Our Hospital and Staff

The Surgical Group:

Southern California Veterinary Referral Group specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of surgically managed diseases. We utilize specialized, advanced equipment to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of orthopedic, neurologic, thoracic and abdominal disorders.

The Surgical Staff:

Our Animal Health Technicians and staff members have received specialized training in the field of veterinary surgical practice. Their personal and sensitive nursing care has helped to establish our reputation for excellent hospital and post-surgery care.

Our Doctors:

Tommy Walker, DVM, MS
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine:
Texas A&M University, June 1974

Neurology Residency:
Auburn University, 1975-1977

Surgical Residency:
University of Tennessee, 1978-1981

Associate Professor:
University of Tennessee
Associate Professor of Surgery, 1981-1989

Dr. Tommy L. Walker is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons who specializes in small animal neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. Through his work for his Masters and Veterinary Medical degrees in Texas and his faculty positions at Auburn University and the University of Tennessee, Dr. Walker has contributed dozens of scientific articles and book chapters to the veterinary literature. He has served on numerous editorial review boards and actively lectures in the United States and Western Europe on state of the art veterinary diagnostic and surgical techniques.

Through his practice in Southern California, he actively participates with area humane societies and animal rescue leagues to rehabilitate injured animals for pet adoption and serves as a consultant for both private and institutional animal foundations.

Peter L. Vogel, VMD, Staff Surgeon
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine
University of Pennsylvania, May 1990

Internship:
California Animal Hospital, Department of Surgery, 1990-1991

Surgical Residency:
University of California, Davis, 1991-1994

Dr. Peter Vogel received extensive training in orthopedic, neurosurgical, abdominal, and thoracic surgery during his residency. He has also received advanced training in critical care, wound management, fracture management, and microvascular surgery.

Dr. Vogel lectures on state of the art veterinary medicine both locally and internationally. He works with greyhound rescue groups to rehabilitate injured animals and facilitate their adoptions. In addition, he is currently involved in ongoing research aimed at developing synthetic bone substitutes.

Rebecca J. Ringwald, DVM, Staff Surgeon
Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine
Purdue University, May 1982

Internship:
University of Illinois, 1982-1983

Surgical Residency:
The Ohio State University, 1983-1986

Dr. Rebecca Ringwald brings a wide array of experience in small animal surgery to this practice. Her areas of interest include cardiothoracic and soft tissue surgery, care of the critically ill patient, and client communication.

Dr. Georgina Black, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine, 1986

Internship
University of Minnesota, 1992

Internal Medicine Residency
University of California, Davis, 1994

Dr. Georgina Black's professional interests include endocrinology and the treatment of oncologic, immune, renal, and respiratory diseases. She has served as a consultant for several veterinary hospitals and laboratories.

Wayne L. Berry, Staff Surgeon, Neurologist

Wayne L. Berry, BVSc(Hons), MMedVet(Med), MRCVS
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)

Graduated from the Faculty of Veterinary Science,
University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa 1983

General practice:
Bryanston, Johannesburg 1983-1985

Internal Medicine Residency:
University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 1985-1988

Senior Lecturer: 
University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 1988-1990

Professor and Chief of Small Animal Medicine: 
University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort 1990-1996

Neurology and Neurosurgery Residency:
University of California, Davis 1996-1999

Clinical Instructor: Neurology/Neurosurgery
University of Wisconsin, Madison 1999-2000

Dr. Wayne Berry is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Medicine, Specialty of Neurology, as well as the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He practices both medical and surgical neurology. Besides the investigation and management of seizures, vestibular (balance) disorders, inflammatory and degenerative spinal cord diseases, Dr. Berry has received extensive training in electrodiagnostic techniques, including BAER (hearing evaluation), electromyography and nerve conduction studies for the investigation and diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. He utilizes his training and experience in neuroimaging, including spinal radiography, myelography (spinal contrast studies), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computed Tomography (CT) for the investigation and diagnosis of disorders of the spinal cord and brain. 

Dr. Berry is particularly interested in neurosurgery of the spinal cord and brain, routinely operating on patients with spinal cord compression due to disc disease, wobbler syndrome, spinal tumors, and spinal fractures in addition to brain and skull tumors, skull fractures, and brain trauma. Dr. Berry lectures both locally and internationally on state of the art veterinary neurology and neurosurgical techniques. 

