Is Hearthstone Animal Clinic independently owned?

Yes. Hearthstone has been a neighborhood clinic in Cypress, TX since 1982, and Dr. Steve Pelton has owned it since 2007. There's no parent company, no private equity group and no outside investors. The person who sets the prices is the same vet examining your pet.

Is Hearthstone a single-doctor practice?

Yes. Dr. Pelton, in practice since 2000, is the only veterinarian, so every patient is his. You won't be passed between doctors who don't know your pet's history.

Does Hearthstone offer drop-off appointments?

Yes. When the schedule is full, you can drop your pet off and Dr. Pelton examines them between appointments. We then send you a treatment plan and clear next steps. It works well for most pets and owners.

How does Hearthstone communicate with clients?

Mostly by text, and you can always call. Results, treatment plans and quick questions come by text so you aren't stuck waiting on a callback. Our technicians answer day-to-day questions and take anything medical to Dr. Pelton. He makes every medical decision, and the techs relay his answers, usually within a few hours.

Is a single-doctor practice right for me?

If talking with the doctor yourself about every question matters most to you, a larger multi-doctor practice may fit better. Many of those are corporate owned now, and you may see a different vet each time. If you'd rather have one vet who knows your pet, Hearthstone is a good fit.

New to Hearthstone? Start here

What to Expect

Thanks for trusting us with your pets. Here's how a visit works at Hearthstone, from who you'll see to how we keep you posted, so your first time here already feels familiar.

Written by Dr. Steve Pelton, DVM · owner since 2007 · in practice since 2000

Request an Appointment Text (281) 859-9244

Watercolor of the Hearthstone Animal Clinic storefront on FM 529 in Cypress, TX, with a woman walking her golden retriever up to the door at golden hour

Who owns this clinic

Independent, and staying that way

Hearthstone has been a neighborhood clinic on FM 529 since 1982. I bought it in 2007, financed it about like you'd finance a house, and finished paying it off a few years ago. There's no parent company, no private equity group and no outside investors. The person who sets the prices here is the same person examining your pet.

That's getting less common. Somewhere between a third and half of the vet clinics in this country are now owned by corporations or private equity firms, and most of them kept the old local name on the sign. Plenty of good vets work at those places. But staying independent is why the rest of this page works the way it does, and it's how I get to run this clinic the way I think a clinic should be run.

If you're curious about your own vet, here's how to tell whether a clinic is independent or corporate-owned.

Dr. Steve Pelton, owner of Hearthstone Animal Clinic, with a stethoscope

Why one doctor

What you get with a one-vet clinic

Watercolor of an older gray-muzzled dog on an exam table beside a stethoscope and a thick, well-worn medical chart

The same vet, every time

I've been practicing since 2000, and every patient here is mine. I'm the one reading your pet's chart and making the call, so you're not starting from scratch with a new doctor who's meeting your dog for the first time.

Watercolor of a beagle peeking over a clinic counter at an invoice, a pen and a brass bell

Prices set in the building

Nobody above me sets revenue targets or decides what goes on your invoice. I set our prices, and I keep them fair. Most clinics won't tell you what anything costs until you're at the counter. Ours are posted, so you can see our prices before you ever walk in.

Watercolor of a happy black-and-white dog taking a treat from a technician in teal scrubs

A small team that knows you

It's a small clinic with a small crew, so you'll see the same faces at the front desk and in the back. They learn your pet's name and your pet's quirks, which is half of what makes a vet visit less stressful for everybody.

How a busy day works

How one vet takes care of a lot of pets

Most visits here are regular appointments, and the schedule fills up fast. With one doctor, my time goes to exams and surgery, so we've built the day around a few habits that keep your pet's care moving and keep you in the loop.

Watercolor of a cat in a carrier and a dog waiting by a clinic counter in the morning

Drop-off when the schedule is full

Appointments are still how we see most pets. They just fill up, often days out. When there's no slot open, you can drop your pet off in the morning, and I'll examine them between appointments instead of making you wait days or go somewhere else. We send you a treatment plan and clear next steps. How drop-off works.

Watercolor of a tabby cat asleep on a kitchen counter next to a phone and a coffee mug

Updates mostly by text

Test results, treatment plans, refill checks and quick questions mostly happen over text. It's faster than phone tag, and a busy day here doesn't leave you waiting all afternoon for a callback. You're always welcome to call, too.

Watercolor of a technician in teal scrubs holding an orange cat on an exam table while reading a chart

Your questions go to our techs

Like most clinics, our technicians handle the day-to-day questions: refills, vaccine schedules, how your pet's doing after a visit. They know your pet's chart. Anything medical comes to me, and I make the call, whether it's an ear recheck or an insulin change. You'll rarely be on the phone with me, but every medical decision here is mine. The techs bring you my answer, usually within a few hours.

What you take home

Your instructions, in writing

Since I can't always walk you through everything in person, you'll go home with a written sheet like this one. It covers what we found, what we did and why, what to do tonight, and the signs that mean you should call us or head to an emergency clinic. The last page is a card you can cut out and stick on the fridge.

This is a real one from this week. Kona's owner's last name and the QR code that opens their record are blurred out.

See the whole sheet (PDF)

Page one of a real Hearthstone discharge sheet for Kona, a dog with bladder stones, with his photo and a written summary of the visit

The last page of the discharge sheet: follow-up steps and a cut-out fridge card listing warning signs and the clinic phone number

Is it a fit?

Is Hearthstone the right fit for you?

If talking with the doctor yourself about every question matters most to you, a bigger practice with several vets may suit you better. Just know that a lot of those are corporate owned now, and you may see a different vet each time you go.

If what you want is one vet who knows your pet's history, prices set by the person actually treating them, and a quick text instead of a phone tree, I think you'll like it here.

Give us a try

Text us or request your pet's next appointment online. We'd be glad to meet you both.

Text or call: (281) 859-9244

Email: [email protected]

If you don't hear back in a day or so, send us a text. Some emails land in spam or get lost.

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