New specialized vet hospital opens in El Dorado Hills

A new state-of-the-art specialty veterinary center has opened in El Dorado Hills. Summit Veterinary Specialty Center has opened recently, bringing skilled surgeons trained in a wide range of advanced orthopedic and soft tissue procedures to one of the fastest-growing and pet-friendly communities in the Sacramento region, said business owners. Summit Veterinary Specialty Center is located at 5176 Hillsdale Circle, a few blocks west of the intersection of Latrobe Road and Investment Boulevard. The center opened in late August but had an official grand opening celebration on September 10th, complete with a ribbon cutting event. El Dorado Hills has about 53,000 residents – a 25% increase since 2010 – and an estimated half of the households have at least one dog, higher than the statewide average of 40%, said owners of Summit. Despite the fast-paced growth in recent years, many dog and cat owners in El Dorado Hills and the surrounding community have few choices for nearby specialty surgeries – including life-saving procedures such as opening airways to fixing compound fractures – for their much-beloved pets. "We recognized a growing need for advanced veterinary surgical services closer to these families and their primary-care veterinarians," said Dr. Justin Uhl, a board-certified veterinary surgeon and founder-owner of Summit Veterinary Specialty Center. "We want to improve access to high-quality care, reduce travel stress for pets and their families, and keep their primary-care veterinarians involved throughout the process." Summit Veterinary Specialty Center features three operating rooms, four exam rooms, and digital X-ray, dental X-ray, fluoroscopy, and CT scan machines. The 5,000-square-foot specialty center offers numerous services and surgeries, from treating broken bones to complex abdominal and thoracic operations, such as bladder stone surgery and mass removals. The specialty center also provides hip surgery, knee stabilization and minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques that can ease pain, shorten recovery times and improve patient outcomes. There are plans to start offering total joint replacements in 2027. Summit Veterinary Specialty Center will continue to add services as veterinary medicine evolves, Dr. Uhl said. After procedures, dogs and cats recover in Casco Pet cages – all-glass housing enclosures that are quieter, warmer and less stressful than traditional metal cages. "Our new specialty center was designed from the ground up specifically for advanced veterinary surgery," said Dr. Uhl, who earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis, and completed a rotating internship and surgical residency at the University of Minnesota. "Every aspect of the hospital – from the operating suites and imaging equipment to patient recovery and client consultation areas – was built to maximize patient safety, efficiency and comfort." Summit Veterinary Specialty Center started as a mobile-only specialty surgical practice in 2018 and later opened a surgery center in the Pocket neighborhood in southwest Sacramento in 2024. The specialty center in the Pocket recently closed with the move to El Dorado Hills. The mobile service will continue.