Dr. Gayle Donner, Staff Surgeon
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

 

Christopher S. Eich
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons

Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine:
University of Florida, 1992

Surgical Residency:
The Animal Medical Center, New York, 1995-1998

Internship:
The Animal Medical Center, New York, 1992-1993

Associate Staff Surgeon:
The Animal Medical Center, New York, 1998-2000

Dr. Christopher S. Eich is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgery who has received specialized training in small animal general surgery, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery. Dr. Eich has research interests in fracture biomechanics and healing, total joint replacement (Total Hip and Total Knee), cranial cruciate injuries, spinal trauma, and arthroscopy. He is active in several orthopedic societies and is an active contributor to many scientific journals.

Dr. Adam Gassel, Staff Surgeon

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine:
Purdue University, School of Veterinary Medicine, May 2001

Internship:
Animal Specialty Group, Department of Surgery, 2001-2002

Surgical Internship:
Animal Specialty Group, Department of Surgery, 2002-2003

Surgical Residency:
University of Tennessee, 2003-2006

The Surgical Hospital:

Our Irvine hospital utilizes the most sophisticated diagnostic, patient monitoring, and surgical equipment available. Our hospital area allows constant monitoring of our surgical cases with large, grassy areas for exercise and a hydrotherapy unit for more targeted therapy. Clients are strongly encouraged to tour our facility and meet our staff.

This investment in time and facilities and our team approach to case management have been responsible for our excellent record of surgical successes.

Specialized Surgical Services:

• Neurosurgery
  
• Orthopedic Surgery
  
• Reconstructive Joint Surgery
  
• Total Hip Replacement
  
• Thoracic/Cardiovascular Surgery
  
• Abdominal Surgery
  
• Reconstructive Ear Surgery
  
• Oncologic (Cancer) Surgery

Specialized Diagnostic Services:

• Lameness Diagnostics
  
• Radiography and Myelography
  
• Fluoroscopy
  
• Ultrasonography
  
• Broncoscopy and Endoscopy
  
• MRI and CT scans
  
• Electromyography
  
• Nuclear Medicine

Appointments:

Patients are seen by appointment. Consultation appointments may be made by your veterinarian or by you personally, with one half hour being allotted for an initial evaluation. Please let us know as soon as possible should it be necessary for you to reschedule or cancel your appointment.

When preparing for an initial consultation, it is very important to obtain copies of all pertinent information including labwork, radiography, and previous treatments from your referring veterinarian. In many cases, this information will enable our doctors to complete a diagnostic evaluation without necessitating duplicate testing.

If special diagnostics or surgery may be needed, food should be withheld from your pet after midnight the evening prior to your appointment day.

Fees:

While our fees for services are usual and customary, an estimate will be provided to you prior to the admission of your pet for diagnostics and/or surgery. A deposit is required at the time of admission to our facility.

Referring Veterinarian:

The majority of cases seen at Southern California Veterinary Referral Group are referred by a general veterinary practitioner. Optimal patient care requires communication between the client, veterinary specialist, and referring veterinarian regarding the patient’s medical history, previous schedules of treatment, and specific medications.

Upon completion of the consultation or upon recovery from surgery, your referring veterinarian will be contacted by telephone and/or with a complete written report regarding the management of your pet. Your veterinarian will administer your pet’s primary health care for many years to come and it is important for you to maintain an ongoing association with him or her.

Emergency Services:

Southern California Veterinary Referral Group has surgical staff on call at all times to perform emergency surgical and diagnostic procedures and to assist you with answering any questions that may arise regarding the care of your pet. We understand that when an emergency arises, the ability to contact a member of our surgical team is of the utmost importance to the health and welfare of your pet.

Our facility is staffed on a 24 hour basis, thereby eliminating the need to have your critically ill or injured pet transported to an emergency facility for overnight monitoring.

All emergency cases will be seen on a priority basis.

Location:

Southern California Veterinary Referral Group is conveniently located in Orange County near the John Wayne Airport and the 405, 55, and 5 freeways. Our location enables us to provide immediate access to laboratory facilities and the canine blood bank. In any surgical or diagnostic situation, with time being of the essence, this closeness in proximity to both of these facilities enables us to both identify any potential problems and to expedite treatment.

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