Creating Dr. Donita’s Veterinary Concierge Services

McCants standing next to her mobile veterinary clinic (Image courtesy of Dr Donita)

When most clients arrive at a veterinary clinic, they drive up, bring their pet in, and wait in the reception area until it’s time for the appointment—unless you’re a client of Dr. Donita’s Veterinary Concierge Services. Donita McCants, DVM, founder of the mobile clinic, travels around western Orlando, Florida, practicing veterinary medicine in a fully equipped Mercedes Benz Sprinter to care for pets. Her business provides wellness, emergency, dental, and surgical services to animals in the area.

McCants graduated from Tuskegee University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Alabama in 2015. In August 2021, she took a leap of faith and began working out of her sport utility vehicle (SUV) to provide a concierge-style veterinary service, where the care is brought right to the client’s doorstep. With limited supplies, help from her support system, and her own personal capital to start, McCants was able to get her clinic on the road, trading in her SUV for a Sprinter van.

“We are completely full service. I do surgeries, vaccinations, blood work, spayings/neuterings, dental cleanings, [and] have x-ray capabilities with our digital portal radiographs machine. I [also] have an in-house blood analyzer, so if a patient is really sick and I need answers immediately, I have that capability. We have Abaxis on there, where I can get immediate chemistry results [and complete blood work] results. I have emergency experience as well, so we have capability to see some emergency and internal medicine cases....so I do have some emergency and internal medicine skills there,” McCants said.

McCants outside her mobile veterinary clinic with patients. (Image courtesy of Dr Donita)

“Surgery is definitely my heart, so that’s why I didn’t want to [offer only] vaccinations and sick visits. I still need to use my hands, and I love surgery. I wanted to still get a little dirty. But we do [use a] full diagnostic microscope. We pretty much have it all [and] we do it all, so we’re excited,” she said.

Running a hospital on wheels, McCants said she provides first-class doorstep pet care. “We’re bringing that concierge-level service, not just your regular [vaccine] clinic type of situation. We want to make sure we provide a full experience, just in a van,” she said.

For the first 6 months, her partner worked with McCants before a veterinary student was brought in to assist with procedures in the van. For McCants, this was a great opportunity for her and the student to grow and learn together as veterinary professionals.

“At first, it was [difficult] because [we had] to maneuver around each other [in the van]. We were both new to each other. [But] it was really cool because she got to...do anything—veterinary-related surgery, drawing blood, all kinds of stuff—[for the first time]. [She] also gets to watch a [brand-new] business grow and flourish,” McCants said.

This experience was new to McCants as well. “The first week, she was getting used to me and we had this new van to get used to. But as of this week, we’ve been flowing around each other better, and she’s been getting used to things... so it’s going well,” she said.

Although some veterinary professionals may not enjoy the constant driving around, McCants said it is her favorite part. She gets to emerge in the community, and provide care. Her clients have grown to trust her, and the mobility of her clinic helped to expand her client base.

Dr. Donita’s Veterinary Concierge Services offers everything that any veterinary clinic has. McCants just provides it right outside your front door.