VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital

Bios

• David Bruyette

  DVM

  Dr. Bruyette received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Missouri in 1984. He completed an internship at Purdue University and a residency program in internal medicine at the University of California Davis. He was a staff internist at the West Los Angeles Veterinary Medical Group, as well as a member of the Department of Comparative Medicine at Stanford University, an Assistant Professor and Head of Internal Medicine at Kansas State University, and Director of the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at Kansas State. In addition to his duties as Medical Director, Dr. Bruyette practices internal medicine and specializes in the hormonal system and its diseases. His interests also include adrenal disease, diabetes and thyroid disorders. Dr. Bruyette joined VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 1996.

• Todd Tams

  DVM

  Dr. Tams received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from The Ohio State University in 1977. He completed his internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and a residency program in internal medicine at Colorado State University. After working at Tufts University/Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston from 1981-84, Dr. Tams returned to the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and served as Medical Director until 1996. A majority of his time is now spent in his position as the Chief Medical Officer for VCA.

• Sean Yoshimoto

  DVM

  Dr. Yoshimoto received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California Davis. After an internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital, he returned to UC Davis and completed a residency in internal medicine. Dr. Yoshimoto is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He is also the intern director at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. His special interests are in respiratory disease in dogs and cats, endoscopy, and ultrasound. He shares his home with 1 dog, 2 cats, 1 guinea pig as well as an assortment of other pets. Dr. Yoshimoto is available for consultation and referral Wednesday through Saturday. He can be reached via email at sean.yoshimoto@vcahospitals.com

• Karen Eiler

  DVM

  Dr. Karen Eiler completed two master's degrees. The first was in animal behavior at California State University Fullerton and the second in biomedical sciences at Colorado State University. She then graduated from Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. She completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery and a residency in internal medicine at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital from 2007-2011. Dr. Eiler's areas of special interest include endocrinology, nephrology, ultrasound and endoscopy. She lives with two rescue cats and a Boston Terrier.

• John Chretin

  DVM

  Dr. Chretin, head of oncology at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital, obtained his doctorate of veterinary medicine in 1994 from Colorado State University. He completed a small animal interniship at North Carolina State University and then went on to receive board certification in the specialty of medical oncology after a three year residency at Tufts University. He has been a proud member of our staff since 2002. Dr. Chretin's four core principles are educating owners, providing progressive cancer care, advancing veterinary oncology and improving the quality of life for all animals. Dr. Chretin stresses client education foremost and has the unique first-hand experience of treating two of his own dogs for cancer. Dr. Chretin is an active participant in clinical studies and co-authored numerous publications during his tenure with us. In July 2010 he established our bone marrow transplant program for dogs with lymphoma. He presently oversees both medical and radiation oncology and is available for consultation Monday through Thursdays.

• Michael Chang

  DVM

  Dr. Chang received his DVM degree in Taiwan and received his ECFVG certificate from Purdue University. He completed an internship at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and then a residency in Comparative Ophthalmology at Purdue University. Michael is available for consultation and referral for medical and surgical ophthalmologic cases.

• Maureen Mueller

  DVM

  Dr. Mueller received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Purdue University in 1997. This was followed by a one year rotating internship at Washington State University, School of Veterinary Medicine. She then completed her surgical residency in 2001 at the Animal Medical Center, New York, and was awarded her Diplomate status in 2002. Dr. Mueller performs both soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries. She has a strong interest in Surgical Oncology which involves the removal of cancerous masses in pets. In challenging cases, this requires her to employ reconstruction techniques. She continues to strive to learn new techniques that enable her to remove these masses in challenging cases. When Dr. Mueller is not at work she enjoys many activities with her husband and daughter, including hiking, biking, museums and movies. She also enjoys running with her rescued Australian Shepard dog, yoga, crafts and gardening.

• Lynette D. Tsugawa

  DVM

  Dr. Tsugawa received her DVM degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in 2001. She completed an internship at the University of Guelph, Ontario Veterinary College, and a residency in cardiology at the California Animal Hospital. Dr. Tsugawa's special interests include cardiac ultrasounds (echocardiograms) and the treatment of congestive heart failure and arrhythmias in dogs and cats. When not at work Dr. Tsugawa spends time with her two young children, two mischievous cats, and her rescue dog, Annie.

