New vet clinic to offer stem-cell therapy in Nevada City

Suzan Murphy stands outside the building at 521 Searls Avenue, which is where she plans to open a new veterinary clinic.

The clinic will offer dental services, ultra-sound, acupuncture, laser surgery, surgery and stem-cell regenerative therapy, which is a relatively new technology.

A veterinary clinic that will offer stem-cell therapy among other services could open as soon as August in the 7 Hills Business District of Nevada City.

Susan Murphy, who for many years owned Best Friends in Cedar Ridge, is now making preparations to move into a 2,550-square-foot space at 521 Searls Avenue.

The building is now being renovated to meet the needs of Murphy’s clinic, which will diagnose and treat dogs and cats. It will have a reception area, offices for exams and rooms for surgeries.

Murphy, who owned her Cedar Ridge business for 18 years before selling it in 2006, said she misses diagnosing illnesses and working with pet owners.

“It’s a really intense business,” she said while giving a tour of the building. “It’s always a puzzle and I love puzzles.”

Murphy said the clinic will offer dental services, ultra-sound, acupuncture, laser surgery, surgery and stem-cell regenerative therapy, which is a relatively new technology.

Murphy said stem cells can now be harvested from the fat of animals and then reintroduced to the patient to treat joint, bone and ligament injuries. The process also has the potential to treat other diseases, she said.

According to a project description submitted to the City Planner’s Officer, the clinic will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday although it would share an emergency room with other veterinarians as part of an “on-call” rotation system.

The plan also says the clinic will not board animals or have outdoor kennels. It does say that animals will be hospitalized at the clinic.

The building, which is managed by Collins Property Management, has 13 parking spaces and is in an area that is zoned Light Industrial. Municipal Code allows up to 24 square feet of signage that must be attached flat to the building. Murphy plans to put her sign where the current sign that says “Access” is now seen.

After spending the past four years doing relief work and volunteering for Rural Area Veterinary Services, Murphy looks forward to working where she lives, which is in Nevada City.

“I miss the relationships, which is one of the reasons that I’m coming back,” she said.