Doctor Mannix is a native of southern California. He grew up in San Diego and attended Saint Augustine High School where he played football and baseball. He was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics at third base but decided to give up the sports and concentrate on college. He married the love of his life, Liz, in 1974. In 1975 he graduated from San Diego State University with a BS in Biology and was awarded Phi Beta Kappa distinction. He then moved north to attend the University of California Davis to work on a master's degree in Animal Science. The following year he began veterinary school at UC Davis.

Doctor Mannix received his doctorate degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1980. While in Veterinary School he was selected as the Student Representative to the California Veterinary Medical Association. This honor gave him an opportunity to represent the students' needs and views in monthly meetings of the Board of Veterinary examiners and he was able to keep the students abreast of the decisions and deliberations. He wrote a monthly article that was published in the journal of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA).

Doctor Mannix was chosen by his classmates to be their spokesman at the graduation ceremony. He was also the recipient of the Small Animal Medicine student of the year given by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).  To top it off, Dr. Mannix and Liz were celebrating the birth of their first child, Ryan.  They were blessed with two more children, Elin and Erika. Dr. Mannix and his wife have been extremely active in their children's activities and have served in various leadership roles in them (Boy Scouts, YMCA Indian Guides and Indian Princesses, Little League, Bobbi Sox, Club Gymnastics, Club Trampoline, Club Diving, Dance Groups, High School teams).

Ryan is a Graduate of Dartmouth College & Pepperdine Law School.  He also has a Master of Divinity degree.  He is a public defender in Yreka, California, and he and his wife Jessica have a son, Noah.  Elin graduated from the University of Villanova and is living & working in Newport Beach.  Erika finished Bucknell University and is in a Master’s Program in Education with a California Teaching Credential at UC Irvine.  She also works part time at San Juan Animal Hospital. From 1980 to 1982 Doctor Mannix practiced in Carmel, California. Yearning to return to their southern roots the family moved to San Juan Capistrano in the summer of 1982. In October 1986, Dr. Mannix and his wife purchased San Juan Animal Hospital.

The practice is his life's dream! He takes personal pride in the care that he is able to provide and in the professional atmosphere that he has created. He treats every animal as if it were his own. It is not unusual for him to take a pet home with him at night for continued care and monitoring. He still offers house calls! “Putting a beloved friend to sleep is never easy and often it is more comfortable and natural in the home setting.” (His wife is very understanding of his long days and of the pets that are “bedded down” in their master shower overnight.)

“I grew up loving animals and loving people. I enjoyed science and thought that I would like human medicine. Somehow, I gravitated toward animal medicine. I take great pride in being at the top of my profession and practicing the kind of medicine on every animal that I would seek and expect for my own.” “I am proud of our practice. We offer a comfortable, small town feeling but combine it with state of the art expertise and a remarkable, capable and loving staff. We truly love and respect both ends of the leash.”

The Mannix's have four pets (at one time they were up to 13!). Katie is a teacup poodle. Riley is a handsome Golden Retriever, and Rusty is a happy go lucky Golden-Doodle. They have one cat, Marty. The pets are a huge part of the Mannix family's life and provide great comfort and companionship.