Elk Creek Animal Hospital

What Elk Creek Animal Hospital does

Elk Creek Animal Hospital is a family-owned, full-service companion-animal veterinary hospital located at 6003 Morningside Ave. in Sioux City, Iowa. The practice serves local dog and cat owners with preventive care, dentistry, surgery (including orthopedic procedures), laser therapy, emergency and urgent care, microchipping, vaccinations, spay/neuter, and senior pet wellness services. It operates under a single-site model with weekday business hours (Mon/Thu/Fri 7:30 AM-5:30 PM; Tue/Wed 7:30 AM-6:00 PM) plus a seven-day-a-week on-call emergency line, and it is co-owned by Dr. Aaron Bessmer (DVM, Kansas State 2007) and his wife Rachel Bessmer, who purchased the practice in 2012; Dr. Kalene Gross (DVM, Iowa State 2018) is the second clinician. The clinical team of approximately 14 staff includes two DVMs, office managers, client service coordinators, and veterinary assistants.

Name

Elk Creek Animal Hospital

Legal name

Elk Creek Animal Hospital

Website

https://elkcreekvet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Elk Creek Animal Hospital is a family-owned, single-location companion-animal veterinary hospital in Sioux City, Iowa, serving local dog and cat owners with preventive care, surgery, dentistry, laser therapy, diagnostics, and an on-site pharmacy and online product store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Services

NAICS

Veterinary Services (541940), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Companion Animal Veterinary Clinics & Hospitals (AFAEANAA)

Keywords

• Veterinary hospital services
• Small animal veterinary care
• Pet preventative care
• Veterinary diagnostic imaging
• Veterinary pharmacy products

Headquarters

HQ city

Sioux City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Veterinary Services: Full-service veterinary hospital providing medical care, surgery, dentistry, preventive care, vaccinations, emergency care, and wellness services for dogs and cats. Revenue generated through service fees for examinations, procedures, surgeries, and treatments.
2. Pharmacy and Products: On-site pharmacy and retail product sales including prescription medications, flea/tick/heartworm preventatives, prescription pet foods (Hills Science Diet, Royal Canin), dental chews, supplements, and grooming products. Both in-clinic and online store sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Elk Creek Animal Hospital is a family-owned full-service veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical, surgical, and preventative care for dogs and cats in Sioux City, Iowa. The practice delivers examinations, vaccinations, dentistry, orthopedic surgery, laser therapy, emergency/urgent care, microchipping, spay/neuter, and in-house diagnostic imaging and laboratory services. It supplements clinical services with an on-site pharmacy and an online store for prescription medications, flea/tick/heartworm preventatives, prescription diets, dental chews, and supplements.

