Dr. Leilani Alvarez is the Director of the Tina Santi Flaherty Rehabilitation & Fitness Service and head of our Integrative and Rehabilitative Medicine Department. Dr. Alvarez is one of few specialists worldwide that is board certified in canine sports medicine and rehabilitation. She has been practicing rehabilitation medicine for over a decade. Her advanced training specializes her skills in diagnosis and treatment of soft tissue injuries such as joint injuries, ligament and tendon tears, and spinal injuries. Dr. Alvarez utilizes Integrative Medicine, which combines modern conventional approaches with Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Integrative Medicine includes therapies such as regenerative medicine (stem cells and platelet rich plasma), physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, spinal manipulation and herbal medicine, which help to increase the overall health of a patient and can often increase the success of conventional treatments.

Dr. Alvarez was the founder of a successful Integrative Medicine service at Katonah Bedford Veterinary Specialty Hospital prior to joining the staff of the AMC. She completed her rotating surgical and medicine internship and residency at AMC. She is also fluent in Spanish. Dr. Alvarez is a renowned national and international lecturer, research scientist, and accomplished author of peer-reviewed articles. She is the 2017 recipient of the prestigious John Sherman Award for Excellence in Veterinary Rehabilitation.

She leads one of only 5 accredited residencies nationwide for training residents in canine sports medicine and rehabilitation. Her research interests include soft tissue and sports injuries, geriatric medicine, joint supplements and nutraceuticals.

Dr. Kara Amstutz graduated from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. Along with her husband, Dwight, she established Hometown Veterinary Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, in 2002. Kara holds a special place in her heart for pets who suffer from pain and mobility issues. In 2010, she began her studies in advanced pain management for her patients, eventually leading to her becoming a Certified Veterinary Pain Practitioner (CVPP) through the IVAPM in 2013. She also became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) through the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI) in 2013. In 2014, River Canine Rehabilitation was started, functioning as a small practice within Hometown Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Kara became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist through IVAS in 2019. 

Kara achieved her lifelong dream of completing a 5-year non-traditional residency program through the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine in 2023. She is now a board-certified specialist, equipped with advanced knowledge and skills to help her patients even more effectively.

In 2020, Dwight and Kara decided to move out of general veterinary practice ownership and sold Hometown Veterinary Hospital. In February 2022, they took over Canine Rehabilitation Institute, a post-graduate certification program for veterinarians, physical therapists, and veterinary nurses in rehabilitation and acupuncture. Kara teaches many courses to new veterinary rehabilitation professionals worldwide.

Her path has come full circle by opening Momentum Veterinary Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation. Along with the team from the former River Canine Rehabilitation, she will continue to put her passion for patient care, client education, and providing these much-needed services in the Springfield community.

Dr. Brendan Anders grew up in Alexandria, VA, and obtained his Bachelor of Science combined degree in psychology and sociology from James Madison University. He later relocated to Athens, GA, to pursue his degree in veterinary medicine at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. During his time in school, Dr. Anders participated in rotations at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD, the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC, and the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Following his graduation in 2000, he then completed a small animal rotating internship at the Regional Veterinary Referral Center in Springfield, VA. After his internship, Dr. Anders worked as a relief veterinarian for the Baltimore Zoo before going into general practice as a veterinarian.

After spending two years working in general practice and one year as an emergency veterinarian in Brooklyn, NY, Dr. Anders was accepted as a surgical intern, then resident, at Garden State Veterinary Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ. While at Garden State, he researched auditory function in cats before and after nasopharyngeal polyp removal, and he developed his surgical interests in thoracic surgery and fracture repair. Dr. Anders completed his surgical residency in 2008, and he became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2010. He is a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), the Veterinary Orthopedic Society (VOS), and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

