Our Roots
Under the direction of Dr. Rex Sentell, Palm City Animal Clinic opened its doors to the community in 1981, providing medical and surgical services to small animals and a range of exotic pets. We’ve been serving our clientele for more than 40 years now, and have added new equipment, more services, and new faces to our team over time. Our goals are the same as they’ve always been: to remain a leader in quality service and care for animals throughout the Treasure Coast area and beyond… and to make the care of your pets both convenient and comfortable for you.
Our Passion
Opening a veterinary practice was a long-term goal of Palm City Animal Clinic’s Medical Director, Dr. Rex Sentell, ever since he began to study veterinary medicine. His love for animals and a strong desire to have a place where animals and their owners could get the care they needed motivated him to work hard. As a result, he was able to welcome families and their pets to the Clinic only a few short years after earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) Degree.
Our Promise
Palm City Animal Clinic (now the Palm City Animal Medical Center) became the first of its kind to offer many services that were formerly unobtainable on the Treasure Coast. Dr. Sentell believed then, as he does today, in continuing education and training for all members of the medical and technical teams in order to utilize the protocols that have proven to meet or exceed veterinary medicine’s national standards of best care practices – from routine checkups to emergency care.
Your Partner
Nearly fourty years after opening its doors, Palm City Animal Medical Center has expanded to include six Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and a team of 40 plus professionals - both technical and support staff. Despite the growth we’ve enjoyed for over 35 years, we are proud of the fact that our clients tell us the Center always feels welcoming and down-to-earth. Our three cats still stroll around “their center,” getting as much attention as they want from our doctors and team members. In fact, you can find one or more of us playing with our two hospital cats when we have a spare moment during long, busy days.
From Dr.Sentell
“Even as a kid, I was always playing with animals and spending time at my uncle’s small farm, where I chased the ducks and pigs around at every opportunity. I always enjoyed being around animals, so in my sophomore year of high school, I decided to pursue a career as a marine biologist. I kept that plan throughout my undergraduate years of college and was ultimately accepted into a couple of PhD Marine Biology programs.
But I soon found out it wasn’t what I thought it would be. For one thing, there were few opportunities - virtually no job prospects for Marine Biologists who wanted to remain in Florida, and I wanted to stay here. After consulting with professors I respected at both Florida Atlantic and University of Florida, it wasn’t looking good. In the meanwhile, my own veterinarian - who cared for my dogs during my college years – had been encouraging me to switch to the study of veterinary medicine. I’m not sure why he did that, but he must have seen something in me that I didn’t yet see in myself. But over time, these factors caused a shift in my thinking and one day I made the fortunate decision to shift to the Veterinary Medicine programs. Once I did, I never looked back! It’s the best decision I could have made, and I’ve never regretted it for a moment. I enjoy my work now more than ever.”
