require controlled unloading and movement for patient and staff safety. |
| Livestock | Keep livestock in trailers or vehicles until unloading with VMTH staff. | Staff may need to direct unloading, isolation, or patient movement. |
| Infectious signs | Tell reception before unloading or entering if your animal has fever, diarrhea, cough, nasal discharge, or contagious-disease concern. | Isolation precautions may protect hospitalized patients and other visitors. |
| Respectful communication | Communicate respectfully with clinicians, students, staff, and volunteers. | Clear and respectful communication helps the team treat your animal and keep the hospital safe. |
UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital map and parking
The hospital is in the UC Davis Health Science District. Use official reception directions for Lot 50, Lot 55, or Lot 51.
UC Davis VMTH
William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
One Garrod Drive
Davis, CA 95616
Small Animal: 530-752-1393
Large Animal: 530-752-0290
Parking lot decision
Official source checklist for this Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital guide
Use these official UC Davis pages for final verification because hours, entrances, contacts, services, portal functions, and billing instructions can change.
| Official source | What it verifies | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| UC Davis Veterinary Hospital | Hospital overview, client services, client portal, care-team contact, emergency numbers, and teaching-hospital identity. | Use first for general VMTH navigation. |
| Emergency Services | Emergency numbers, 24/7 cat/dog/horse/livestock emergency care, exotics emergency hours, and reception parking directions. | Use immediately for urgent or emergency cases. |
| Schedule an Appointment | Appointment phone numbers, appointment hours, what information to provide, reception assignments, parking, teaching workflow, cost notes, records, refills, and billing contacts. | Use before scheduling or visiting. |
| Small Animal Hospital | Dog, cat, and exotics services, small animal phone number, 24/7 emergency statement, portal functions, primary care, and specialty services. | Use for small animal, exotic, and specialty appointment routing. |
| Large Animal Hospital | Equine and livestock services, in-clinic phone, field service phone, large animal emergency availability, service list, and contact emails. | Use for horses, livestock, field service, and large animal emergencies. |
| Directions to the Hospital | Physical address, highway directions, Lot 50, Lot 55, Lot 51, client parking, game-day routing, and campus-map links. | Use before driving, especially during campus traffic or football game days. |
| Pharmacy and Laboratories | VMTH pharmacy phone, pharmacy hours, dispensing limits, laboratory services, clinical diagnostics, and support-service routing. | Use for prescription and diagnostic-support questions. |
| About the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital | Hospital teaching mission, board-certified faculty, patient volume, advanced training programs, clinical trials, facilities, and AAHA accreditation statement. | Use for background and teaching-hospital context. |
| Client Rights and Responsibilities PDF | Client communication expectations, payment responsibility, animal-control rules, safety responsibilities, and respectful conduct standards. | Use before visiting with dogs, cats, small animals, horses, camelids, or livestock. |
| UC Davis Vet Med Contact | School contact information, hospital phone, 24/7 emergency statement, and general UC Davis Veterinary Medicine contacts. | Use for nonurgent school-level contact and general information. |
Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital FAQs
These questions focus on UC Davis VMTH contact numbers, emergency care, appointments, referrals, records, pharmacy, billing, parking, large animals, exotics, and what to expect at a teaching hospital.