Is Veterinary Care in Tijuana Safe for Pets? What You Need to Know

We Understand Your Concerns

If you are reading this page, you are probably considering cross-border veterinary care but feeling uncertain. That is completely reasonable. Your pet is a family member, and the idea of sending them to another country for medical treatment raises legitimate questions about safety, quality, and what happens if something goes wrong.

We created this page to address those concerns honestly and directly. We will not pretend that all veterinary care in Tijuana is equal — it is not, just as not all veterinary care in San Diego is equal. What we can tell you is exactly how CBX Pet Care ensures your pet receives safe, high-quality care.

How We Ensure Quality — Our Vetting Process

The most important factor in safety is which clinic treats your pet. CBX Pet Care does not work with every veterinary clinic in Tijuana. We partner with a select number of facilities that meet our specific standards. Our vetting process evaluates:

• Facility cleanliness and organization: Clean surgical suites, proper sterilization, organized treatment areas
• Equipment quality: Modern anesthesia machines, digital imaging, patient monitoring systems
• Staff credentials: Verified training, specialist experience, and continuing education
• Anesthesia safety: Multi-parameter monitoring (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen, temperature, CO2), modern anesthetic agents, emergency preparedness
• Patient monitoring protocols: How patients are monitored during and after procedures
• Communication capability: English-speaking veterinarians available for your phone calls

We physically visit every clinic before partnering with them and continue monitoring quality through regular visits, outcome tracking, and client feedback. Learn more about our partner clinics.

The Two-Call System — Your Connection to Your Pet

One of the biggest anxieties pet owners face is not knowing what is happening. Is the surgery going well? Did the vet find anything unexpected? Is my pet okay? Our two-call system directly addresses this concern:

Call 1: Check-In (Before Treatment)

Before any treatment begins, you receive a phone call from our coordinator with the treating veterinarian. During this call:

• The vet reviews the exam findings and treatment plan
• You ask any questions you have
• You approve the procedure to go forward
• Any unexpected findings are discussed before proceeding

Call 2: Checkout (After Treatment)

After treatment is complete and your pet is recovering, you receive a second call. During this call:

• The vet reports how the procedure went
• Results are shared (what they found, what was done)
• Aftercare instructions are provided in detail
• Medications and follow-up needs are explained
• Your questions are answered

These two calls are not optional extras — they happen for every single appointment, every single time. This is a core part of our service, not an add-on.

Vehicle Safety During Transport

Your pet spends approximately 30-45 minutes in our vehicle each way. During transport:

• The vehicle is climate-controlled (air conditioning or heat as needed)
• Dogs ride in appropriately sized crates or are harnessed with pet safety restraints
• Cats ride in secured carriers
• Fresh water is available
• Vehicles are cleaned and disinfected between patients
• Our coordinators are experienced drivers familiar with the border crossing route

Pets are never left unattended in vehicles. Our coordinator is with your pet from the moment you hand them over until the moment you receive them back.

Complication Protocols — What Happens If Something Goes Wrong

Medical complications can occur with any veterinary procedure, regardless of where it is performed. What matters is how complications are managed. Here is our protocol:

During the Procedure

Our partner clinics are equipped to manage complications that arise during surgery, chemotherapy, or other procedures. If a complication occurs during treatment, the veterinary team addresses it immediately using the clinic’s emergency resources. You are contacted right away to be informed of the situation and the steps being taken.

Immediately After the Procedure

Every pet is monitored after their procedure until they are stable. For surgeries, this means full recovery from anesthesia with normal vital signs. For chemotherapy, this means observation for adverse reactions. Your pet is not transported until the veterinary team confirms they are stable enough for the return trip.

After You Take Your Pet Home

Your aftercare instructions include clear guidelines on what is normal during recovery and what warrants concern. You also have our coordinator’s direct phone number for questions that arise at home. For true emergencies, we advise contacting your local San Diego emergency veterinarian immediately — they are your closest resource for urgent after-hours situations.

What We Will Not Accept

Safety also means knowing when to say no. CBX Pet Care will not coordinate treatment in situations where we believe the risk outweighs the benefit:

• Pets in acute crisis: If your pet needs emergency stabilization, go to your local emergency vet first. Cross-border transport is not appropriate for unstable patients.
• Procedures requiring multi-day ICU care: Same-day service means your pet comes home the same day. If a procedure requires multi-day hospitalization or intensive care monitoring, it may not be appropriate for our model.
• Cases where treatment will not help: If a veterinary assessment suggests treatment would not meaningfully improve quality or length of life, our partner veterinarians will be honest about that. We would rather lose a booking than subject a pet to unnecessary procedures.
• Clinics that do not meet our standards: If a specific procedure requires equipment or expertise that our current partners do not have, we will tell you rather than sending your pet somewhere substandard.

The Real Risk — Doing Nothing

When weighing the safety of cross-border veterinary care, it is worth considering the alternative. Many pet owners who contact us have already received a diagnosis and treatment recommendation from their San Diego veterinarian. The treatment is available locally — it is just priced beyond their reach.

For a dog with lymphoma, the risk of no treatment (4-6 week survival) far exceeds any risk associated with cross-border transport for chemotherapy. For a dog with a torn cruciate, untreated injury leads to chronic pain, arthritis, and eventual loss of mobility. For dental disease, bacteria from infected teeth can damage the heart, liver, and kidneys.

The real risk for many pets is not cross-border veterinary care — it is not receiving care at all because of cost. CBX Pet Care eliminates that barrier.

Frequently Asked Questions About Safety

What if the border is closed or there is an emergency during the appointment?

Border closures between the US and Mexico are extremely rare and short-lived. Our coordinators monitor border conditions daily. In the unlikely event of a disruption, your pet remains at the clinic under veterinary supervision until safe passage is confirmed. You are kept informed throughout any such situation.

How do I know the medications used are legitimate?

Our partner clinics source medications from established pharmaceutical distributors. The chemotherapy drugs, anesthetics, antibiotics, and pain medications used are manufactured by the same companies that supply US veterinary hospitals. We can provide medication details for any treatment your pet receives.

What if my pet has a reaction to anesthesia?

All patients receive pre-anesthetic bloodwork to screen for conditions that increase anesthesia risk. Multi-parameter monitoring during anesthesia allows the team to detect and respond to changes immediately. Emergency drugs and equipment are maintained at every partner clinic. Anesthesia-related complications are managed on-site by the veterinary team.

Is my pet’s information kept confidential?

Yes. Your personal information and your pet’s medical records are kept confidential. We do not share client or patient information publicly. Medical records are shared only with the treating veterinary team for the purpose of providing care.

Can I verify the veterinarian’s credentials?

Our coordinators can provide information about the treating veterinarian’s training and experience. While Mexican veterinary licensing works differently from the US system, our partner veterinarians have verifiable training from accredited institutions and documented clinical experience in their specialty areas.

Last updated: March 2026