Product overview

Elk Creek Animal Hospital is a family-owned and operated full-service veterinary hospital providing comprehensive medical care for dogs and cats. The practice offers a portfolio of preventive health products including flea/tick preventatives (Bravecto, Vectra 3D, Simparica, Catego, Revolution Plus) and heartworm prevention medications (Interceptor Plus, Milbeguard, Simparica Trio, ProHeart 12), alongside prescription pet foods (Hills Science Diet, Royal Canin) and supplements (Dasuquin, Cosequin). The core service offering includes preventative care, dentistry, orthopedic surgery, laser therapy, emergency care, microchipping, diagnostic imaging with in-house laboratory capabilities, an on-site pharmacy, spay/neuter services, and vaccination programs. The practice operates as a unified service model rather than a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preventative Care Services Annual wellness examinations, vaccinations, and health screenings to maintain pet health and prevent disease in dogs and cats.
• Dentistry Services Dental cleanings, extractions, and oral health assessments performed under anesthesia to maintain pet dental health and treat periodontal disease in dogs and cats.
• Orthopedic Surgery Surgical procedures for bone and joint conditions including repair of fractures and corrective orthopedic surgeries in dogs and cats.
• Laser Therapy Therapeutic laser treatment using specific wavelengths to reduce pain and inflammation and promote healing in soft tissue injuries and post-surgical recovery.
• Emergency & Urgent Care Urgent and emergency veterinary care available five days a week with veterinarian on call seven days a week for acute injuries and illnesses in dogs and cats.
• Microchipping Permanent identification via implantation of a microchip the size of a grain of rice between the shoulder blades for pet identification and reunification if lost.
• Diagnostic Imaging & Laboratory In-house diagnostic capabilities including digital X-ray, digital ultrasound, digital dental X-rays, complete blood count, chemistry panel, heartworm testing, urinalysis, and fecal analysis.
• On-Site Pharmacy Full-service on-site pharmacy offering prescription and non-prescription medications, supplements, and preventatives with additional online store access at ecah.myvetstoreonline.pharmacy.
• Spaying & Neutering Surgical sterilization procedures with recommended timing based on species and breed size to prevent behavioral issues and health concerns in dogs and cats.
• Vaccinations & Wellness Care Comprehensive vaccination programs for dogs and cats including rabies, Bordetella, DAPPV+L4, and FVRCP, along with annual wellness examinations.
• Flea and Tick Prevention Products (Bravecto, Vectra 3D, Simparica, Catego, Vectra for Cats, Bravecto Topical for Cats) Retail product line of oral and topical flea and tick preventatives for dogs and cats including Bravecto, Vectra 3D, Simparica, Catego, and Vectra for Cats, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.
• Heartworm Prevention Products (Interceptor Plus, Milbeguard, Simparica Trio, Revolution Plus, ProHeart 12) Retail product line of heartworm prevention products for dogs and cats including Interceptor Plus, Milbeguard, Simparica Trio, Revolution Plus, and ProHeart 12, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.
• Hills Science Diet & Royal Canin Prescription Foods Prescription veterinary diets formulated for specific health conditions in dogs and cats, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.
• CET & Oravet Dental Chews and Dental Products Dental chews, toothbrushes, and toothpaste designed to maintain oral health between professional cleanings for dogs and cats, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.
• Dasuquin & Cosequin Joint Supplements Joint health supplements in soft chew form for dogs and cats to support cartilage and joint function, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.
• Feliway Behavioral Support Products (wipes, spray, diffusers) Pheromone-based products that help reduce stress and anxiety in cats, available in wipes, spray, and diffuser formats, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.
• Siphotrol Environmental Flea Treatment (area spray and foggers) Environmental flea treatment products including area sprays and foggers for treating homes with flea infestations, sold in-clinic and via the online pharmacy.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AmeriVet Veterinary Partners: Veterinary consolidator partnering with independently owned companion animal hospitals across the U.S. — relevant both as a potential acquirer and as a benchmark for what scaled, multi-site veterinary operations look like.
• Thrive Pet Healthcare: Multi-specialty veterinary care provider operating general practice hospitals, urgent care, and specialty services across the U.S. Directly comparable companion-animal service offering and an active acquirer of independent veterinary clinics.
• VetCor: Veterinary consolidator with a large network of community-based companion animal hospitals across 40+ states, acquired from independent owners — directly comparable business model and acquisition target profile to Elk Creek.
• PetVet Care Centers: Veterinary consolidator operating a network of companion animal hospitals with general practice, specialty, and emergency services across the U.S. Comparable business model — independent-clinic acquisition and operational scaling — and active acquirer of Midwest independent practices.
• Southern Veterinary Partners: Veterinary hospital group operating companion animal clinics across the southern and midwestern U.S., focused on acquiring high-quality independent practices — a relevant peer in the independent-clinic-to-network consolidation segment.
• Mission Veterinary Partners: Veterinary hospital group acquiring and operating companion animal general practice clinics in the Midwest and beyond — comparable consolidator business model and active acquirer of independent practices similar in size to Elk Creek.
• National Veterinary Associates (NVA): One of the largest community of veterinary hospitals in the U.S., acquiring and operating independent general practice, specialty, and emergency veterinary clinics — relevant both as a competitor and as the most likely consolidator/buyer profile for a 2-DVM independent like Elk Creek.

Direct peers

• BluePearl Pet Hospital: Network of specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals providing surgery, internal medicine, oncology, and 24/7 emergency care. Comparable to Elk Creek's orthopedic surgery and on-call emergency capabilities, but at greater scale and specialty focus.
• Banfield Pet Hospital: Largest network of companion animal veterinary clinics in the U.S., primarily co-located inside PetSmart stores. Offers preventive care, vaccinations, dentistry, surgery, and diagnostics to dog and cat owners — directly overlapping Elk Creek's service portfolio.
• VCA Animal Hospitals: Large network of full-service companion animal veterinary hospitals offering preventive care, surgery, diagnostics, and emergency services — the most directly comparable national competitor to Elk Creek in scope of services and target customer (dog and cat owners).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Elk-Creek-Animal-Hospital-160422607312773
• Instagraminstagram.com/elkcreekanimalhospital
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elk-creek-animal-hospital

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elk Creek Animal Hospital