History

In 1976 five local veterinarians, recognizing a need for expanded medical services for the pets of the community, founded the North Columbus Veterinary Emergency Service in a storefront in Flags Center, at the corner of Cleveland Ave. and Schrock Rd. Its goal was to provide a place for after hour, weekend and holiday animal care to the community. The following year, the partnership increased to 30, and the business became incorporated as the Columbus Veterinary Emergency Service (CVES). This growth also necessitated an expansion of the clinic area at Flags Center.

In 1988, Dr. William DeHoff recognized the growing need for specialty care in veterinary medicine and created Veterinary Hospital Operations of Central Ohio, Inc. The goal was to enhance the emergency services in Central Ohio by offering specialty care to emergency patients and establishing a specialty veterinary referral service during the clinical day to veterinarians throughout the community.

In December 1993, Dr. DeHoff became the sole owner of the business now named William D. DeHoff & Associates, Inc. During this period, it experienced substantial growth, which brought several other specialties into the practice. At the same time, the Columbus Veterinary Emergency Service enjoyed a similar increase in growth, which created a need for more space.

A clinic, located at 5747 Cleveland Ave., was constructed in 1990 to house the Columbus Veterinary Emergency Services, MedVet (as William D. DeHoff & Associates, Inc. is now known) and Vet Diagnostics (a veterinary lab service). By this time, the emergency service had almost 70 central Ohio veterinarians supporting it as shareholders.

Initially, MedVet served to provide on-call surgery for the emergency service. As specialists from many disciplines joined MedVet though, its specialty care practice was able to expand and grow in scope. In January 1999, Drs. Robert J. Starkey, John G. Gordon, Jonathan T. Shiroma and Eric R. Schertel joined Dr. DeHoff as owners of the MedVet specialty practice. This new corporation was called MedVet Associates, Inc.

In December of 1999, in an effort to provide increased continuity and excellence of care, the emergency and specialty practices were combined under the corporate name of MedVet Associates, Ltd.

MedVet entered its current home on September 13, 2002. The move to a more spacious and up-dated hospital was part of MedVet's continuing effort to improve service to the community.

Over the years, a wide array of specialists has joined MedVet creating, today, a comprehensive, regional center for specialty care. The MedVet specialists provide specialty care for patients referred by family veterinarians throughout Ohio and the adjoining states. There are more than 2700 veterinarians that refer cases to our doors.