A team trained to make a difference
Our compassionate vets have the know-how to put you and your pet at ease.
Our compassionate vets have the know-how to put you and your pet at ease.
Dr. April Summers is a board-certified Emergency and Critical Care Specialist, providing life saving care to pets in the greater Orange County area. As our Criticalist, she focuses on the most complex cases, restoring health and improving quality of life for the pets she treats.
She is also the Medical Director for both AVSG Internal Medicine Emergency & Critical Care and Veterinary Surgical Specialists.
Critical care requires a team approach between clinical teams and pet owners to provide the highest quality of life possible for pets. You can rely on Dr. Summers for the advanced care your pet needs.
She is enjoying her role as Medical Director, as she is a natural leader with a passion for collaboration and mentoring. Her vast list of clinical interests include SIRS, sepsis, and MODS as well as coagulopathies, trauma, and immune mediated diseases.
When not at the hospital, Dr. Summers most enjoys traveling the world for new and exciting adventures.
EDUCATION
Cornell University
Emergency and Critical Care Residency
The Ohio State University
Rotating Internship
North Carolina State University
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Bachelor’s degree in Biology & PhD in Biology
Dr. Craig has been a board-certified veterinary surgeon since 1991, when she was awarded Diplomate status of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
She specializes in advanced orthopedic procedures such as arthroscopy, tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), fracture repair, correction of angular limb deformities and small breed TPLO.
A leader in her field, she previously served as the President of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association and as a member of the House of Delegates and Board of Governors to the California Veterinary Medical Association. Currently, she is the Past-President of the California Veterinary Medical Association and the current alternate Delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association. She has also served on several working groups and committees for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS).
Dr Craig’s daughters, Alison and Annie Pankowski, are currently attending veterinary school at the University of California, Davis and the University of Wisconsin respectively.
Education
Cornell University
Residency
Internship
University of California, Davis
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Thomas Keeshen has been a board-certified veterinary surgeon since 2021, when he was awarded Diplomate status of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
He has extensive experience in a wide variety of orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries, and is specially trained in managing cranial cruciate disease with arthroscopic joint surgery in combination with TPLO in both large and small breeds.
His special interests include complex fracture repairs (especially ones involving joints), skin reconstructive surgery for oncologic surgery and wound management, and thoracic surgery for diseases involving the heart, lungs, and other vital organs that travel through the chest.
He is also interested in minimally invasive surgery and has published a paper on minimally invasive abdominal surgery in dogs with underlying coagulopathies.
Dr. Keeshen graduated from the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine in the top of his class. Following graduation from veterinary school in 2014, he completed a rotating internship and a surgery internship at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine. He continued to advance his training by completing a three-year surgical residency at Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles, California. Prior to joining the staff at VSSOC, he was a staff surgeon for 3 years at the largest specialty practice in Australia.
A native Californian with roots in Laguna Beach, Dr Keeshen is an avid surfer.
Education
Animal Specialty Group in Los Angeles, California
Residency
University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine
Internship
University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Sebestyen has been a board-certified veterinary surgeon since 2001, when he was awarded Diplomate status of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
He has extensive experience in soft tissue, orthopedic and neurological surgery. He has additional certifications in advanced surgical procedures such as TTA, TPLO, uncemented and cemented total hip replacement (BFX, CFX and Helica Hip) and sliding humeral osteotomy (SLO).
He has a special interest in minimally invasive joint surgery such as arthroscopy and arthroscopically assisted joint stabilization. He has been routinely performing arthroscopic TPLO and TTA surgery for treating cranial cruciate ligament tear in dogs of different sizes and breeds. His clinical interest in soft tissue surgery includes oncologic, reconstructive, and endocrine surgery.
Education
North Carolina State University
Residency
Sonora Veterinary Surgery and Oncology
Internship
University of Veterinary Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Walker has been a board-certified veterinary surgeon since 2023, when he was awarded Diplomate status of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS).
Dr. Walker performs both orthopedic and soft tissue surgery. His professional interests include complex fracture repair, TPLO procedures, abdominal and thoracic surgery, oncologic surgery, and minimally invasive techniques (laparoscopy and arthroscopy).
Dr. Walker completed additional training in external skeletal fixators, advanced fracture repair, advanced laparoscopic procedures, and arthroscopy and joint surgery with IMEX, AO VET, ACVS, and VA3-EF during his residency.
He has published research on perioperative pain management and TPLO procedures and is a member of AO VET North America, Veterinary Endoscopy Society, and American Veterinary Medical Association.
He is originally from Rochester, NY and graduated from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Walker completed a small animal rotating internship at Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, NJ, a surgical specialty internship at Dallas Veterinary Surgical Associates in Dallas, TX., and a small animal surgical residency at Virginia Veterinary Surgical Associates in Richmond, VA.
In his free time Dr. Walker enjoys skiing and cycling, golfing, playing piano and guitar, and spending time with his wife, who is a veterinary dermatologist, and their black lab Huxley and cat Mrs. Doubtfire.
Education
Virginia Veterinary Surgical Associates (Small Animal Surgical)
Surgery Residency
Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center (Small Animal Surgical)
Surgery Internship
Oradell Animal Hospital (Small Animal Medicine and Surgery)
Rotating Internship
Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
EDUCATION
Veterinary Surgical Specialists
Rotating Internship
Western University
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
EDUCATION
Veterinary Surgical Specialists
Rotating Internship
University of California, Davis
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