Dr. Bleedorn is a board-certified small animal Orthopedic surgery at Colorado State University. He is passionate about providing high-quality orthopedic care for pets through innovations in research and technology, as well as training veterinarians, surgery residents, and students. His educational background includes DVM (the University of Illinois), internships (Purdue University and Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center), and surgery residency and MS in biomedical sciences (the University of Wisconsin-Madison). Previously he was on faculty at the University of Wisconsin for the past 10 years before moving to Colorado. Dr. Bleedorn’s research interests comprise several clinical, translational, and educational topics. These include imaging assessment and treatment of bone deformities, 3D modeling/printing for surgical planning, and biomechanics, among other clinical interests. His educational focus include the development of instructional tools and assessment metrics for surgical training and improving clinic efficiency. Dr. Bleedorn is a partner of Vet3D, LLC that provides Orthopedic consulting and patient-specific guide systems for surgeons worldwide. He is an instructor/consultant for Arthrex Vet Systems, AOVet, IMEX, and CSU Vet continuing education. He is an avid mountain biker, rock climber, and outdoor enthusiast together with his family.

Bio to follow.

Thibaut Cachon was graduated from the veterinary school of Lyon (France) in 2002. After an internship, he completed his surgical residency program in the same school. He was board-certified in small animal surgery by the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2010. In 2018 he completed a PhD in Biomechanics.

He is actually, a senior lecturer, in the small animal surgical department of the veterinary school of Lyon (Université de Lyon-VetAgro Sup-Campus vétérinaire de Lyon, France). His main areas of interest are orthopedic pathologies (bone traumatology, joint and prosthetic surgery, lameness diagnosis, osteoarthritis management, etc.) and minimally invasive surgery, notably arthroscopy.

He is the author of over 60 international publications and numerous presentations at national and international conferences.

Dr. Campoy is a Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. A native of Spain, Dr. Campoy received his veterinary degree from Universidad de Zaragoza (Spain) in 1995. After some time in private practice, he completed an internship at the aforementioned University. Subsequently, Dr Campoy completed his residency in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at University College Dublin (Ireland). He attained diplomate status from the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in 2004. Dr. Campoy also holds a Certificate in Veterinary Anaesthesia of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Research interests for Dr. Campoy are focused on locoregional anesthetic techniques for all species with a focus on dogs and horses. He has co-authored numerous peer reviewed publications on this topic as well as some of the leading texts in locoregional anesthesia.

Laura graduated from University College Dublin in 2008 with a first class honours degree in Veterinary Medicine. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery, followed by a Masters of Science and residency in small animal surgery at the University of Florida (UF).

In 2013, Laura joined University College Dublin as Assistant Professor in Small Animal Surgery. She was welcomed as a Diplomate of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons in 2014, and as a Diplomate of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

Laura is actively involved in teaching and regularly delivers lectures and practical workshops nationally and internationally. Her research interests include orthopaedic biomechanics, specifically relating to medial coronoid disease in dogs, as well as teaching and proficiency assessment in minimally-invasive procedures.

Laura maintains a strong interest in all aspects of orthopaedic, soft tissue, neurologic and oncologic surgery, however, her main clinical interests reflect her advanced training at UF in minimally-invasive techniques, traumatology and rehabilitation of the postoperative patient.

Dr. Fischetti is the Department Head of Radiology and Radiation Safety Officer at Animal Medical Center (AMC). He received his undergraduate and veterinary degrees from Cornell University (1997, 2001), internship training at the University of Pennsylvania (2001-2002), and Residency/Master’s Degree from Ohio State University (2002-2015). He is an executive council member of the American College of Veterinary Radiology (ACVR) and Webmaster of the ACVR.com website. He is the resident director for the AMC’s Diagnostic Imaging Residency, Adjunct Professor of Radiology at Western University Veterinary College, and overseas teaching of over 50 interns, residents and students each year at AMC. Dr. Fischetti speaks nationally and internationally on a variety of topics related to veterinary radiology.

Bio to follow.

