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410.224.0121

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About Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists

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Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists, formerly Chesapeake Veterinary Referral Surgery (CVRS), was founded in Annapolis in 1992 as a component of the Chesapeake Veterinary Referral Center (CVRC).

The medical staff of Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists is composed of nine staff surgeons, three surgical residents, surgical interns, Registered Veterinary Technicians, technician assistants, and ICU technicians. All of our staff surgeons are boarded or board-eligible by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists is associated with emergency care facilities that have 24 hour doctor care in our intensive care units at all of our locations:  AAVEC in Annapolis and Pet+E.R. in Hunt Valley.  Our two locations have doctors on premises 24 hours a day to ensure that all of our patients receive the highest quality care.

If you would like to learn more about our practice, see our surgical informational brochure or our pet rehabilitation brochure.

Collaboration with Referral Specialists

Our direct access to a multitude of other veterinary specialists in all three of our locations means that we are able to offer cross-specialty care for the most complex cases. Our practice is co-located within the Chesapeake Veterinary Referral Center, a coalition of board-certified veterinary specialists in the disciplines of emergency medicine and critical care, surgery, canine rehabilitation, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, eye care, neurology and advanced imaging.

We regularly collaborate with:

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Excellent
4.7
Based on 415 reviews
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Caren M.
1 day ago
Dr. Jeyakumar was excellent and the support staff was great! I would recommend this group for any serious veterinary needs!
Response from the owner:We’re so glad to hear that you had a positive experience and felt well supported by both our doctor and support staff. Providing excellent, compassionate care for serious veterinary needs is very important to us, and we truly appreciate your trust in our team.
Zach P.
4 days ago
Truly the best team around. The care they provide is top notch; so much so that we drove back to see them for our cat and husky mix all the way from Delaware. Highly recommend!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your wonderful review and for trusting us with your cat and husky mix, even from such a distance. We’re truly honored by your confidence in our team and are so glad to hear you felt the care provided was top notch. Your recommendation means a great deal to us, and we sincerely appreciate your support.
Karen B.
1 week ago
I can not say enough wonderful things about CVSS! Dr. Middlestead is a wonderful, extremely knowledgeable and compassionate surgeon. The staff and everyone we have encountered has been kind, friendly and very helpful.
Response from the owner:It's always a pleasure to serve clients like you and thank you so much for your kind words and thoughtful feedback. We’re very glad to hear that you had such a positive experience with our surgeon and the entire team. Providing knowledgeable, compassionate care in a supportive environment is very important to us, and it means a great deal to know you felt well taken care of. We truly appreciate your trust and support.
John M.
2 weeks ago
Excellent staff. Great experience. Highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind feedback! We’re so glad to hear you had a great experience with our staff and truly appreciate your recommendation and trust in our care.
Mike A.
2 weeks ago
They were very caring and concerned about Winchester. He had a lypoma removed from his belly. Kept me informed every step of the way.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review. We are very glad to hear that you felt supported and well informed throughout Winchester’s procedure and recovery. Providing compassionate care and clear communication at every step is very important to our team, especially during surgical treatments like lipoma removal. We truly appreciate your trust and are grateful for the opportunity to care for Winchester.
Mark B.
2 weeks ago
Response from the owner:We’re happy to hear you had a positive experience and appreciate you allowing us to care for your pet. Thank you for the great feedback!
Catherine K.
2 weeks ago
Response from the owner:We’re happy to hear you had a positive experience and appreciate you allowing us to care for your pet. Thank you for the great feedback!
Lora N.
3 weeks ago
After receiving a diagnosis from our primary vet that our dog most likely had anal gland carcinoma, we called around and were able to get an appointment within one week. Dr. Gauthier had a great bedside manner, was very thorough and after examining our dog thought it was a benign perianal mass. We had surgery three days later and the communication and procedure were top notch. We returned almost two weeks later to have the stitches removed and the biopsy results confirmed that the mass was benign just as Dr Gauthier had hoped. The procedure was slightly less than the estimate so we even received a refund. We couldn't be more pleased with the entire experience. Everyone was professional and pleasant. Alex was always upbeat and friendly and recommended spots for us to visit while we waited the day of surgery as we live 1.5 hours away. Thank you for making a stressful situation pleasant!
Response from the owner:We’re truly glad we could see your dog quickly and help bring some clarity during what must have been a very stressful time after the initial diagnosis. It’s wonderful to hear that you felt well-informed and supported throughout the process, from the consultation and surgery to the follow-up and results. We’re especially happy the outcome was positive and aligned with the best-case expectation, and that your experience with the team helped make things a little easier along the way—even during a long day of waiting. We really appreciate your trust and kind words, and we’re wishing you and your dog all the best moving forward.
Ryland S.
1 month ago
We had a great experience with Dr. Middlestead today. She was incredibly knowledgeable about our dog’s condition and even caught and corrected something a previous vet had told us that wasn’t accurate. She took the time to be thorough and gave us a clear, thoughtful plan moving forward, which made us feel so much more confident in our dog’s care. Her tech was also kind and welcoming to our whole family. We really appreciated the compassion and professionalism from everyone we interacted with. Highly recommend!
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad to hear you felt confident and well supported during your visit, and that your dog received thorough and attentive care. It’s wonderful that the team was able to clarify previous concerns and provide a clear plan moving forward, that peace of mind can make all the difference. We also appreciate you recognizing the kindness and professionalism of our support staff. Thank you for your trust and recommendation, and we wish you and your dog all the best moving forward.
