Business Details
14 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Your Trusted Partner for Veterinary Care in Chicago
At Pets First, we approach veterinary care with a deep understanding of the bond between pets and their families. Established in 2012, our Chicago-based practice combines over two decades of collective veterinary experience with a commitment to compassionate, comprehensive care. Our team of certified professionals specializes in wellness programs, soft tissue surgery, dental procedures, and end-of-life services, utilizing evidence-based methodologies to address both routine and complex medical needs.Recognized for excellence in integrative medicine, including acupuncture and herbal therapies, we maintain rigorous professional standards through ongoing education and collaboration with referral specialists. We guarantee transparent communication, personalized treatment planning, and ethical stewardship of every patient entrusted to our care.
Services
Wellness Visits
General Surgery
Dental Care
End-of-Life Services
Referral Services
Telehealth Consultations
Cold Laser Therapy
Nutritional Counseling
Details
- Year established: 2012
Highlights and features
- We offer 12+ years of specialized veterinary expertise since 2012
- Our doctors hold advanced certifications in acupuncture and integrative medicine
- We provide personalized care plans considering medical, emotional, and financial needs
- Our team includes residency-trained specialists in dentistry and soft tissue surgery
- We maintain active partnerships with leading veterinary specialty centers
What people say
Compassionate care
Knowledgeable staff
Personalized treatment
State-of-the-art facilities
Thorough explanations
Services
Wellness Visits
Our wellness programs focus on disease prevention and early detection through comprehensive physical exams and tailored vaccination schedules. We provide parasite screening, nutritional assessments, and age-specific health monitoring for puppies to senior pets. Our team emphasizes client education to help owners maintain their pets' optimal health.
General Surgery
We perform routine and complex soft tissue procedures including spay/neuter operations, mass removals, and cystotomies. Our surgical team utilizes modern anesthetic protocols and monitors patients continuously with advanced equipment. Pre-surgical diagnostics ensure safe anesthesia while post-operative care includes pain management and recovery support.
Dental Care
Our dental services include complete oral assessments, professional cleanings, and extractions. Digital dental radiography allows precise diagnosis of tooth root issues. We treat periodontal disease and provide home care recommendations to maintain oral health, which directly impacts pets' overall well-being.
End-of-Life Services
We offer compassionate end-of-life care for pets with terminal illnesses. Our services include quality-of-life assessments, pain management programs, and humane euthanasia options. We partner with memorial providers and provide resources to help owners cope with pet loss through this difficult transition.
Telehealth Consultations
Telehealth services provide convenient follow-up care for established patients. Our doctors conduct remote consultations for treatment monitoring and medical advice. These appointments maintain care continuity while reducing stress for pets and owners, complementing in-clinic examinations when needed.
People
Dr. Chitra Natarajan
Founder Veterinarian
Since founding the clinic in 2012, Dr. Natarajan brings 28 years of veterinary experience including advanced training in acupuncture and integrative medicine from the Chi Institute. She graduated from University of Illinois in 1996 and specializes in holistic treatment approaches.
Dr. Patrick Mitchell
Veterinarian
With 24 years of veterinary practice experience since graduating from Mississippi State in 2000, Dr. Mitchell specializes in soft tissue surgery and internal medicine. He has practiced in multiple states and joined Pets First in 2013.
Dr. Kurt Larson
Veterinarian
A Chicago area practitioner since 2002, Dr. Larson joined Pets First in 2022. He graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999 and focuses on general practice with special interest in client-centered medical decision-making for pet owners.
Dr. Jennise Fermoso
Veterinarian
Joining in 2024, Dr. Fermoso brings diverse experience including mobile practice work. She graduated from University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 2020 with professional interests in ophthalmology and shelter medicine.
Dr. Robert Plourde
Veterinarian
Practicing since 2011 after graduating from St. George's University, Dr. Plourde specializes in advanced dentistry and soft tissue surgery. He joined the practice in 2024 following years as veterinary relief provider.
Questions
What types of pets do you treat?
We specialize in treating cats and dogs with comprehensive care options for all life stages.
Do you handle emergency situations?
For emergencies, we recommend contacting our referral partners including Chicago Veterinary Emergency Group.
Are there board-certified specialists at Pets First?
Our doctors hold advanced certifications in various veterinary specialties through continuing education programs.
How do telehealth appointments work?
Telehealth consultations require prior in-clinic examination. Our doctors schedule these via telecommunication platforms for follow-up care.
What surgical procedures are available?
We perform soft tissue surgeries including spays, neuters, mass removals, and cystotomies with modern surgical equipment.
How can I schedule appointments?
Call our Chicago office during business hours to schedule wellness visits or surgical consultations.
Reviews (6)
Daisy Gonzalez
Nov 29, 2021
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Amazing vet! I moved to Chicago a few months ago with my frenchie Louis and Im so glad we went to visit Dr. C. She is very kind and profesional. Taylor too, Louis love her. Today was his first appointment and the whole staff was so friendly welcoming.We travel a lot so he has been in too many different vets but this is the first time I want to leave a review because I feel this place is amazing! He was so happy. Thank you so much
Sara Novak
Nov 17, 2021
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I can't say enough about how much I love Pets First ! Dr. Matt is so kind and gentle with Mia and is patient with all of my questions. After a traumatic experience at my last corporate chain vet with previous elderly cat, Dr. Matt knows just how to handle my concerns kindly even if I am a little overprotective of my young and perfectly healthy current cat .
David Neef
Nov 15, 2021
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Dr. C is wonderful. Really took care of my dog while he got over his pneumonia. Very communicative and responsive and answered all my questions and then some! The staff is caring and friendly... just what you need when your loved one is feeling under the weather.
Aly
Nov 01, 2021
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Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Reliability,Responsiveness,Value
Every vet I've ever been to tried to get the most amount of money out of me as possible by trying to push excessive labs for common issues. This vets office is different. They respect your time and money and are completely transparent about the most likely issue and respective treatment
Every vet I've ever been to tried to get the most amount of money out of me as possible by trying to push excessive labs for common issues. This vets office is different. They respect your time and money and are completely transparent about the most likely issue and respective treatment
Spectre I. Am
Oct 01, 2021
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They are so fantastic there, they take such good care of my baby girl Leeloo. We love Pets First and everyone who works there.
Bobby Zamora
Sep 25, 2021
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We're moving to Texas at the end of this month, and we United Airlines mentioned that we might need a get our cat Hawk a "Health Certificate" and make sure he's up-to-date on his vaccines. To make a long story short, we had to take our cat Hawk to a local vet in Bensenville IL and things didn't go so well with the documentation we needed, but I was able to contact Hawk's previous Veterinarian "Dr. Mitchell" and his amazing office at Pet's First Veterinary Clinic and they were able to get us the Health Certificate that we needed, they didn't even charge my for it. Now we're able to fly to Texas
