Surgery

Veterinary Surgical Centers (VSC) is a progressive veterinary referral practice working in multiple locations serving all of Northern Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. VSC provides a wide variety of services, including: orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries, minimally invasive surgeries, neurological and rehabilitation. VSC consists of board-certified specialists, residents, interns, certified rehabilitation practitioners, along with highly trained and compassionate staff members.

How We Work

To ensure your pet receives the correct treatment necessary for his or her well-being, VSC requires a referral from your primary veterinarian. Once your veterinarian has contacted us to discuss your pet’s needs, we are then able to schedule a consultation with you. VSC works closely with your veterinarian by providing continual updates and access to records while your pet is in our care.

By partnering with local emergency referral hospitals, you and your pet can enjoy the benefit of around the clock care, seven days a week. This guarantees peace of mind for you knowing that you can call any time and request an update. We understand how difficult it is to leave your pet, but rest assure we are dedicated to keeping you well informed and up-to-date on any changes. With VSC, both you and your primary veterinarian are considered part of the team.

VSC’s number one priority is to provide your pet with the highest quality of surgical treatment as well as supportive pre and post-treatment care. As both veterinary professionals and dedicated pet owners, progressive technical expertise and compassion are the hallmarks of our practice. Our patients’ happiness and health remain at the center of all that we do.

What We Do

VSC brings the best care to those around us. We provide a standard of care for our patients that is unsurpassed elsewhere.

Services We Provide

Why Choose VSC

• We have more board-certified surgeons on staff than any referral practice in Northern Virginia.
• Your pet receives 24-hour care 7 days a week.
• State-of-the-art facilities and equipment are available to perform surgeries such as total hip replacements and arthroscopies.
• We utilize the most advanced diagnostic imaging available, to include MRI, CT Scan, and fluoroscopy.
• We have made physical rehabilitation available as part of our standard of care, ensuring that we are there for our clients and patients during the entire recovery process.

What is Board Certified?

A board certified doctor is a veterinarian who has undergone an additional 4-5 years of training in the area of their specialty after receiving his or her initial veterinary degree. A veterinarian who meets the rigorous education and training standards submits their credentials application and passes a specialty examination. They are then awarded a diploma and are referred to as a diplomate of veterinary surgery. These veterinarians have earned the right to be called a specialist in the field and complement the general veterinary practitioners with surgical solutions that demand specialized expertise and equipment.

Visit us online to learn more about VSC and our services. Detailed handouts about many of the procedures we perform are available. Learn about local upcoming events and how VSC is active in the community.

VSC Surgeons

• Anke Langenbach, Dr Med Vet, Diplomate ACVS & ECVS; VSC Owner and Chief Surgeon

  
  Dr. Anke Langenbach, owner and Chief Surgeon, is a Diplomate of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons. She earned her veterinary degree in 1992 from the University of Munich, College of Veterinary Medicine in Germany. Dr. Langenbach was awarded a scholarship allowing her a combined American and German education. She spent most of her third year of veterinary school at Kansas State University and part of her fourth year at The Ohio State University, Cornell University, and Animal Medical Center of New York.

  After receiving her veterinary degree, she continued her studies with a 1-year internship followed by a 3-year residency program at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. After completion of her residency, she stayed with the University accepting a lecturing position. Dr. Langenbach achieved Diplomate status as a board certified surgeon in 1998. Following her extensive academic career, Dr. Langenbach moved to Northern Virginia to work in private referral practice.

  Since her time at the University, Dr. Langenbach has published several articles, authored a book chapter, and has presented at many regional and local meetings, as well as national meetings held by the College of Veterinary Surgeons. She is currently participating in clinical research at the University of Pennsylvania involving cancer related feline patients. Debbie Reiber also featured Dr. Langenbach in the book “In Their Shoes.” She presented at the 2007 Annual Surgeons Summit and will present in Basel at the European Surgeons Summit in July 2008. Her other areas of research interest relate to bone and joint diseases and injuries of the canine patient.

  Dr. Langenbach lives with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and two cats in Vienna, VA.

• Sebastian Gordon, DVM, DVSc, Diplomate ACVS

  
  Dr. Sebastian Gordon graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bacehlor of Science in Animal Science in 2001. He then completed four years of veterinary school at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. Following veterinary school, Dr. Gordon participated in a 1-year small animal rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Gordon continued his academic studies with a 3-year small animal surgery residency at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph. Dr. Gordon joined VSC in August 2009. His research interests include the biomechanical properties of bone plates. Dr. Gordon lives in Bethesda with his wife, their hound dog, and their cat.

• Julia Hawthorne, DVM, Diplomate ACVS

  
  A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Dr. Hawthorne received her Bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College and her veterinary degree in 1994 from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She continued her academic studies completing a 1-year rotating internship at Mississippi State Univeristy and a 1-year surgical internship at Affiliated Veterinary Specialists in Winter Park, Florida. After finishing a 3-year surgical residency at Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, she stayed with the University accepting a clinical instructorship position. Dr. Hawthorne achieved Diplomate status as a board-certified surgeon in 2001. Following her time with the University, Dr. Hawthorne spent over seven years as an associate surgeon with a veterinary referral practice outside Richmond, Virginia. A native of Northern Virginia, she returned to this area and joined VSC. Her areas of interest include soft tissue and emergency surgery. Dr. Hawthorne lives with her husband, three children, and Bernese Mountain Dog in Falls Church, Virginia.

• Matt Nicholson, DVM, DACVS
• Jim Taylor, DVM, Board Eligible, ACVS
• Thomas Monaco DVM, Surgical Resident
• Gwyneth Watrous, DVM, Surgical Intern
• John Kiefer, DVM, Surgical Intern