The third year is aimed at teaching the manifestations of animal diseases including history, diagnosis, therapeutic and prevention strategies.
Faculty and resident clinicians along with supervised students treat more than 50,000 animals a year, ranging from cats and dogs to horses, livestock, and exotic species.
[4] The hospital also provides emergency services seven days a week during regular business hours for exotic animals.
The VMTH provides training opportunities and clinical experiences for DVM students and postgraduate veterinarian residents.
Like the UC system's hospitals for human patients, the VMTH cannot cure every patient—meaning that it has to deal with its share of complaints from dissatisfied pet owners.
In August 2016, news coverage of several pet owners' complaints about expensive and ineffective care at the VMTH drew public attention to the fact that veterinarians working there were exempt from licensing by the California Department of Consumer Affairs.
OWCN directly operates facilities for the cleaning and rehabilitation of oiled wildlife at Cordelia and San Pedro, and in emergencies can also draw upon the resources of 23 participating organizations.