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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
4.8
Based on 904 reviews
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Chris Y.
19 hours ago
Incredibly well organized and efficient professional clinic ideal when your pets condition is serious or chronic. Arrived early for appointment and was seen well ahead of schedule. Vets who listen!!! They care and ask great questions on health history as well as prior treatment. Capable of treatment all animal maladies
Katie S.
20 hours 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!
Connie P.
3 days ago
The doctor explained everything clearly. She treated my dog like she had known him forever.
Response from the owner:We’re so glad to hear that everything was clearly explained and that your dog was treated with such care and familiarity. It means a lot to know you felt comfortable and supported during your visit, and we truly appreciate your kind feedback.
Sarah B.
3 days ago
Kind and caring staff. Everything was explained to us with gentle clarity and promptly followed with an email of all the information discussed. Highly recommend!
Response from the owner:We’re so glad to hear that the staff was kind and caring, and that everything was explained clearly and followed up promptly. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
Michelle R.
4 days 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!
Francis J.
7 days ago
Our experience with CVSS was exceptional. Within an hour of PetER recommending surgery, we got a phone call from Dr Chris Gauthier and he explained the surgical procedure as well as the risks for a 10 week old bulldog. He called again right after surgery to let us know how she did and again the next morning to let us know she was fine and ready to come home. When we arrived we were greeted by Kaitlyn who went over discharge instructions in detail. She also followed up the next morning to see how Bella did overnight. Absolutely incredible support.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re so glad to hear your puppy received timely care and that you felt well-informed and supported throughout the entire process. Clear communication before, during, and after surgery is something we prioritize, especially in urgent and high-stakes situations like this. It’s wonderful to know the updates and follow-up care helped give you reassurance while your pet recovered. We also appreciate your kind words about our team’s attentiveness during discharge and follow-up. Thank you for trusting us with your pet’s care, and we wish you both continued health and happiness moving forward.
Russell D.
1 week ago
from Russell Daudelin and Margaret Breeden, We had a really great visit a CVSS . The front office was very professional an polite, our Veterinary assistant Shania was really great and helpful with our questions. Our visit and consultation with Dr. Wolfe was wonderful. We were able to get our puppy examined and the staff made a special effort to get extra exams scheduled and x-rays the same day so that we could get started on treatment for our puppy. Dr Wolfe explained all of the issues with our dog and the treatment options . We were greatly pleased with our visit are are looking forward to our return visit.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re so glad to hear your visit went smoothly and that our team was able to support you and your puppy from start to finish. It’s wonderful that you felt well cared for by the front office, assistant staff, and during your consultation, and that additional diagnostics could be arranged the same day so treatment could begin promptly. We truly appreciate your kind words and are looking forward to seeing you again at your next visit.
Tracy W.
2 weeks ago
CVSS has performed surgery on one of our fuzzy canine kids two times now (knee surgeries on each rear leg) and both experiences have been pleasant. The staff really cares about your pet and does their best to take care of them.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful feedback and for trusting us with your pup’s care on more than one occasion. We’re so glad to hear both surgical experiences went smoothly and that you felt your pet was genuinely cared for by our team. We truly appreciate your continued confidence in us!
Faye C.
2 weeks ago
Great staff and facilities! Been here before when they were up on the "Hill". Would highly recommend.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and continued support over the years! We’re so glad to hear you’ve had positive experiences with both our team and facility. It means a lot that you’ve trusted us through the years, and we truly appreciate your recommendation!
Weldon D.
2 weeks ago
24 hour Veterinarian Hospital, you can tell that they really Love ❤️ the animals they have in their care pre and post surgery.
Response from the owner:We’re glad to hear you felt the care and compassion our team has for the animals we treat, both before and after surgery. It means a lot to know that came through in your experience. We truly appreciate your trust in us. Thank you for your kind words!
William H.