• Karen Sueda

  DVM

  After graduating from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Karen Sueda completed an internship at the Veterinary Medical and Surgical Group in Ventura, California. She subsequently returned to UC Davis to complete a Clinical Animal Behavior Residency and became a board-certified Veterinary Behaviorist in 2007. In addition to seeing veterinary behavior cases throughout Southern California, Dr. Sueda has served as President and member of the Executive Board of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Dr. Sueda's special interests include feline behavior, canine anxiety disorders and the human-animal bond. She credits her cat Tyler for teaching her more about feline behavior and training than any textbook.

• Sheila Carrera-Justiz

  DVM

  Dr. Carrera-Justiz became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2010 after completing a residency in neurology and neurosurgery at Tufts University. Her areas of interest include surgical management of brain tumors and advanced imaging techniques of the nervous system. A Miami native, Dr. Carrera-Justiz completed her undergraduate training at the University of Virginia and received her doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Florida in 2005. She then completed a rotating small animal internship at the University of Missouri and a neurology specialty internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Carrera-Justiz now calls LA home with her two dogs, Mojito and Ernie. Mojito is a dachshund that was rescued in Missouri and has now traveled across the USA! Ernie is an LA native who was brought to Dr. Carrera as a patient, but she fell in love with his special needs and his happy personality. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, distance running and traveling.

• Trina Hazzah

  DVM

  Trina Hazzah was born and raised in Washington DC. She attended Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine where she earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2006. She completed her small animal internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey and a 3-year residency in medical oncology at the Veterinary Oncology and Hematology Center, in Connecticut. Dr. Hazzah's area of interest is in urogenital tumors and has appointments available Wednesday thru Saturday. Dr. Hazzah feels that quality of life is an essential priority in the treatment of her cancer patients and strives to find a perfect balance between effective treatment and maintaining patient comfort. Dr. Hazzah is a proud parent of two special cats named Mr. Bean and Harold.

• Nathan Peterson

  DVM

  Dr. Peterson graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. He completed a rotating internship at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, MA. Following his internship Dr. Peterson remained at Angell to complete a residency in Emergency and Critical Care medicine and achieved board certification in 2008. Since completion of his residency he practiced in New York City and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. Dr. Peterson's special interests include anesthesia and pain management of the critically ill patient, critical care of the trauma patient and treatment of pleural space diseases. Outside of work, Dr. Peterson enjoys spending time with his wife Dr. Nicole Buote, their new son William and their cats Kismet, Buddy and Number 3.

• Nicole Buote

  DVM

  Dr. Nicole Buote has been on staff at VCA West Los Angeles since 2010. She obtained her doctorate of veterinary medicine from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. She completed a one year rotating internship at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts and then pursued a specialty surgical internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center in Texas in 2006. In 2009 she completed her surgical residency from The Animal Medical Center in New York and was awarded Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2010. Dr. Buote practices soft tissue, orthopedics and neurosurgery but her special interests are in minimally invasive procedures including laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and arthroscopy. Dr. Buote also has a strong interest in clinical research and has published in textbooks and scientific journals the field of small animal surgery, on topics including gallbladder disease, cruciate (knee) stabilization, Vacuum assisted closure for abdomens, and laparoscopy. Dr. Buote also enjoys lecturing and teaching at national conferences. Dr. Buote's human family includes her husband, Dr. Nathan Peterson, the head of the Critical Care Department at VCA West LA, and her son William who joined them in 2011. Her four-legged family consists of 3 cats named Buddy, Kismet, and Number 3. During her spare time, she enjoys photography and travelling. Dr. Buote is available for consultation Wednesdays and Fridays and performs surgery on Thursdays and Saturdays. To reach Dr. Buote or her assistant Bo, please email them at Nicole.buote@vcahospitals.com or call 310-473-2951.

