Eight service lines. Six of them are standard general-practice medicine for companion and exotic animals — the things you would expect a multi-doctor clinic with expertise in both dogs and cats and exotic species to do well. Two of them (dentistry, soft-tissue surgery) are deeper than the standard general-practice baseline because we have doctors whose clinical focus is in those areas. Two of them (end-of-life care, urgent care) we handle differently than most clinics, in ways worth explaining.
The two most-trafficked detail pages are below — wellness care and dentistry — each with its own deep page. The rest are described here in short. Whether your family member is a dog, cat, rabbit, parrot, lizard, or guinea pig, call (804) 594-3545 or use /new-clients to book any of them.
No. 01
Wellness Care
A wellness exam is the only time most pets see us in a calm year. We schedule thirty minutes for one — the doctor is not double-booked, and the visit isn't rushed. Most of what we find that matters, we find at wellness. This applies equally to your dog, cat, rabbit, bird, reptile, or any other companion species we see.
Annual exams from age one through seven, twice-yearly from age eight. Wellness protocols for exotic species are tailored to each animal's specific biology and husbandry needs. Bloodwork recommended annually after age seven for companion animals; exotic-appropriate diagnostics discussed at every visit. Written visit summary emailed home the same day.
We protocol vaccines by lifestyle, not by checklist. Your indoor cat does not need the same vaccine schedule as your boarding-kennel-using Labrador. We sit with the chart, ask what your pet actually does, and recommend accordingly.
Core vaccines: distemper-parvo-adeno (dogs), rabies (dogs and cats), FVRCP (cats). Lifestyle-elective: Bordetella, Leptospirosis, Lyme, canine influenza (dogs); FeLV (outdoor or multi-cat-household cats). For exotic species we discuss species-appropriate preventive protocols at each visit. We follow current AVMA/AAFP vaccine guidelines and re-evaluate the protocol every wellness visit. We refuse to over-vaccinate.
Full dental cleanings under monitored general anesthesia with pre-anesthetic bloodwork, IV catheter, full-mouth digital dental x-rays, scaling above and below the gumline, polishing, and a treatment-planned approach to any extractions. Dental care for exotic species — including rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds — requires specialized technique and is a clinical focus area of our exotic-medicine team.
We do not perform "anesthesia-free cleanings." There is no way to clean below the gumline — which is where periodontal disease lives — on an awake animal. We say this directly because clients deserve a real answer.
Soft-tissue surgical caseload handled by our experienced veterinary team. Procedures performed in-house include spay and neuter surgeries for dogs, cats, and many exotic species (rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and select avian and reptile patients), mass removals with planned-margin approach, abdominal procedures, urinary blockage relief, and gastrointestinal foreign-body removal.
What we refer out: oncologic resections requiring wide margins, thoracic procedures, complex orthopedic cases, and any case requiring overnight ICU monitoring. We refer to the Veterinary Emergency Center of Richmond or Virginia Veterinary Specialists as appropriate. We handle the referral letter, the records transfer, and the follow-up.
No. 05
Diagnostics & Imaging
In-house lab capability: complete blood count, chemistry panel, T4 thyroid, electrolytes, urinalysis, fecal exam, and SDMA (kidney-marker). Most wellness panels are back within an hour. Exotic-species bloodwork is interpreted with species-specific reference ranges. Digital x-ray and ultrasound for thoracic, abdominal, and orthopedic imaging — valuable for both companion animals and exotic patients.
What is not on-site: CT, MRI, echocardiography by a board-certified cardiologist. For advanced imaging we refer to the Veterinary Emergency Center of Richmond or Virginia Veterinary Specialists. For cardiology we coordinate with specialist referral partners — ask if your pet would benefit.
No. 06
Urgent Care
Same-day appointments for sick pets during clinic hours. We reserve a portion of our daily schedule for urgent visits — call by 9 AM and we can usually fit you in that day. This includes urgent care for exotic species; a sick rabbit or bird can deteriorate quickly, and we take those calls seriously.
We are not a 24/7 emergency clinic. If your pet has a true emergency outside our clinic hours — collapse, severe trauma, suspected bloat, severe respiratory distress, prolonged seizure — call the Veterinary Emergency Center of Richmond at (804) 353-9000. They are open 24/7 with emergency veterinarians on site and are experienced with exotic species as well as dogs and cats.
No. 07
Senior Pet Care
For dogs over seven and cats over eight: twice-yearly wellness exams, twice-yearly senior bloodwork (CBC, chemistry, T4, urinalysis), annual chest radiographs, annual blood pressure measurement (cats especially — feline hypertension is underdiagnosed). Exotic species age on different timelines; we discuss species-appropriate senior screening at each visit. Long appointments by default — we'll need them.
We talk frankly about quality-of-life and pain management for arthritic and chronic-disease patients. Most senior visits include a quality-of-life screening discussion — not because we are pushing anything, but because pet owners often appreciate someone else giving them permission to bring it up.
No. 08
End-of-Life Care
Of every service on this page, end-of-life is the one we have most carefully built and the one we are most often thanked for. We offer hospice consultations for terminal patients (a structured visit to plan comfort-care goals at home), in-clinic euthanasia in a private comfort room with a couch and time, and compassionate end-of-life support for exotic species patients as well as dogs and cats.
We send a handwritten condolence card to the family within a week. We make a paw-print in clay on request. We are not in a hurry. (Please call us to discuss end-of-life planning — our team will walk you through every option available to you and your pet.)
Service area
Serving Richmond, VA and the surrounding area.
Lucks Lane Veterinary Clinic sees dogs, cats, and exotic animals from across the greater Richmond metro area. Our clinic is located on Courthouse Road in the Chesterfield County area of Richmond, with convenient access from the Midlothian Turnpike corridor and ample on-site parking.
Cities and communities we serve
Richmond, VA
Chesterfield, VA
Midlothian, VA
Powhatan, VA
Henrico, VA
Bon Air, VA
Brandermill, VA
Hanover, VA
Near these landmarks
Our clinic is conveniently located near Pocahontas State Park (a popular destination for active pets and their families), a short drive from Stony Point Fashion Park, and within easy reach of the broader Chesterfield and Midlothian communities. For after-hours emergencies we refer to the Veterinary Emergency Center of Richmond.
Ready to book?
New clients can fill out the short form online. Existing clients can call the front desk or book through the client portal. We welcome dogs, cats, and all exotic species.