Veterinary Medical Centers
Veterinary Medical Centers is a locally owned Northern Kentucky veterinary practice for dogs and cats, with convenient Fort Thomas and Independence locations, relationship-based care, and easy appointment scheduling.
New to Northern Kentucky Veterinary Medical Centers? Start with a wellness visit, request an appointment, or message our team with questions.
Find Care
Whether your pet is due for a checkup, showing new symptoms, or starting care with our team for the first time, we’ll help you find the right next step.
Best for new pets and first-time visits
New pets need a thoughtful start. We help with first exams, vaccine timing, parasite prevention, nutrition, and practical questions for life at home.
Local Vet Center
Veterinary Medical Centers is rooted in Northern Kentucky. Our care is personal, calm, practical, and relationship-based, whether your pet needs everyday wellness or help with more complex health needs.
VMC is rooted in Northern Kentucky, with a vet team that gets to know your pet's history, your goals, and what helps visits feel easier over time.
We explain what we see, what matters now, what can wait, and what each recommendation means before moving forward.
Care should fit your pet and your family. Our team talks through options, costs, timing, and next steps in plain language.
From routine wellness to dental care, surgery planning, sick visits, and senior support, we care for dogs and cats at both NKY locations.
We work to make each visit feel as low-stress as possible with gentle handling, patient pacing, and a team that understands pets may need time to settle in.
By caring for your pet across life stages, we can notice changes earlier, track ongoing needs, and recommend next steps with more context.
Vet Services
From first visits and vaccines to dental cleanings, surgery, diagnostics, and ongoing wellness, our vet team helps pets stay healthy through every stage of life.
Routine visits help your local vet team monitor health, catch changes early, and keep care on track.
Lifestyle-based vaccines help protect dogs and cats from serious preventable diseases.
Year-round guidance for heartworm, fleas, ticks, and intestinal parasites in Northern Kentucky.
New Clients
Pick the Fort Thomas vet location or Independence vet location based on what is easiest for your day.
Request an appointment online or call your local VMC team for help choosing the right appointment type.
Vaccine history, medications, prior exam notes, and adoption paperwork help us understand your pet faster.
We take time to learn your pet's history, answer questions, and complete a thoughtful exam.
You leave with practical recommendations, follow-up timing, and next steps for your dog or cat.
First Visit
Starting with a new veterinarian should feel simple. We’ll review your pet’s history, talk through your concerns, complete a nose-to-tail exam, and help you understand the best next steps for your pet’s health.
Plan Your First VisitBring vaccine records, medication details, and any questions you want to discuss.
We’ll review your pet’s lifestyle, health history, symptoms, and complete a thorough physical exam.
You’ll leave with clear recommendations, prevention guidance, and follow-up instructions if needed.
Northern Kentucky Locations
With two convenient Veterinary Medical Centers locations in Northern Kentucky, our team is here to support dogs, cats, and the people who love them.
Northern Kentucky location
Veterinary Medical Centers of Fort Thomas provides local veterinary care for dogs and cats in Fort Thomas and nearby Northern Kentucky communities, including wellness visits, preventive care, dental care, diagnostics, surgery support, and everyday guidance.
Monday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Serving Fort Thomas, Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Highland Heights, and nearby Cincinnati-area pet owners.
Northern Kentucky location
Veterinary Medical Centers of Independence provides trusted veterinary care for dogs and cats in Independence, KY and nearby Northern Kentucky communities, including wellness visits, preventive care, dental care, diagnostics, surgery, and ongoing health guidance.
Monday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Serving Independence, Alexandria, Taylor Mill, Covington, Erlanger, and nearby Northern Kentucky pet owners.
Local Service Area
We proudly care for pets from Fort Thomas, Independence, Newport, Bellevue, Dayton, Highland Heights, Alexandria, Cold Spring, and nearby Cincinnati-area communities.
Meet Your Vet Team
Our doctors combine years of clinical experience with a practical, relationship-based approach to veterinary medicine. We take time to explain what we find, answer your questions, and help you make confident decisions for your pet.
Dr. Kristi brings more than two decades of veterinary experience to pets and families across Northern Kentucky. Her background includes general practice, emergency veterinary medicine, and long-term leadership at Veterinary Medical Centers of Independence and Veterinary Medical Centers of Fort Thomas. She is known for combining practical medical guidance with a calm, approachable style that helps pet owners understand their options and feel confident about next steps.
Dr. Golatzki supports the same thoughtful standard of care across wellness visits, sick pet appointments, preventive medicine, and client education. Her approach reflects the VMC commitment to clear communication, practical recommendations, and comfort-focused veterinary visits for dogs and cats.
We focus on catching small changes early through exams, vaccines, parasite prevention, dental checks, and age-appropriate screenings.
We explain findings, options, and next steps in plain language so you understand what is happening and why.
Our team works to make visits calmer with gentle handling, patient pacing, and a pet-first approach.
We get to know your pet over time, which helps us notice changes and recommend care that fits their needs.
The Whole Team
From the front desk to the treatment room, every person on the VMC team is here because they genuinely care about animals.
A caring member of the Veterinary Medical Centers team.
A caring member of the Veterinary Medical Centers team.
A caring member of the Veterinary Medical Centers team.
Pawstimonials
“The team made Edith’s visit feel calm and easy. I left knowing exactly what was going on and what to do next.”
Edith’s pet parent · Northern Kentucky
“They took time to answer every question and explain the plan in a way that made sense.”
Ezra’s pet parent · Fort Thomas
“From the front desk to the exam room, everyone was kind, patient, and helpful.”
Marshall’s pet parent · Independence
“I appreciate having a local vet team that remembers my pet and treats us like neighbors.”
Wilson’s pet parent · NKYStart with an appointment or message our team with questions about the right next step.
Pet Care Guides
Puppy & Kitten Care
Kitten vaccines help protect young cats from serious infectious diseases during their first year of life. Learn when to schedule kitten vaccines in Northern Kentucky and why indoor kittens still need veterinary care.
6 min readRead guideWellness
Most healthy dogs and cats should see a veterinarian at least once a year, but puppies, kittens, senior pets, and pets with ongoing health concerns may need more frequent checkups.
5 min readRead guideClinic News
Veterinary Medical Center has a new website designed to make it easier for pet families in Fort Thomas, Independence, and Northern Kentucky to find care, request appointments, and connect with our team.
2 min readRead guideOnline Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Next Steps
Choose your location, request an appointment, or call our team. We’ll help you find the right next step for your dog or cat.