• Veronique Sammut

  DVM

  Dr. Sammut received her DVM degree from the University of Montreal in 1997. She completed an internship after which she was hired as a clinician in anesthesiology in small animal at the University of Montreal. She then pursued a residency and a masters degree in Neurology and became Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology) in 2002. She has been working in private practice since 2002, first in the suburb of Chicago and in Southern California since 2004. Her main interests are encephalitis and meningitis, seizure disorders, brain tumors and syringomyelia. Dr. Sammut is married to Dr. Ben Charette and they have 3 sons, Matt, Alex and Andy, a dog named Syrah and Davis, an old cat who traveled with them from Montreal to Los Angeles.

  Education:

• J.J. Rawlinson

  DVM

  Dr. J.J. Rawlinson is originally from Canada where, as a student-athlete playing varsity basketball, she pursued a B.S. in biology from the University of Guelph in Ontario and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. During veterinary school, Dr. Rawlinson focused on caring for the stray and unwanted animals in underserved communities of Los Angeles County and participated in many spay and neuter programs. Upon completing her doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, she completed an intensive Small Animal Surgery and Medicine Internship at VCA West Los Angeles and currently enjoys treating a wide variety of emergency and non-emergency cases as a general practitioner. Her practice primarily includes the care of dogs and cats. She enjoys the collegiality and knowledge sharing that is gained by working at a specialized teaching hospital such as VCA West Los Angeles. She particularly enjoys ocean swimming and triathlon training. In her spare time, she and her husband care for her young daughter and they are expecting their second child.

• Lisa Silberstein

  DVM

  Dr. Silberstein was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder where she earned a Degree in Environmental, Population, Organismic Biology. She then earned her DVM from the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2003 and completed her internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 2004. Following her internship, Dr. Silberstein remained at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital as a General Practitioner. She is also our Externship Director working closely with veterinary students from schools across the country. When she is not here at the hospital, Dr Silberstein enjoys spending time with her husband Brad, her two children Lily and Brady, and her two dogs Amy and Whiskey.

• Robert Rizzitano

  DVM

  Rob Rizzitano is a 1990 graduate from Ohio State, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. His next year was spent as an intern at the esteemed Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, MA. He joined the staff at VCA West LA in October of 1991, and has just celebrated his twentieth year. In the last five years he has developed a holistic approach to medicine, and has pursued study in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Food Therapy. He received his certification in Acupuncture in 2011, and now practices an integrative Eastern and Western approach to medicine. He is an avid musician in his spare time. His three felines, Ricky, Archie, and Rowdy, kindly share their home with him in Topanga Canyon.

• Jason Rabe

  DVM

  A native of Seattle, Dr. Jason Rabe moved to Colorado for his undergraduate and veterinary degrees. He attended the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he received a Bachelors degree in Biology, and Colorado State University for his veterinary training. Dr. Rabe completed a one year internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 2004 and like it so much he decided to stay on as a staff veterinarian! In his free time, he enjoys listening to live music, cycling and spending time with his dog, Vedder.

• William Farber

  DVM

  Dr. Farber has been associated with the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital since 1997. Prior to that, Dr. Farber owned two veterinary hospitals, one in West Los Angeles and the other in Santa Monica, for over 25 years. In 2001, he merged his practices together with Veterinary Centers of America and became one of the first members of the VCA family. In addition to practicing general veterinary medicine and surgery, Dr. Farber has specialized for many years in alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, herbs, and nutraceutical medicine. He has taken certification programs in veterinary acupuncture, chiropractic, and herbal medicine. In addition, Dr. Farber attended a human acupuncture college, Emperor's College of Oriental Medicine, from 1987-1990. Dr. Farber also specializes in and has had extensive training in the care, medicine, and surgery of exotic pets (birds, reptiles, small mammals such as rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, and ferrets). In addition to practicing at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital, Dr. Farber also practices in Palm Desert, Ca. at the VCA Valley Animal Medical and Emergency Hospital. Dr. Farber has traveled throughout the world, lecturing and working on a multitude of veterinary projects, particularly in third world areas. . Dr. Farber's animal family includes two horses (which he rides and has shown), a 17 year old pot bellied pig named Elway, two dogs, an amazon parrot, a cat and a variety of other creatures which he helps feed and care for. Dr. Farber has appointments available at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal hospital Tuesday through Thursday, and is available in Palm Desert at the VCA Valley Animal Medical Center Friday and Saturday.