Dr. Jones is an Irish national, hailing from Co. Monaghan in the east of Ireland. He attended veterinary school at University College Dublin, where he graduated with honors in 2009. Following graduation, he moved to Hollywood in South Florida to complete a rotating and a specialty surgery internship, at the Hollywood Animal Hospital. From there, Dr. Jones moved to Gainesville, Florida where he completed a combined residency in small animal surgery and a Master’s of Science program at the University of Florida. After completion of his residency in 2015, Dr. Jones moved to Columbus, Ohio where he became a member of the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Orthopedics at The Ohio State University. Dr. Jones is a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) and the European College of Veterinary Surgeons (ECVS). ​

To date, Dr. Jones has written and published over 20 scientific papers, over 30 scientific abstracts and has also authored several book chapters. Dr. Jones continues to question standard veterinary practices and conventions, and has a number of ongoing and planned clinical research projects that he intends to publish and present at international conferences into the future. As part of his commitment to improve the quality of orthopedic care for his patients, Dr. Jones is an active member of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and the AO ( German for “Association for the Study of Internal Fixation”). He continues to help his patients through the design and development of new surgical implants & instrumentation, and through the development (and publication) of new and innovative surgical techniques.

Dr. Jones has a passion for teaching and is frequently asked to lecture locally, nationally, and internationally. He has given over 300 continuing education lectures and has taught over 100 laboratories. ​

Dr. Jones’ special clinical interests include the management of cranial cruciate ligament rupture, arthroscopy, minimally invasive fracture repair, medical and surgical treatment of joint disease, and surgical management of angular limb deformities. Outside of work, Dr. Jones loves spending time with his wife Ashley and their dog Liam. He also loves to golf, when the weather permits! ​

Bio to follow.

Sebastian qualified from the University of Giessen, Germany in 2002 and went on to perform a rotating internship and a surgical internship at the University of Vienna, Austria. Afterwards he did his residency in Small Animal Surgery (surgical specialisation) at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2012. 

Following his residency, he worked as a senior clinician at the University of Zurich in Small Animal Surgery. In 2020 he left the University and worked as a senior surgeon in the Tierklinik Aarau West in Switzerland. 

In 2021 he finished his PhD at GCB in Bern about Pathomechanisms in Wobblers Disease. Sebastian joined the faculty team of the Small Animal Clinic at the University of Zurich in 2021 and works in small animal orthopaedics. He also became the head of the clinical infrastructure of the clinic for small animal surgery. Sebastian continued working in Aarau West part time. 

Sebastian has published several book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed veterinary journals and lectures regularly at national and international courses/conferences on small animal orthopaedics. He is currently finishing his habilitation about feline traumatology. 

Dr. Peter Lotsikas is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Lotsikas graduated with a BS degree in Biology from Virginia Tech and a DVM degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. He then completed a general small animal internship at Kansas State University, followed by a surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center. He received his formal surgical residency training at Iowa State University. Dr. Lotsikas returned to his home state of Maryland in 2007. He was an associate orthopedic surgeon at Veterinary Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Group (VOSM) in Annapolis Junction Maryland for four years prior to becoming an owner at CARE Veterinary Center in Frederick Maryland. Dr. Lotsikas sold his ownership of CARE in 2014 to found Skylos Sports Medicine.

Dr. Lotsikas serves as a veterinary surgical consultant for Arthrex Vet Systems and is a national instructor in arthroscopy and minimally invasive knee stabilization. He is credited for developing the technique guide for the TightRope System for stabilization of traumatic hip luxation, currently used worldwide. Dr. Lotsikas is also on the medical education advisor board for Zoetis and is a Zoetis ELITE speaker on pain, anesthesia and sedation. He has contributed to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and co-authored a chapter in the textbook Mechanisms of Disease in Small Animal Surgery. Dr. Lotsikas recently served as section chief/author for the chapter on orthopedic disorders of the hind limb for the textbook Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Lotsikas is currently a scientific reviewer for the Veterinary Surgery Journal and Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association and has served as a scientific reviewer for the VOS and ACVS Symposiums. Dr. Lotsikas is very active in the continuing education of veterinarians and has presented at nearly every major veterinary surgery meeting in the United States. He is a frequently requested author for Clean Run Magazine, Pointing Dog Journal, Retriever Journal, and Just Labs Magazine on sports-related injuries in the canine athlete.

Dr. Lotsikas specializes in sports-related injuries and returning performance and working dogs back to full function. His clinical focus is on minimally invasive surgery and total joint replacement. Dr. Lotsikas is certified to perform Biomedtrix Hip Replacements, the TightRope CCL and TPLO procedure for cruciate repairs, Sliding Humeral Osteotomy procedure and CUE joint resurfacing procedure for elbow dysplasia. Dr. Lotsikas also incorporates Orthobiologics as appropriate.

