Uptown Animal Hospital

4.6 (274)
4054 Normal St, San Diego, CA 92103, USA

Hours:

Monday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Tuesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Thursday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Friday: 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sunday: Closed

How to Save Money at Uptown Animal Hospital

Schedule Regular Vet Visits

One of the best ways to save on vet bills is to prevent expensive health issues before they develop. By scheduling regular wellness checkups, your vet can detect health issues early, helping you to avoid costly treatments and surgeries down the road.

Price Shop for Pet Prescriptions

Oftentimes our fur babies are prescribed human drugs off-label. Your vet is apt to charge more for these medications than you would pay at your local pharmacy. In fact, big-box or chain pharmacies can offer steep discounts. So it’s best to price shop.

Pet Insurance

Most pet insurance providers will pay between 80% and 90% of the vet bill. You can even get coverage for routine care and things like vaccinations and dental cleanings. If you do the math, you’ll most likely find that pet insurance makes financial sense in the long run as well as gives you peace of mind.

How Do You Choose the Right Pet Insurance Provider?

Pet Insurance Review makes it incredibly easy for pet parents to select an insurance provider they feel good about. You can use our handy comparison tool to get the gist of what a company offers. We’ve also collected over 150,000 reviews of insurance companies from real pet parents like you to rank the top providers in the market. Here is the current ranking of each:

Top Pet Insurance Providers of 2026
Rating Provider Total Review
4.5 AKC 1,797
4.5 ASPCA 12,110
4.9 Embrace 19,788
4.9 Fetch 5,403
4.1 Figo 2,832
4.5 Hartville 179
4.9 Healthy Paws 11,076
4.8 Lemonade 822
4.6 ManyPets 2,413
4.7 MetLife 8,759
4.8 Nationwide 24,892
3.9 Pet Assure 15
4.3 PetPartners 121
4.9 Pets Best 8,940
4.8 Pumpkin 3,160
4.6 Spot 10,954
4.9 Trupanion 55,032
4.8 Prudent Pet 2,698
4.6 Adoro 7

Or, you can simply get a fast quote from multiple providers and go from there.

Thinking of insuring your pet?

Get Quotes & Compare

Getting to Know Your New Vet: Essential Questions to Ask

Choosing a new veterinarian is an important decision for any pet owner. You want to find someone who is competent, compassionate, and a good fit for you and your fur baby. To help you get the most out of your first appointment, here's a list of essential questions to ask your new vet:

Tell me about your experience with [pet type].

Different vets have different areas of specialization. Some are experts with cats, some dogs, some pocket pets, and some horses. Knowing that your vet has vast experience treating your specific type of pet can bring you peace of mind.

How do you handle emergencies?

You must know what to do in case of a pet medical emergency. Inquire what after-hours policy the clinic has, whether they have on-site emergency care available, and if they have a relationship with any nearby emergency animal hospitals.

How do you communicate with pet owners?

Good communication is key to building a trusting relationship with your vet. Ask how they prefer to communicate (phone calls, emails, online portal) and how often you can expect to hear from them.

Are there any breed-specific health concerns I should be aware of?

Some breeds are predisposed to certain health conditions. Knowing what to watch out for can help you catch problems early and get your pet the treatment they need.

Do you have any questions for me about my pet?

This is a great question to ask because the answer will show that the vet is interested in getting to know your pet as an individual and is willing to listen to your concerns.

Bonus question: Can I take a tour of your facility?

Getting a feel for the clinic's environment can help you and your pet feel more comfortable during your visits. Remember, you’re not just looking for a veterinarian, you’re looking for a partnership. Do not be afraid to ask these questions and any others you can think of. Any vet worth their salt will be happy to answer them. Because the more informed you are, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about your pet's care! And that should be every vet’s top priority.

Reviews from Google

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Alex E.

What a great vet! After being charged high rates for standard care it was time for a change. It was a pleasant experience from the call with Zee setting the last minute appointment, to our tech Hunter and lastly seeing Dr.Jurak. We were treated like we mattered, everything was explained well, tons of knowledge within that building and most importantly my dog might not have ptsd from the vet anymore. I would recommend Dr. Jurak and her team to anyone with an animal that is need of a veterinarian.

posted: 09/26/2025

Ellen Heenan

The staff here are just amazing. I can’t say enough wonderful things about them, their passion, and care. We’ve got a tricky dog, and they care for him with such love. He got surgery recently and the staff went above and beyond to make him and us comfortable. I’ve been tearing up this week thinking about their compassion. We’ve seen multiple vets here, even including traveling staff or fill-in staff. Every single one has been incredible. It’s obvious they care deeply about who they hire. We currently have Dr. Woods who is thorough, knowledgeable, fun, and kind. We feel so lucky to have this staff on our dogs’ team!

posted: 01/24/2026

Tina V

Dr. Romero and the entire staff at Uptown are AMAZING! Everyone is genuinely kind, caring and professional at the same time. It’s so hard to find that level of customer care these days. They have their own parking lot off normal street which mages it so easy and convenient with all the construction going on. They even have freshly baked cookies for the humans!

posted: 01/14/2026

Barbara Cerf-Allen

They were really nice and efficient with our two elderly kitties. I was so worried when we first visited them, but they really know how to treat animals without making them nervous and my anxious kitty got a blood test without any trauma. When one of our kitties got terminally sick, they told us gently. And a couple weeks later, they sent us a sympathy card with nice words from the staff. Their kindness makes a big difference.

posted: 11/09/2025

Arkady

I recently switched veterinarians for my senior dog. She underwent dental work with multiple extractions as well as a mass removal. All of the veterinarians and staff that I interacted with were professional and considerate. They kept me updated throughout the surgery and provided clear post-operative instructions and expectations. I really appreciated the follow-up call to make sure that my dog was recovering appropriately the following day. Everything went great, and I highly recommend this hospital. Thank you!

posted: 09/29/2025