Ox Bottom Animal Hospital Celebrates Five Years

Dr. Lauren DiMartino-Combs has her dream job — spending time with community members from her hometown while providing optimal care for their pets. As a self-proclaimed animal lover and people person, Combs finds herself grateful each day to lead the team at Ox Bottom Animal Hospital.

Born and raised on the north side of Tallahassee, Combs grew up surrounded by cats, dogs and horses. In college she sought an animal science degree at the University of Florida, coming home that first summer to work as a kennel technician at Buck Lake Animal Hospital.

After graduating from UF College of Veterinary Medicine, Combs moved back to Tallahassee, beginning her career as an associate veterinarian at Oakwood Animal Hospital. By 2016, she became medical director of Oakwood, and in 2018, with the help of Dr. Matthew Wanous and Dr. Andrew Simmons, she opened Ox Bottom Animal Hospital.

“Getting to build the hospital from the ground up was exciting because I already had relationships with people on the north side of town, while getting to gain new clientele and meet their pets,” Combs said.

Ox Bottom Animal Hospital is a locally owned, primary care veterinary clinic specializing in preventative care, dental care, soft tissue surgery, internal medicine, dermatology and more for small animals.

Combs is particularly interested in helping pet patients with ophthalmology, dental and dermatological issues. Dermatology is particularly important in Tallahassee, as many allergy issues become apparent through the pet’s skin.

As a result of specializing in feline care throughout her college years, Combs developed a passion for emphasizing stress-free care for felines and other pets that need calm settings. Dr. Combs is a Fear Free certified veterinarian leading a gold-level Cat Friendly certified and American Animal Hospital Association accredited clinic. Within the community, Ox Bottom Animal Hospital has become recognized for their empathetic service, garnering a clientele that seeks them out for that specific reason.

“Fear-free care is still a relatively new asset to veterinary medicine, and a lot more is being done to promote it and educate on it,” Combs said. “Every day, we make it our goal to get better at and learn more about animal behavior. This makes each vet visit a better experience for the pet and ultimately their owner.”

Combs is grateful to her staff who cherish each animal that comes through the doors, forming special bonds with pets they become excited to see each visit. The team at Ox Bottom Animal Hospital values the relationships they get to form and nurture.

“I love this town and the people and pets who have made it their home.” Combs said. “My whole life is here. I’m so appreciative that over the past five years, I’ve been able to serve my community and earn their trust.”