2 weeks ago
Get an appointment, check-in, exam, an explanation of Care was all top-notch. Plenty of time for all questions and explanations were spot on.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your kind feedback. We’re glad to hear that every part of your visit, from scheduling and check-in to the exam and care discussion, was top-notch. It’s especially important to us that you felt your questions were fully answered and that everything was explained clearly and thoroughly. We truly appreciate your trust in our team and your thoughtful review.
Mary R.
2 weeks ago
We brought my daughter’s doodle here on Tuesday. We were so amazed by this place! Everyone was friendly and helpful. I was very impressed that we were able to get an appointment in the first place, because our local vet ortho had told us the soonest we could be seen was June 8th! His ACL is torn and he will require surgery. We feel like he will be in really good hands here and that he should make a full recovery! The procedure was explained with several options so that an informed choice could be made. So very grateful that this place is not too far away, and that her dog will be well taken care of! Highly recommend Chesapeake Veterinary Surgical Specialists!
Response from the owner:We’re glad to hear you had such a positive experience with our team and that we were able to get your doodle seen promptly during a stressful situation. It’s great to know the procedure options were clearly explained and that you felt informed and confident moving forward with his care. We truly appreciate your trust in us and are grateful for the opportunity to help your pup on the road to recovery.
Caren M.
2 weeks 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.
Leonard G.
2 weeks ago
My dog will be undergoing a splenectomy with CVSS. Traffic was crazy with the naval academy commissioning and they were able to reschedule me same day. Treatment is not cheap, but they are upfront, caring and I believe have the best interest of pet and owner in mind when discussing hard decisions. I chose to work with them for the procedure and will update later knowing no procedure had a guaranteed successful outcome.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience and for trusting us with your dog’s upcoming splenectomy. We’re glad we were able to accommodate your scheduling needs during such a busy day and that you’ve felt supported and well informed throughout your care discussions. Facing a major procedure can be difficult, and we appreciate your thoughtful approach and confidence in our team to prioritize both your pet’s wellbeing and your perspective as an owner. We’ll be thinking of you and your dog, and we’re wishing you both the very best as you move forward.
Zach P.
3 weeks 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.
3 weeks 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.
Paige
3 weeks ago
I’ve only had my initial consultation visit so far for TPLO surgery for my dog, but it was a wonderful first experience—not only with the surgeon, but also with the front office staff. They spent a lot of time answering my preliminary questions, responded promptly to my emails, and were always professional and courteous on the phone. The entire team was very professional and truly made me feel like they had my dog’s best interests at heart. Unlike some other veterinary specialists I’ve visited, I never felt like they were treating me as just an open checkbook. That meant a lot to me and gave me real confidence in moving forward with them. I’m happy to give them five stars based on this first visit, and I’m hopeful that the level of care and communication continues through the post-operative process.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your thoughtful review and for trusting us with your dog’s care. We’re delighted to hear that your initial consultation experience was a positive one and that our surgeon and front office team made you feel supported, informed, and cared for throughout the process. Providing compassionate care, clear communication, and treatment recommendations that truly prioritize each patient’s well-being is incredibly important to us. Your kind words and confidence in our team mean a great deal, and we look forward to continuing to support you and your dog through a smooth and successful surgical and recovery process.
Alison R.
4 weeks ago
The staff of this center were top notch. Excellent communication and care was given to our dog. The doctors were compassionate and honest. I just wish we’d come sooner to diagnose the problem. I will recommend this center to anyone whose pet needs diagnostic work or surgery. It is costly, but the care was excellent.
Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your experience and for trusting us with your dog’s care. We’re so glad to hear that you felt supported through clear communication, compassionate care, and honest guidance from our team. We understand how difficult it can be when facing a serious medical issue with a beloved pet, and we truly appreciate your thoughtful recommendation. We also recognize that advanced diagnostics and surgery can be a significant expense, and we’re grateful for your acknowledgment of the level of care provided. Wishing your dog continued healing and comfort.
John M.
4 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.
4 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.
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