Veterinarian Serving Mine Hill, NJ
For families in Mine Hill, Lake Hopatcong Animal Hospital is about a 15-minute drive, close enough to be your everyday vet, and a more personal option than the corporate clinics nearby. We’ve looked after dogs and cats across this part of Morris County for more than 40 years, and we’re a woman-owned, family-operated practice, the kind of small clinic where you’re a name, not a chart number. Dogs and cats are all we treat. Four decades in, that focus shows.
Why Mine Hill pet owners choose us
Mine Hill has a clinic option of its own, so when township owners drive over to us, it’s usually for a reason: the in-house lab, digital X-ray, and ultrasound that let us diagnose and treat in one visit instead of waiting on an outside lab; the on-site pharmacy that saves a second errand; 40-plus years of steady experience; and the 10% new-client discount. It’s a small, consistent team that gets to know your dog or cat over the years, the kind of relationship that’s hard to build at a high-volume practice. We’re also glad to talk through tick, flea, and heartworm prevention, which matters across the wooded Morris highlands.
Getting here from Mine Hill
Mine Hill’s commercial life runs along US-46, and that’s your road. From the Route 46 corridor, head west on US-46 toward Lake Hopatcong for roughly nine miles, then connect to NJ-181 toward the lake, we’re at 14 NJ-181, with parking right out front. From the neighborhoods off Route 46, it’s the same simple run. Outside of rush hour, plan on about 15 to 16 minutes.
Veterinary care for every stage of your pet’s life
The best care changes as your pet grows. We meet your dog or cat where they are, puppy, adult, or senior.
Puppy & kitten care
A new puppy or kitten gets a full exam, a parasite stool check, deworming, and a staged vaccine series every three to four weeks from about 6–8 weeks through 16 weeks. We’ll help Mine Hill families plan spay or neuter timing, microchipping, and nutrition, and because we get to know your pet from the start, that history follows them for life.
Adult dogs & cats
Adults do best with an annual wellness exam: a full physical, a parasite plan suited to the Morris highlands, dental monitoring, and any due boosters. Seeing the same team each year means subtle changes, a little weight gain, a new lump, slightly different bloodwork, get noticed quickly.
Senior pets
For senior dogs and cats, we recommend a check every six months, frequently with in-house bloodwork to watch organ function, plus arthritis and comfort care. When a beloved pet’s journey ends, we provide gentle, supportive end-of-life care.
Services for Mine Hill dogs and cats
Comprehensive routine and preventive care for your pet:
- Wellness exams, yearly head-to-tail checkups.
- Vaccinations, core and lifestyle vaccines for puppies, kittens, and adults.
- Spay & neuter, safe surgery with in-house monitoring.
- Dental cleaning, professional cleanings to prevent disease.
- Diagnostics, on-site lab, X-ray, and ultrasound for same-visit answers.
- Soft-tissue surgery, skilled, compassionate surgical care.
- Same-day sick visits, call early when your pet’s not right and we’ll try to see them today.
- Nutrition consultations, practical diet and weight guidance, including Hill’s and Royal Canin prescription foods.
- On-site & online pharmacy, quick refills.
- Compassionate euthanasia, gentle end-of-life care.
The team caring for Mine Hill’s pets
The strength of a small practice is continuity, the same experienced people, visit after visit:
- Jose A. Navarro, D.V.M., licensed in New Jersey since 1975; general veterinary medicine, surgery, and dentistry.
- Elizabeth Z. Navarro, D.V.M., licensed in New Jersey since 1976; general medicine, surgery, and dentistry.
- Dr. Shelli Skeels, D.V.M., licensed in New Jersey and Florida; owned and operated Montville Animal Hospital for 28 years.
Our support team brings decades of animal experience, including staff with long careers in veterinary dentistry and pet care. Meet the team who’ll know your pet by name.
A bit about the area we share
Mine Hill earned its name honestly, the iron under these hills was mined as far back as the early 1700s at the old Suckasunny (Dickerson) Mine, and a century ago the Ogden Mine Railroad hauled ore right down to Lake Hopatcong. The two communities have been tied together for generations. Today the township is a quiet Morris County community along Route 46, set in the same wooded highlands where tick season is a genuine spring-through-fall concern, something we’re glad to plan around for your dog or cat.
New clients save 10%, and here are our hours
New here? Take 10% off your first visit, just mention it when you book.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Thursday | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Friday | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Saturday | 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Sunday | Closed |
We see pets by appointment for routine and non-urgent care. We are not a 24-hour or emergency hospital, for a sick pet, please call as early in the day as possible. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, cash, and check.
Mine Hill veterinarian FAQ
How far is Lake Hopatcong Animal Hospital from Mine Hill?
About 15 to 16 minutes, roughly nine miles west on US-46, then over to NJ-181 at 14 NJ-181.
Why drive to you when there’s a vet in Mine Hill?
Owners come to us for the full in-house diagnostics, on-site pharmacy, 40-plus years of experience, and a small team that knows your pet by name. New clients also save 10% on the first visit. Call (973) 663-0889 to talk it through.
Do you offer dental cleanings and spay or neuter surgery?
Yes, professional dental cleanings plus spay and neuter surgery for dogs and cats, backed by on-site diagnostics. Call (973) 663-0889 to schedule.
Why does a pet dental cleaning need anesthesia, and why does it cost more than a human cleaning?
A proper cleaning means scaling below the gumline, dental X-rays, and sometimes extractions, none of which a pet will hold still for safely while awake. The cost reflects general anesthesia, pre-anesthetic bloodwork, monitoring, X-rays, and any treatment found, all in one visit. “Anesthesia-free” cleanings only scrape the visible surface and miss the disease that matters.
What are the signs my pet needs a dental cleaning?
Watch for bad breath, yellow-brown tartar on the teeth, red or bleeding gums, dropping food, or pawing at the mouth. If you notice any of these, mention it, dental disease is one of the most common and most treatable problems we see.
How often should my dog or cat see the vet?
Puppies and kittens need visits every few weeks until about 16 weeks, healthy adults benefit from an annual wellness exam, and seniors do best with a checkup every six months.
Is the rabies vaccine required by law in New Jersey?
Yes. New Jersey requires dogs to be vaccinated against rabies by 7 months of age and kept current for licensing, which renews annually.
Ready when you are
Call (973) 663-0889 or request a call back and we’ll book your dog or cat’s visit. Read our client reviews, meet the team, or see our nearby pages for Wharton and Netcong.