Surgery Department

We offer some of the most advanced diagnostic and innovative surgical facilities in Connecticut. As the referring veterinary hospital for many small animal hospitals we have procedures that require specialized training and state-of-the-art technology. Our surgeons have completed advanced training in small animal surgery and are specialists in their field. Veterinary surgeons are dedicated to providing the very best in surgical care. This expertise helps to ensure the best possible outcome for your pet.

Dr. Berg is a 1981 graduate of Colorado State University. He completed a rotating internship at Cornell University in 1982 before returning to Colorado State for his surgery residency. Following his residency, he spent a year in referral practice at South Shore Veterinary Associates, south of Boston, and joined the faculty of Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987. He teaches and practices small animal soft tissue surgery, and has a special interest in surgical oncology. During his time at Tufts, he has twice received the Pfizer Distinguished Teaching Award, as well as several other teaching awards. He is the author of numerous original articles and book chapters on a variety of topics in soft tissue surgery and surgical oncology. Dr. Berg served as the Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at Tufts from 1998 until 2011, and is an honorary member of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology. He lives in Westborough, MA, with his wife Gail and their two daughters, Cara and Sidney.

Dr. Cara Blake earned her DVM degree at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. She completed a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Angell Animal Medical Center in 2008. She then completed a small animal surgical residency in a joint program with Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and the Angell Animal Medical Center. She became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2012.

Dr. Blake was certified as a Canine Rehbilitation Therapist (CCRT) by the Canine Rehabilitation Institute (CRI) in 2014. She has also completed coursework in veterinary acupuncture and food therapy at the Chi Institute. Dr. Blake previously worked as an Assistant Professor of Small Animal Surgery at both the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Veterinary Orthopedic Society and is faculty for both AOVET and CRI, She is currently preparing for boards in the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. Dr. Blake's areas of clinical interest include working dog and sports medicine, minimally invasive orthopedic surgery, regenerative and rehabilitative therapy, and pain management.

A native of Farmington, Maine, Dr. Anna Dunlap obtained her bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University in upstate New York and received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from Kansas State University. Following graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Dunlap completed a rotating medicine and surgery internship at VCA San Francisco Veterinary Specialists followed by a one year surgery internship at the Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center. She also completed a one year orthopedic research fellowship at the University of Florida prior to a three year surgical residency at North Carolina State University. Dr. Dunlap has worked at private referral hospitals in Leesburg, Virginia and Portland, Maine.

Originally from Ontario, Canada, Dr. Lansdowne received her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology from the University of Guelph in 1996, her DVM from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2003, and her Masters of Science in Clinical Studies from the University of Guelph in 2003. Her Masters Degree is in minimally invasive surgery and epidural anesthesia and she now also specializes in both orthopedics and complex oncological surgery. Dr. Lansdowne completed a Small Animal Rotating Internship at Colorado State University followed by an Orthopedic Fellowship and Surgical Residency at Michigan State University. She spent two years in Davos, Switzerland working at the AO Foundation Research Institute and then returned to her true passion of small animal surgery, joining a private practice in Pittsburgh, PA until 2012. Dr. Lansdowne spent 7 years at a specialty practice in Middletown, CT recently resigning as Head of the surgery department there in order to join our team.

Dr. Lansdowne has written over 20 scientific publications, several orthopedic textbook chapters, and has lectured both nationally and internationally. As well as being a Diplomate of both the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons, she is an Associate member of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology (VSSO), an AOVet Active Member, and a member of the AVMA.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS
Click to see some of Dr. Lansdowne's publications

Dr. Pond, one of the foremost Board Certified veterinary surgeons in the region, performs orthopedic and general surgery here at Central Hospital. Dr. Pond graduated from the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine and has held teaching and research positions at the University of Pennsylvania, University of Georgia, University of Glasgow and the Yale University School of Medicine. In 1982, he established a surgical referral practice in Connecticut and has been associated with Central Hospital since that time. Dr. Pond’s patients are generally referred to him by the veterinarian responsible for their routine care. Dr. Pond is one of 20 veterinary surgeons in the United States performing the recently introduced Total Elbow Replacement surgery. Dr. Pond is available for consultation in person and by telephone to discuss your pet’s problems, help with diagnoses and guide you through the process of deciding the most appropriate treatment.