• David Bruyette

  DVM

  Dr. Bruyette received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Missouri in 1984. He completed an internship at Purdue University and a residency program in internal medicine at the University of California Davis. He was a staff internist at the West Los Angeles Veterinary Medical Group, as well as a member of the Department of Comparative Medicine at Stanford University, an Assistant Professor and Head of Internal Medicine at Kansas State University, and Director of the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory at Kansas State. In addition to his duties as Medical Director, Dr. Bruyette practices internal medicine and specializes in the hormonal system and its diseases. His interests also include adrenal disease, diabetes and thyroid disorders. Dr. Bruyette joined VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 1996.

  Education:

  Services:

• Robert Rizzitano

  DVM

  Rob Rizzitano is a 1990 graduate from Ohio State, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. His next year was spent as an intern at the esteemed Angell Memorial Animal Hospital in Boston, MA. He joined the staff at VCA West LA in October of 1991, and has just celebrated his twentieth year. In the last five years he has developed a holistic approach to medicine, and has pursued study in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Food Therapy. He received his certification in Acupuncture in 2011, and now practices an integrative Eastern and Western approach to medicine. He is an avid musician in his spare time. His three felines, Ricky, Archie, and Rowdy, kindly share their home with him in Topanga Canyon.

  Education:

• William Farber

  DVM

  Dr. Farber has been associated with the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital since 1997. Prior to that, Dr. Farber owned two veterinary hospitals, one in West Los Angeles and the other in Santa Monica, for over 25 years. In 2001, he merged his practices together with Veterinary Centers of America and became one of the first members of the VCA family. In addition to practicing general veterinary medicine and surgery, Dr. Farber has specialized for many years in alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, herbs, and nutraceutical medicine. He has taken certification programs in veterinary acupuncture, chiropractic, and herbal medicine. In addition, Dr. Farber attended a human acupuncture college, Emperor's College of Oriental Medicine, from 1987-1990. Dr. Farber also specializes in and has had extensive training in the care, medicine, and surgery of exotic pets (birds, reptiles, small mammals such as rabbits, rats, guinea pigs, and ferrets). In addition to practicing at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital, Dr. Farber also practices in Palm Desert, Ca. at the VCA Valley Animal Medical and Emergency Hospital. Dr. Farber has traveled throughout the world, lecturing and working on a multitude of veterinary projects, particularly in third world areas. Dr. Farber's animal family includes two horses (which he rides and has shown), a 17 year old pot bellied pig named Elway, two dogs, an amazon parrot, a cat and a variety of other creatures which he helps feed and care for. Dr. Farber has appointments available at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal hospital Tuesday through Thursday, and is available in Palm Desert at the VCA Valley Animal Medical Center Friday and Saturday.

• Gina Kwong

  DVM

  Dr. Kwong was born and raised in San Diego, California. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Colorado State University. Dr. Kwong has also completed the Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians course, and is a certified veterinary acupuncturist. In 2010, she completed a small animal rotating internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. She is also trained in canine rehabilitation (certification pending) and laser therapy. During her free time, Dr. Kwong enjoys yoga, traveling, cooking, and spending time outdoors with her mischievous pup, Atlas.

• Ketaki Karnik, DVM, MS

  Dr. Ketaki Karnik received her DVM degree from the University of California Davis and went on to complete a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. She then completed a three year residency in radiology at The Ohio State University where she also received her Master's degree. During her residency, she received the American College of Veterinary Radiology resident research award and was also awarded the OSU Hospital Service Award. Dr. Karnik is glad to rejoin the staff at the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. She enjoys traveling, running, and spending time with her dog and best friend, Harrison.

