Word on the Street: Northeast Fresno pet clinic is moving to smaller location

NorthPointe Animal Hospital in northeast Fresno will be moving to a smaller location in September or October.

The new location is about two blocks north at 10069 N. Maple Ave. It’s slightly smaller than the current setup, although Dr. Kristin McIntyre said she will continue to provide all of her services after the move, including preventive care as well as medical and surgical.

The clinic serves a variety of animals, from the standard cats, dogs and birds to hedgehogs, ferrets, frogs and sugar gliders. McIntyre said she’ll see anything smaller than a goat or a pot-bellied pig.

McIntyre is the clinic’s sole veterinarian and opened the practice in 2005. Prior to that, she said she worked at small animal clinics in town.

She said she decided to open NorthPointe Animal Hospital as a one-person practice because she wanted to provide a more personal service, as pets and owners would see the same vet every time.

The new location will be more convenient for many of her clients, she said. It will also be next to dog groomer Knotty Doggy, saving pet owners a trip between the two, McIntyre said.

The smaller location will also allow for more space efficiency, such as tables that fold out of the wall in exam rooms to accommodate dogs of various sizes. The tables are folded down for a small dog, and up for a big dog, she said.

And some equipment that’s just sitting on the ground, such as the X-ray machine used to examine a dog’s teeth, will be wall-mounted in the new clinic to save floorspace, she said.

The clinic’s staff of four will be making the move as well.

There may also be room for a part-time vet in the future, although McIntyre said she wants to remain the clinic’s main vet. Despite the new clinic’s smaller size, there’s room for growth, she said.

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 11:28 AM with the headline "Word on the Street: Northeast Fresno pet clinic is moving to smaller location."