Heather V.
1 month ago
We had a great experience at Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists. We came in with our dog Amber, who has been suffering from front paw lameness for a while now. Dr. Middlestead was very thorough with her exam and her explanation of what was going on with Amber. Unfortunately, we need to have an MRI done to narrow down the problem. We were able to get information on what would happen after an MRI, if the problem required surgery and in the meantime we were given prescriptions for Amber to keep her comfortable until we could decide on getting the MRI ($3 - 5K). We had also seen Dr. Mannix in neurology a few weeks prior, who suggested we get an orthopedic consultation before getting an MRI. I would highly recommend this practice. The waiting room was quite full too, which makes me believe a lot of people like them.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad to hear that Amber’s evaluation felt thorough and that everything was clearly explained to you, including the possible next steps and options for keeping her comfortable in the meantime. We know how stressful it can be when a pet is dealing with ongoing lameness, and it’s important to us that you feel informed and supported while deciding on diagnostics like an MRI. We also appreciate your kind words about our team and the trust you placed in both our orthopedic and neurology services. We’re wishing Amber comfort and a clear path forward as you determine the best next steps for her care.
Alicia W.
2 months ago
Took my elderly dog, Kota, with a large mass on her muzzle. Honestly the best vet place I've ever been to. The entire staff working there was friendly and amazing. The surgeon was phenomenal. I felt so comfortable being there and at ease with them taking care of my doggie. They actually genuinely seem to care. Its a drive for me, but I'll go there every time! I appreciate them all.
Response from the owner:We’re thrilled to hear that you felt comfortable and supported while Kota received care. Our team truly strives to provide compassionate, attentive care, and it means a lot to know that came through during your visit. We appreciate your trust and are honored to be your choice, even with the drive, thank you for sharing your experience! Thank you so much for your heartfelt review!
Nancy F.
2 months ago
My kitty had surgery. Everyone from the front desk to all the doctors and asssistants there are wonderful. Warm, yet professional. Their waiting area is calm and comfortable. A rare mix these days!
Response from the owner:We’re thrilled to hear that your kitty’s surgery experience was supported by our warm and professional team. It’s wonderful to know that our calm and comfortable environment made a positive difference for both you and your pet. Thank you for your kind review!
Jen M.
2 months ago
Compassionate, knowledgeable and thorough.
Response from the owner:It's always a pleasure to serve clients like you and thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you found our team compassionate, knowledgeable, and thorough. Providing attentive and thoughtful care is very important to us, and your feedback means a lot.
Ann-Marie M.
2 months ago
The absolute best oncology care. Honest, thorough, great communication. No bill surprises. Understand trade offs per parents/ families face. The entire team is 5 star! Dr Tony Rusk is fantastic
Response from the owner:We’re honored by your trust and truly appreciate your recognition of our team’s commitment to honest, thorough care and clear communication. Supporting patients and families through important decisions is at the core of what we do, and it means so much to know that made a difference in your experience. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with the entire team, including the doctor, they will be grateful to hear it. Thank you for such a thoughtful and heartfelt review.
Vivi L.
2 months ago
I brought my dog Jack in for his first rehab appointment. Dr Carlino and Molly were wonderful! Molly listened to my concerns and took a thorough history, including his likes and dislikes, and what works well for him for motivation and handling. Molly really put me at ease and I felt comfortable handing him off to her. Jack is a sweet boy, but he is prone to running when he gets a mind to. I’m normally pretty nervous allowing other people to handle him for this reason, but I felt confident that Molly heard my concerns and took them seriously. Jack happily trotted off with Molly for his appointment. Dr Carlino came out and reviewed her exam findings and went over several options for therapy. She let me know that Jack didn’t like the beeping sound of one of the lasers, so they tried a different one which didn’t beep, and he did well with that. I love that she was in tune with what made Jack nervous and that she had the patience and understanding to work around his fears. I look forward to future sessions. I highly recommend the rehab program at CVSS! Thank you so much! Alicia and Jack
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review! We’re thrilled to hear that Jack’s first rehab visit was such a positive experience and that you felt comfortable and supported throughout the process. Taking the time to understand each pet’s personality, preferences, and sensitivities is incredibly important to us, so it means a lot to know that Jack’s needs, and your concerns, were truly heard. We’re especially glad he felt at ease and did well during his session. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to seeing you and Jack again for future rehab visits!
Jessica
2 months ago
Absolutely positive experience. Alex was an especially warm and kind gentleman. Everyone did great job and we are grateful to have our wee one back.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re so glad everything went smoothly and that your little one is back home safe and well. Providing warm, compassionate care is always our goal, and we’re grateful for your trust.
Laura C.
2 months ago
Our dog had surgery for 3 compressed discs and not only was the Neurology center great, with compassionate care, they always responded to any concern or question. The rehab facility was also amazing. The staff was friendly, caring and efficient. They took their time to explain everything, as well as to answer any questions that I had. Both centers provided a excellent and compassionate experience. They made every vist seem like they had all the time in the world for you even though they were exceedingly busy I am truly grateful and so is Jackson.
Response from the owner:Laura, we’re so glad your dog received compassionate, thorough care from both the Neurology and rehab teams. It’s wonderful to hear that your questions were answered and that you felt supported throughout the process. We’re grateful to have been part of your dog’s recovery journey. Thank you for sharing your experience!
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