Northlake Veterinary Hospital

Dr. Craig Guidry

Throughout the pandemic, many people added new furry loved ones to their families. “The pet population has grown dramatically in the past year,” says Dr. Craig Guidry, veterinarian and owner of Northlake Veterinary Hospital. “We’re needed. Our business has grown tremendously. The staff we have is great; everyone is pitching in.”

After graduating from veterinary school and working at a veterinary practice in New Orleans East, Guidry purchased Northlake Veterinary Hospital in 1991 when he saw an opportunity to open his own practice and return to the countryside where he grew up. The family raised ducks, chickens, cows, pigs, rabbits, and occasionally, turkeys, and Guidry relished being their caretaker as a boy. “My dad saw me in that role when I was ten years old and told me I needed to be a veterinarian. I said, what’s that? And he told me, an animal doctor. From that point on, I knew what I wanted to do. That set me on the path.”

Over the years, Guidry’s focus has shifted from farm animals to smallanimal care. “For me, it’s always been about the animals,” he says. “When I get a sweet puppy licking me on the nose and we’re making friends, or a frightened animal that I’m able to calm down and earn it’s trust, from the time I was a boy, that’s been the best feeling in the world.”

Building a veterinary hospital that is welcoming for the pets who visit there was a priority in expanding the 22,000-square-foot facility on an acre of land in recent years. Services include the latest in diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, an ICU, laser therapy, surgery and ultrasound, as well as boarding, grooming, dental and microchipping services. The facility boasts 85 runs and 10 luxury suites for pets who may need a staycation while their family is away.

“People used to think about warehousing animals while someone’s on vacation, but now it’s the norm for pets to have AC and playtime. We offer big play yards and play rooms—it’s about making boarding welcoming for the pet,” says Guidry, adding, “We think your pet should be on vacation, too.”

The veterinary hospital, which started with a single veterinarian, has now grown to seven doctors and a full staff of 24-hour providers for the animals in their care, and continues to expand. The priority for the entire team is that people know that their pets are being well cared for—when surgeries require overnight care, it is always a concern to leave them overnight.

Noting the need for increased emergency veterinary care in the parish, Guidry says, “Animals don’t choose office hours for accidents, so having emergency care after hours has been important; 24-hour care is a big part of it. It’s a relief to both us as veterinarians and to our clients.”

Guidry says, “We want our clients to feel like they don’t need to go anywhere else.”

Northlake Veterinary Hospital is located at 1399 N. Causeway Blvd. in Mandeville. 626-7522, northlakeveterinaryhospital.com.