Dr. Cedric Koch
Co-Founder/Veterinarian
Hi, my name is Dr. Koch, and I am a Co-Founder and Veterinarian at Solana Vet. I am passionate about providing high-quality care and helping my patients feel comfortable and confident in their treatment.
Personal Hobbies and Interests
Outside of work, I enjoy running, traveling, and spending time with my family.
Favorite Part of My Job
My favorite part of veterinary medicine is seeing the bond people share with their animals and being trusted to care for a beloved member of their family. I find it especially rewarding when a family comes in frightened or overwhelmed and I can give them answers, a clear plan, and some sense of relief. I also have a particular soft spot for rescue cases, which can be some of the saddest and most challenging, but also some of the most rewarding. I am persistent by nature, and when there is a reasonable path forward, I want to explore it and give that animal the best chance I can.
Why I Chose This Profession
My veterinary journey began on my family's farm, Ontos Farm, in rural Australia, where I cared for orphan goats, litters of Maremma puppies, and abandoned marsupials, and even had a pet wombat named Sassy. My mother also played a big role in my interest. She had once hoped to become a veterinarian herself, and she shared her love of veterinary medicine with my siblings and me, including reading us James Herriot's stories as we grew up. Between life on the farm and those early influences at home, caring for animals became something I could genuinely picture myself doing for a living.
Education
I earned my Bachelor of Science from La Trobe University in Melbourne in 2012, with a double major in Microbiology and Organic Chemistry. I then attended The University of Melbourne, where I earned my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2016. During my studies, I gained experience as a student doctor at many hospitals.
Professional Background
My main interests in veterinary care are surgery and internal medicine. I enjoy the problem-solving involved in complex medical cases and the ability to follow a case from diagnosis through treatment. Surgery is a particular passion of mine, as I enjoy the technical challenge and the opportunity to make an immediate, meaningful difference for a patient.
Memberships
I am a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Work History
To complement my studies, I worked as a veterinary nurse at Coburg Veterinary Clinic from 2009 to 2016, and as an animal ambulance driver for the Lost Dogs Home from 2013 to 2016, picking up stray and injured animals and transferring them to the shelter or animal hospitals. I then followed my heart to California, where I worked at Banfield Pet Hospital from 2017 to 2022 in North Oceanside, Rancho Niguel, and San Juan Capistrano, becoming chief of staff for multiple hospitals. In that role, I most enjoyed mentoring and developing teams. Most recently, I worked at Camino Pet Hospital, a private practice in Irvine, from 2022 to 2026, where I discovered a new passion for rescue work that allowed me to sharpen my surgical skills while improving outcomes for the sickest of pets.