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Urgent Care Veterinarian

East End Animal Surgery & Urgent Care | Houston, Texas

What if you could practice the medicine you believe in, with people who understand why you practice that way?
 

You know when a diagnostic test could change a decision - and when it probably won't. You know how to explain options to an owner who loves their animal but cannot afford gold standard care. You understand that financial limits do not make a patient less deserving of thoughtful care. And when an urgent case arrives, you can take responsibility without needing an approval for every routine choice.
 

If that sounds familiar, we'd like to talk.

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The job: three priorities

  1. Deliver clinically defensible, accessible care. Examine, triage and treat thoughtfully. Recommend diagnostic work and treatment (frequently complicated surgery) because they help the patient. Explain medically reasonable options, their risks and limits.

  2. Own clinical decisions. Prioritize cases, communicate clearly, document accurately, and know when to investigate further, consult or refer. Autonomy here comes with accountability.

  3. Strengthen the crew. Collaborate with technicians and client care colleagues; contribute to direct communication, skill transfer, team flow and shared responsibility.
     

Why we practice this way

Dr Mackenzie built East End Animal Surgery & Urgent Care around a belief that excellent veterinary medicine should remain accessible to ordinary people. Demand for this service is high. The Houston practice sees a substantial caseload, including referrals from emergency hospitals when owners cannot afford the care proposed there. Those patients still need careful triage, honest options and clinicians who can determine what is safely achievable in this setting.

This does not mean ignoring clinical risks, withholding needed diagnostics or pretending every case has an inexpensive solution. It means knowing enough medicine to distinguish essential from optional steps, discussing informed choices honestly, and treating people with dignity.
 

Why this crew takes pride in doing things differently

Dr Mackenzie built East End Animal Surgery & Urgent Care because she believes excellent veterinary medicine should remain accessible to ordinary people. We’re busy because our local community of pet owners and referring practices trusts us to help when others cannot. The work is demanding, and experience and judgment matter. Our team has developed unusual trust and coordination: people anticipate one another, speak directly, respect each other's expertise and take responsibility. She says they can feel like they are 'sharing a brain.' We question unnecessary complexity, not clinical standards.

We think independently without acting alone, find another responsible route when possible and look after our clients and each other along the way. Because of that, we proudly call ourselves the Punky Pirates of veterinary medicine. And we mean it: a Punky Pirates flag flies outside our building. It isn't a costume or a campaign gimmick. It's a visible statement that this way of practicing medicine, and this crew, are worth standing up for. Do good medicine. Use your judgment. Waste nothing. Find a way. Look after the crew. Never forget who we're here for. Those are all things that matter around here.
 

Who will thrive here

An experienced veterinarian with strong clinical reasoning, comfort with spectrum-of-care decisions, respect for technicians, direct communication, reliable documentation and thoughtful prioritization skills. You can make decisions with incomplete information, know your limits and welcome input. You want to help build a model that does not depend solely on its founder.
 

Who may prefer another environment

This is a high-volume, demanding urgent care service - not a slower or easier alternative to an ER. Some patients arrive after a financially unaffordable ER recommendation. You must triage carefully, make timely decisions and communicate options without implying that every case can safely be managed here. You’ll be doing a lot of surgery too. Veterinarians who prefer a predictable caseload or who do not enjoy sustained triage and financial conversations may be happier elsewhere. Those preferences do not make them lesser clinicians, it’s just not the right fit for this role.

Qualifications

  • DVM/VMD or equivalent degree satisfying Texas veterinary licensure requirements; appropriate Texas license required before clinical practice.

  • Demonstrable clinical case management, competent general surgery skills, urgent prioritization, communication and safe escalation.

  • Two years minimum years of experience - urgent/emergency background would be an advantage, but not a necessity.

  • Spanish is a plus, not essential; our technicians can assist with language support.
     

Compensation and practical details

  • Annual salary 160,000–200,000, depending on experience.

  • Typically three 12-hour shifts per week; schedule flexible, consecutive shifts preferred. We are open from Friday-Monday each week.

  • Health, dental and vision insurance; 401(k) with 3% employer match;

  • 2 weeks paid time off.

  • $3,000 CE allowance; licensing and professional fees paid; employee discounts at cost.

  • Potential profit sharing; possible relocation support for the right candidate; future equity/ownership conversations may be possible for the right candidate in the medium term.

  • Work location: Houston, Texas (East End).


 

How to apply

Send your resume and a short note to mackenzie.gallegos@gmail.com. Subject: Urgent Care Veterinarian - Houston.

Tell Dr Mackenzie about a real case where you made a sound practical decision while considering an owner’s circumstances. What did you recommend, why and what happened? Make the case for why you are our next crew mate! Good medicine. Your judgment. A crew that gets it. Are you in?

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