Dr. Mike Hicks, owner of Fairfield Animal Hospital in Cypress, said he can never know what to expect when he goes into work on any given day. That challenge, he said, is part of what he loves about the job.

Hicks founded the hospital in the Fairfield subdivision in Cypress in 2001, where he ran it for more than 16 years. He relocated the hospital in February 2018 to a new building on Mueschke Road that was constructed from the ground up and is three times the size of the former one.

“That allowed us to bring in more services, like more boarding [and] grooming services, and to improve the work environment for our employees,” Hicks said. “We certainly needed more room.”

The hospital provides the full gamut of veterinary services, Hicks said, including wellness care, surgeries, dental procedures, dermatology and wound care.

At the core of the hospital’s mission is to work to improve the bonds between pets and owners, Hicks said. In this vein, the hospital provides nutrition counseling and consulting on behavioral issues, such as anxiety, he said.

“This is a people industry as much as it is an animal industry,” Hicks said. “You’ve got to love it and embrace it and just be able to visit with [your] clients and hear their stories.”

Hicks has also implemented a “fear-free” protocol at the hospital. The protocol centers on decreasing anxiety for pets, which can include dimming lights, performing exams outdoors and using calming pheromones.

“There’s still new information that is coming out, and we’re continuing to learn as we go,” Hicks said. “It’s extremely satisfying when you can actually see it work.”

Hicks said he knew he wanted to be a vet since high school. As a pet owner himself—with two donkeys, two mini horses and four dogs—Hicks said the job brings him a lot of satisfaction.

“We’ve been here in the community long enough that we see the children of the clients [from] back when we opened,” he said. “We’re proud that they think enough of us that we’re able to see their children’s pets as their children have grown.”

14940 Mueschke Road, Cypress 281-256-3150 www.mycypressvet.com Hours: Mon.-Thu. 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Fri. 7 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m., closed Sun.