  Education:

• Teresa M. Rieser

  VMD

  Dr. Rieser earned her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1995. She completed an internship at the University of Georgia in 1996 and then returned to the University of Pennsylvania for a residency is Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care. She became board certified in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care in 1999. She remained at the University of Pennsylvania as a lecturer in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care for one year and then joined VCA. She worked at the VCA Newark Animal Hospital from 2000 until 2012. Dr. Rieser is delighted to join the team at VCA West LA Animal Hospital. Her areas of interest include renal hemodynamics and electrolyte disturbances.

• Robert Lusk

  DVM

  Dr. Robert Lusk is a graduate of the University of California, Davis. After completion of veterinary school in 1983 he finished an internship and residency in Internal Medicine. Dr. Stephen J. Ettinger mentored both the internship and residency programs at the California Animal Hospital. As a native of Southern California, Dr. Lusk has practiced at the California Animal Hospital since 1983 and has currently joined VCA West LA Animal Hospital in the merge. Together with his wife Dr. Elizabeth Barr and son Robert, when possible they enjoy boating, wakeboarding, fishing, snowboarding and football games. They have five adopted furry friends, two cats and three dogs. Dr. Lusk looks forward to serving you and your pets needs.

• Lauren Askin

  DVM

  Lauren Askin, DVM, DACVR (Radiation Oncology). Dr. Lauren Askin was born and raised in West Virginia. She attended the University of Delaware where she received her Bachelor's degree in Animal Science in May 2005. She earned her DVM at the University of Georgia in 2009. Following completion of Veterinary School, she completed a one-year small animal medical and surgical internship at VCA West Los Angeles. Dr. Askin recently completed a 2-year residency in Radiation Oncology at North Carolina State University and is board certified in veterinary radiation oncology. Dr. Askin's interests include advanced radiation therapy techniques to improve local tumor control and reduce treatment related side effects. Together with Johnny Chretin, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology), who heads our oncology department and bone marrow transplant program, and Trina Hazzah, DVM DACVIM (Oncology), VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital now has 3 full time oncologists to meet your patient's medical and radiation oncology needs.

• Elizabeth Cox

  DVM

  Dr. Elizabeth Cox is from Louisville, Kentucky. She attended The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where she received her Bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Art History. She received her DVM from Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed a 1 year rotating internship in medicine and surgery at Iowa State University. She is completing the second year of her cardiology residency program under the mentorship of Dr. Kirstie Barrett. Dr. Cox looks forward to serving you and your pet!.

• Kirstie Barrett

  DVM

  Dr. Kirstie Barrett was born and raised in Kansas. She is a 1992 graduate of Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Barrett completed her internship and cardiology residency at the California Animal Hospital under the mentorship of Dr. Stephen J. Ettinger. Dr. Barrett has practiced at the California Animal Hospital since 1992 and recently joined VCA West LA Animal Hospital in our merge.

• Stephen Moffitt

  DVM

  A native of New Brunswick, Canada, Dr. Stephen Moffitt is a graduate of The Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He left the icy wilds of his wintry homeland in 2007 to undertake an internship at Los Angeles' California Animal Hospital Veterinary Specialty Group, where he was offered a position as Associate Veterinarian. Dr. Moffitt joined VCA West Los Angeles in 2013, as California Animal Hospital merged forces with VCA WLA to offer the best in veterinary care in our new facility. In his five years in practice, Dr. Moffitt has developed a special interest in Dentistry, preventative medicine, the human-animal bond, and guiding new pet-parents through the exciting, mysterious (and sometimes frightening) adventure of adopting a new pet. Dr. Moffitt always seeks to build a bond and partnership with his clients and patients. Through education, compassion, and respect for the client's goals, he seeks to keep his patients as healthy and his clients as happy as possible. As time allows, Dr. Moffitt enjoys hiking in LA's beautiful coves and canyons, yoga, theatre and singing loudly to anyone who will listen. Dr. Moffitt is owned by two good-natured, ill-behaved dogs: Scarlett, a beautiful Boxer/Lab mutt, and Daller, a pathologically co-dependent rescued Chihuahua.

