Exhibit 99.1

VCA Antech, Inc. Increases Financial Guidance for Fiscal Year 2003

    LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 22, 2003--VCA Antech, Inc.
(Nasdaq:WOOF), a leading animal health care company in the United
States, provides the following revised guidance for all investors in
adherence with Regulation Fair Disclosure as issued by the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and encourages all
current and potential investors to review the disclosure regarding
forward-looking statements in this press release as well as in all
financial documents filed with the SEC. All guidance amounts are
before any potential special items.

    In response to its strong performance for the third quarter of
2003, VCA Antech is increasing its guidance for the year ending
December 31, 2003 as follows:

    --  Projected revenue to a range of $494.5 million to $504.5
        million,

    --  Projected operating income to a range of $108.4 million to
        $110.4 million,

    --  Projected net income to a range of $40.6 million to $41.6
        million, and

    --  Projected EPS to $1.01.

    Projected EPS of $1.01 includes $0.13 per diluted common share of
after-tax debt retirement costs of which $0.11 were incurred in
connection with the early payment of the Company's 15.5% senior notes
in February 2003 and $0.02 were incurred in connection with the
refinance and $20.0 million voluntary repayment of the Company's
senior term notes in August 2003. The Company's previously announced
projected EPS, issued on July 23, 2003, was $0.98, which included the
after-tax debt retirement costs of $0.11 mentioned above.

    Statements contained in this release that are not based on
historical information are forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary substantially as a
result of a variety of factors. Among the important factors that could
cause actual results to differ are the level of direct costs and the
ability of the Company to maintain gross revenue at a level necessary
to maintain operating margins, the level of selling, general and
administrative costs, the effects of competition, the efficient
integration of the Company's acquisitions, the effects of the
Company's recent acquisitions and its ability to effectively manage
its growth, the ability of the Company to service its debt, the
continued implementation of its management information systems,
pending litigation and governmental investigations, general economic
conditions, and the results of the Company's acquisition program.
These and other risk factors are discussed in the Company's recent
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K and
the reader is directed to these statements for a further discussion of
important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those in the forward-looking statements.

    VCA Antech owns, operates and manages the largest networks of
free-standing veterinary hospitals and veterinary-exclusive clinical
laboratories in the country.

    CONTACT: VCA Antech, Inc.
             Tom Fuller, 310-571-6505