Riverside Animal Clinic has been operating since 1982, when Dr. Khader Shakir opened the practice in one small section of the 2904 W IL Rt 120 location. Dr. Shakir quickly won many fans and grew the clinic to encompass the entire building.  Dr. Shakir decided to retire in 2010 and sold Riverside Animal Clinic to Jim Carlson, DVM CVA CVTP. Dr. Carlson began expanding the clinic’s services to include laser surgery, cold laser, senior pet care, acupuncture, prescription herbs, Tui-na, food therapy, BioScan SRT, and more. Our list of treatments and integrative wellness offerings is always growing!

The new location at the corner of 31 & 120 in McHenry, IL was first piloted by Dr. Carlson’s wife, Cristen, and further enhances the patient and client experience, adding an indoor dog park, DIY dog wash, and a pet store with all of our favorite products. 

After Cristen’s passing in 2024, daughter Avery and son George have stepped in to continue Cristen’s vision and help their father grow the family business. This new version of Riverside Animal Clinic is built on a fresh perspective, backed by a love of veterinary medicine, treasured input from long-time staff members, and client feedback. We are pleased to have served McHenry and the surrounding areas for over 40 years and we look forward to many more!

Our office has now converted to a paperless veterinary practice management system that is in keeping with our core beliefs of reducing our global footprint through the reduction of paper, ink and electrical use.

We look forward to serving the McHenry community and surrounding areas for many years to come.