• Brian Marchione

  DVM

  Dr. Brian Marchione received his DVM from Colorado State University in 2007. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at the Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Lawndale, CA in 2008, followed by a comparative ophthalmology residency at the Animal Eye Care Clinic in Camarillo, CA. Dr. Marchione completed his residency and received his board certification in veterinary ophthalmology in August 2011. He remained on staff at the Animal Eye Care Clinic as an associate ophthalmologist until joining the VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 2012. Dr. Marchione's professional interests include intraocular surgery, ophthalmic manifestations of systemic disease and treatment of ophthalmic emergencies. In his spare time, Dr. Marchione enjoys surfing, paddling, swimming, and going to the beach with his wife Laura, their son Owen, and their black Labrador Gracie.

• Sady Cabrera

  DVM

  Dr. Cabrera completed her undergraduate work at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and then received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of California, Davis in 1996. Dr. Cabrera worked as a general practitioner in Southern California for 7 years and then pursued a specialty in small animal surgery. She completed a surgical residency at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital in 2007, and later received her board certification from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Since October 1998, Dr. Cabrera has been an associate veterinarian and surgeon for VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and VCA California Animal Hospital Veterinary Specialty Group. Dr. Cabrera specializes in orthopedics, soft tissue surgery and neurosurgery. Her areas of interest are orthopedics and minimal invasive surgery, including minimal invasive fracture repair, arthroscopy and laparoscopy. Dr. Cabrera is available for consultations and surgical procedures Sunday through Wednesday.

• Poorna Chowdry

  DVM

  Dr. Chowdry was born and raised in New York. She completed her BA in Philosophy and MS in Biology at Case Western Reserve University in 2004 and 2006, respectively. She then attended Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and completed her DVM in 2010. After vet school she completed a rotating internship at VCA West Los Angeles from 2010-2011. Following her internship year Dr. Chowdry was a full-time relief veterinarian in the Los Angeles area and a part-time veterinarian at Los Angeles Zoo. As of January 2013 she is a staff doctor at VCA West Los Angeles in charge of anesthesia of patients undergoing MRI and CT scans. Dr. Chowdry's professional interests include wildlife conservation and advanced imaging in exotic species. In her free time she enjoys scuba diving, biking, and international travel. Dr. Chowdry is an avid underwater hockey enthusiast; she represented the USA on the women's national team for the 2013 world championships in Hungary and is currently an active member of the Los Angeles club team. She shares her home with her pet rabbit Sunny who she adopted from a local shelter during vet school.

• Jennifer Hall

  DVM

  Dr. Hall received her DVM from the University of California-Davis and completed a one- year rotating internship at West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and an emergency/critical care internship at the University of Pennsylvania. Jennifer re-joined West Los Angeles Animal Hospital after completing her residency at the University of Minnesota. She joins Dr. Nathan Peterson, DACVECC and Dr. Teresa Rieser, DACVECC to provide specialty coverage 7 days a week.

• Meaghan Corbett

  DVM

  Dr. Meaghan Corbett is a native of Western Massachusetts and pursued a degree in finance at the University of Massachusetts. After moving to Southern California she completed the Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program at the University of Southern California and received her veterinary degree from Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA. Dr. Corbett then completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital and is delighted to be part of the general practice team where she enjoys seeing emergency and non-emergency cases. Our pets are an important part of our families and Dr. Corbett looks forward to working with you and the animals that bring joy to your life. When not at the hospital Dr. Corbett enjoys running, hiking, traveling, cooking and spending time with her husband, 2 dogs (Kayla and Cooper) and 2 cats (Hallie and Finnian).

• Sarah Hobbs

  DVM

  Dr. Sarah Hobbs is a native of Little Rock, AR. She attended Mississippi State University for both her undergraduate and veterinary school. She graduated with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. Dr. Hobbs started her career in Las Vegas, NV. She practiced in the Sacramento area for 8 years before moving to Los Angeles and joining VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital. Dr. Hobbs enjoys all of the challenges veterinary medicine has to offer. Her areas of special interest include internal medicine and oncology. She is very dedicated to her patients. Dr. Hobbs believes client education is vitally important in providing patients with the best care. In her free time away from the hospital, Dr. Hobbs enjoys running, reading and wine tasting. She also loves spending time with her family, which includes her dog and two cats.

• Carissa Schildt

  DVM