Lathrop pet owners can access affordable, planned veterinary care at The Pet Advocate in Tracy. From River Islands and west Lathrop, the drive is usually 8 to 12 minutes. From central or north Lathrop, plan on 15 to 17 minutes.
In 2025, 897 Lathrop pet owners came to us. People usually come for a planned spay or neuter, a dental cleaning, walk-in vaccines, or a wellness visit.
The clinic is in north Tracy, a short drive west of Lathrop.
Most owners use us for planned work on a healthy pet, then go back to their Lathrop veterinarian when a pet is sick.
We only do planned spay and neuter, dental cleanings, vaccinations, and a short wellness list.
We are not an emergency hospital, and we do not treat long-term illness. Because we stay with that list, we can post prices and include X-rays in the dental fee.
Mike Wesselink, DVM owns the clinic. He graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2015.
Megan Conlin, DVM, does the spay and neuter surgeries with him.
If you only need vaccines, you can still make the drive just for that.
Some families drop one pet for surgery or dental in the morning, then use the 12:00 to 3:00 PM walk-in window for shots or a microchip on another petActivity is restricted for 10 days. The cone stays on for 14 days.
These are the current starting prices at The Pet Advocate. Pain medication and a recovery collar are recommended, not required.
Confirm the current list on our prices and rates page when you book.
Canine pain tablets are $21. The E-collar is $18. We do not accept dogs over 100 pounds.
The $700 base includes bloodwork before anesthesia, anesthesia, a veterinarian exam, a technician checking and recording each tooth, full-mouth digital X-rays, ultrasonic scaling, polishing, and fluoride.
If X-rays show a tooth that needs to come out, that is extra. We call you first. You decide.
Extra fees can apply for pets in heat, pregnant pets, males with an undescended testicle, or obese dogs.
Pets five years and older need bloodwork before anesthesia, which costs $100 for spay or neuter. That bloodwork is already in the dental price.
Listed prices are the cash discount. Credit cards add 3%.
We accept cash and major credit or debit cards. We do not accept CareCredit, checks, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay.
Cat neuter
$105
$250–$500
Cat spay
$130
$300–$600
Dog spay
from $200
$400–$800
Dental cleaning, base
$700 (X-rays and bloodwork included)
$900–$1,500+ (X-rays often extra)
Exam fee for vaccines
$0
$60–$130
Your local hospitals handle illness and long-term care we do not.
This table is only about what you pay for a scheduled surgery or dental.
Keep your regular veterinarian in Lathrop.
Golden Valley Veterinary Hospital in Lathrop publishes a standard dental in the mid-$500s that includes bloodwork, scaling, polishing, fluoride, and charting. Full-mouth X-rays are not listed in that package. Our $700 includes those X-rays.
Surgery, dental, and walk-in care happen at 1973 N. Tracy Blvd., Tracy, CA 95376.
Take I-5 south to I-205 west. Take Exit 8 (Tracy Boulevard) and head north. We are a short distance up on the left.
Plan about 12 miles and 15 to 17 minutes. Add 10 to 15 minutes during the 7:00 to 9:00 AM commute.
Take I-205 toward Tracy. Take Exit 8 (Tracy Boulevard) and head north.
The drive is usually 8 to 12 minutes when traffic is light.
Cats drop off at 8:00, so leave Lathrop by about 7:45.
Get directions from Lathrop
Surgery and dental visits are by appointment, Monday through Friday. They are not part of walk-in wellness.
Fill out the consent form at home after it arrives by email. Withhold food and water from midnight the night before.
Wait in your car until we come out.
We call when your pet is in recovery and give you a pickup time, usually between 3:00 and 4:00.
A technician reviews the discharge instructions before bringing your pet out. A late fee applies after 4:15.
Activity is restricted for 10 days. The cone stays on for 14 days.
More on drop-off and pickup is on what to expect.
Most Lathrop owners we see already have a local veterinarian. They book Tracy for the planned procedure, then go home to that same clinic for follow-up and sick care.
Base price covers anesthesia, monitoring, surgery, and sending your pet home the same day.
Use the weight table above for dogs. Review low-cost spay and neuter for what the appointment includes.
Every dental includes bloodwork and full-mouth X-rays.
Submit the online form with three tooth photos so we can tell a routine cleaning from a more involved case before you drive.
See dental cleaning for what the visit includes. Cats use the same $700 base.
Walk-in only, Monday through Friday, 12:00 to 3:00 PM. No office exam fee.
You can come from Lathrop just for shots, or add them onto a surgery or dental day. Current vaccine prices are on the pet vaccinations page.
Available in the same 12:00 to 3:00 window:
Please check these limits before you leave Lathrop. If your pet is outside what we treat, a full-service hospital can take the case.
Aggressive dogs are accepted only if you can muzzle your own pet.
The full lists are on the surgery requirements and dental requirements pages.
Please keep your Lathrop veterinarian. We are not a replacement for a full-service hospital.
Use a local hospital for illness, injury, chronic disease, diagnostics, and ongoing care. Drive to Tracy for a scheduled spay, neuter, or dental on a healthy pet that meets our requirements.
“Took our pup in for neutering about a year ago and our older dog in for dental cleaning last week. Both experiences were so good and the puppers were happy and healthy after. The staff and Drs are very caring!”
“The pets advocate have saved me tons when I have needed a spay or vaccines and this time I did Moo’s teeth cleaning and the vet were awesome as always.”
“Great experience. Josie recovered quickly from the dental cleaning. Everyone was helpful, knowledgeable, and courteous. Would recommend and will return.”