Most importantly, Dr. Lotsikas prides himself on tailoring his surgical and medical recommendations to meet the needs of his diverse patient population. Whether it is an elite athlete or an aging companion, Dr. Lotsikas focuses on getting to know the individual to ensure the best possible outcome for each patient’s particular needs and goals.

Dr. Lotsikas is married to Dr. Faith Lotsikas and has three young daughters. They have a small farm in Myersville, Maryland. His personal interests include fishing, hunting, golf and farming.

Sean Murphy, DVM, Diplomate, ACVS (Small Animal), is a Board-certified Veterinary Surgeon at WestVet Boise, where he has been a part of the team since August 2007.

Dr. Murphy earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at Colorado State University. Following earning his veterinary degree, he completed a one-year small animal internship at Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital and Denver Veterinary Specialists. He then went on to complete a small animal surgical residency at the University of Wisconsin.

While at the University of Wisconsin, Dr. Murphy’s research focused on arthroscopic and MRI findings in canine shoulder disease, CT-guided tumor ablation in dogs with osteosarcoma, and minimally invasive biliary surgery.

Dr. Murphy has provided a broad spectrum of expertise to WestVet patients. His focus on minimally invasive procedures and the use of our high-speed fluoroscopy unit (a moving x-ray) allows him to repair broken bones through very small incisions and place life-saving stents into the trachea, ureter, and urethra.

Dr. Sean Murphy is extremely proficient in the areas of arthroscopy, laparoscopy, and thoracoscopy. These modalities result in decreased pain and allow faster recovery for our patients. Dr. Murphy also maintains a focus on joint reconstruction and joint replacement. He performs procedures that can replace cartilage defects and help restore a more normal joint surface thereby limiting arthritis development.

Dr. Murphy enjoys teaching and provides surgical instruction to veterinarians through continuing education lectures and laboratories on a local and national level. He enjoys private and academic veterinary settings and understands the necessity of a collaborative relationship between the client, primary care veterinarian, and specialist through detailed and timely communication practices.

He lives in Boise with his wife Rachel and two beautiful daughters. He enjoys many outdoor activities but tends to favor fly fishing above all.

Karen Perry graduated from The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh in 2005. Following a short period in mixed practice, she completed an internship in small animal orthopedics and neurosurgery at Fitzpatrick Referrals in Surrey prior to undertaking a residency in small animal surgery back at the R(D)SVS. Following completion of this in 2010 and achievement of ECVS status in 2011, she joined the Royal Veterinary College, London as a lecturer in small animal orthopedics.

Following four years there she moved to Michigan State University where she is currently an Assistant Professor in Small Animal Orthopedics. She has published widely in the veterinary literature with her main research interests being feline orthopaedics, traumatology and the correction of limb deformities associated with medial patellar luxation.    

Antonio Pozzi is the Director of the Clinic of Small Animal Surgery and head of the Small Animal Department at the University of Zurich. He completed an internship and residency at the Ohio State University. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2006 and a Diplomate of the American College of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in 2013. From 2007 to 2014 he worked at the University of Florida where he was appointed Associate Professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine and adjunct Professor at College of Medicine and College of Engineering. Since 2014 he worked at the University of Zurich, where he leads a team focusing on sport medicine, trauma and surgery. His special interests are canine sports medicine, minimally invasive surgery, regenerative therapies and joint surgery.

Bio to follow.

Eva has recently been promoted to full professor and is now the Head of Small Animal Surgery at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. She is a member and secretary of ESVOT and has been lecturing in international and national conferences. She is additionally lecturer for ESAVS and for AO. Her research interest focuses on traumatology, cranial cruciate disease and feline orthopaedics.

Selena earned her DVM degree in 2012 and went on to complete a residency in small animal surgery concurrently with a PhD in canine stifle kinematics, specifically in dogs with cranial cruciate ligament disease before and after treatment. Since completing her training, Selena has worked as an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Surgery (Orthopedics) at The Ohio State University (3 years) and at Cornell University (4 years, present).