One Van, One Vision: How Dr. Tom Vega Turned His Dream Into Chicago's Most Innovative Mobile Practice

Dr. Tom Vega understood something fundamental about Chicago pet owners: they wanted excellent veterinary care, but getting it often meant stressed pets, long waits, and disrupted schedules. So he built a solution that comes to them.

Reading the Room—and the Market

After graduating from veterinary school in 2025, Vega spent time as a relief veterinarian across the Chicagoland area. Those experiences gave him an invaluable education you can't get in textbooks—he saw firsthand how different practices operated, what clients valued most, and where gaps existed in the market.

"Working at various clinics showed me that pet owners consistently wanted two things: top-tier medical care and a less stressful experience for their animals," Vega explains. "I realized those didn't have to be mutually exclusive."

He noticed something else: Chicago's urban landscape made traditional vet visits particularly challenging. Traffic, parking, anxious pets in carriers, crowded waiting rooms—the logistics could be as exhausting as they were anxiety-inducing. Meanwhile, the city's professionals valued both quality and convenience, and were willing to invest in services that delivered both.

The opportunity was clear. The execution would be the challenge.

Building It Himself

In December 2024, Vega sketched out his concept for Concierge Companions VetMed. By September 2025, he was seeing patients in a fully equipped mobile veterinary clinic. The speed is impressive, but what's more remarkable is that he built it entirely on his own—no investors, no partners, no startup funding.

His background in Chicago's call center industry, where he'd built a successful career before pursuing veterinary medicine, gave him business skills that proved essential. Project management, customer service excellence, operational efficiency—these translated directly into building a veterinary practice.

The mobile unit itself is a pristine white van custom-outfitted with hospital-grade equipment: IDEXX Catalyst, ProCyte One, and SediVue diagnostic machines, digital radiology, and comprehensive monitoring systems. It's not a compromise—it's a complete veterinary hospital that happens to be mobile.

Convenience Meets Compassion

The business model is elegant in its simplicity: bring gold-standard veterinary medicine directly to clients' homes. No waiting rooms. No car rides for anxious pets. No juggling schedules around clinic hours.

Appointments are extended and unhurried. Vega has the time to really talk with pet owners, examine patients thoroughly, and answer every question. Pets stay in their comfort zone—their own living room, backyard, or wherever they feel most secure. For senior animals, pets recovering from illness, or those with anxiety, the difference is transformative.

"I've seen dogs who were terrified at traditional clinics completely relax when I'm treating them in their own home," Vega says. "That calm makes better medicine possible."

Currently focused on wellness and preventative care, the practice plans to expand services over time. The vision includes surgical capabilities and urgent care—bringing even advanced interventions to patients' homes when appropriate.

Community on Wheels

The white mobile clinic has become a familiar and welcome sight across Chicago neighborhoods. Vega uses the distinctive vehicle not just for appointments but for community outreach, educational events, and building connections with local pet owners.

Before officially launching, the practice had to pass one final inspection: Ellis Esquire, Vega's Boston Terrier and unofficial "Chief Pup Officer," thoroughly vetted the mobile unit and gave his approval. It's the kind of personal touch that defines the practice—professional excellence delivered with genuine warmth.

A Model for Modern Practice

Dr. Vega's success speaks to something larger than one entrepreneurial veterinarian. It demonstrates that new graduates can identify underserved niches, leverage their unique backgrounds, and build innovative practices that meet real needs.

He saw pet owners struggling with the logistics and stress of traditional veterinary visits. He recognized his city's specific challenges and opportunities. He combined solid business fundamentals with medical excellence. And he was willing to take the risk of building something new rather than following the conventional path.

For Chicago pet owners, Concierge Companions VetMed means veterinary care that fits their lives—comprehensive, professional, and delivered with genuine compassion. For the broader veterinary community, it's a reminder that there are multiple paths to building a fulfilling practice.

Sometimes the best innovations come from simply listening to what people need, then having the courage to deliver it.