Pioneers in Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine

Our specialists have led and contributed to laboratory, translational, prospective, retrospective, multicenter, and clinical-outcomes research supported by millions of dollars in grant and sponsored funding.

• Cartilage repair, joint biology & tissue engineering: Biological joint resurfacing, chondrocyte-laden collagen scaffolds, arthroscopic scaffold implantation, and histologic, biochemical, and clinical assessment of cartilage repair and joint response.
• Osteoarthritis, joint preservation & orthobiologic therapy: Studies of hyaluronan, joint-health compounds, platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, adipose-derived and allogeneic cellular therapies, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (IRAP), bioscaffolds, elbow resurfacing, and other approaches to preserving joint function and mobility.
• Soft-tissue injury & sports medicine: Clinical studies involving 327 dogs with supraspinatus tendinopathy, 72 agility dogs with iliopsoas injury, and 43 dogs with Achilles tendon injury, together with research on medial shoulder syndrome, biceps and carpal injury, partial cranial cruciate ligament tears, and other tendon, ligament, muscle, and performance-related conditions.
• Orthopedic biomechanics, fixation & surgical outcomes: Comparisons of fracture-fixation methods; TPLO healing and implant outcomes; tibial plateau geometry across 3,922 stifles; implant-removal risk following 747 TPLO procedures; canine stifle kinematics; and the effects of implants, surgical materials, and treatment methods on bone, cartilage, and soft-tissue healing.
• Diagnostics & objective outcomes: Comparative evaluation of musculoskeletal ultrasound, MRI, arthroscopy, and needle-scope technology; imaging of cruciate, shoulder, carpal, Achilles, iliopsoas, and other conditions; and research using pressure-sensitive walkways, stance analyzers, weight-distribution platforms, goniometry, and canine joint-motion analysis.
• Rehabilitation, physiology & return to function: Post-surgical rehabilitation, return to competitive sport after TPLO, pain and mobility in dogs with osteoarthritis or hip dysplasia, muscle fatigue and energy use during exercise, movement quality, and objective measures of functional recovery.

Our specialists have helped design, co-develop, characterize, validate, and clinically evaluate technologies used across veterinary orthopedics, arthroscopy, sports medicine, orthobiologics, rehabilitation, and objective outcomes assessment.

• Orthopedic implants & fixation systems: TPLO plates and implant systems widely used by veterinary surgeons, together with low-profile locking systems for carpal arthrodesis, Achilles tendon repair constructs, and other canine orthopedic fixation technologies.
• Arthroscopy & minimally invasive instrumentation: Canine-specific arthroscopy systems and instruments, including towers, cannulas, graspers, punches, osteotomes, suture passers, and needle-scope platforms developed or adapted for veterinary procedures.
• Orthobiologic processing technologies: Canine-specific platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow aspirate concentrate systems, adipose-derived and cellular-processing platforms, and studies characterizing what individual systems concentrate, contain, and consistently produce.
• Biomaterials & joint-restoration products: Collagen bioscaffolds, bone-graft substitutes, hyaluronic-acid products, injectable joint therapies, and other materials developed, translated, or clinically evaluated for veterinary joint preservation and repair.
• Diagnostic, orthotic, prosthetic & therapeutic technologies: Objective gait and weight-distribution systems, stifle braces, external limb prostheses, self-suspension prosthetic systems, and physical-treatment devices evaluated for diagnostic value, stability, mobility, pain, or functional recovery.
• Digital & remote-support platforms: Telemedicine, remote diagnostic and procedural support, client–doctor communication, professional education, and clinical-data platforms created to extend expertise across locations and clinical settings.

Together, our specialists have authored or coauthored more than 100 journal articles, textbook and reference chapters, published abstracts and proceedings, and professional publications.

• Peer-reviewed original research: Studies addressing tissue-engineered cartilage repair, muscle energetics and fatigue, canine gait and kinematics, osteoarthritis, cruciate injury, TPLO outcomes, tendinopathy, orthobiologic treatment, musculoskeletal ultrasound, rehabilitation, and return to sport.
• Clinical & technical reports: Published descriptions of canine elbow arthroscopy, minimally invasive procedures, diagnostic applications, surgical methods, implant performance, orthopedic devices, prosthetics, and uncommon or complex clinical cases.
• Textbook & reference chapters: Contributions covering canine sports medicine, forelimb and pelvic-limb disorders, regenerative treatments, rehabilitation of athletic patients, surgical complications, fracture management, external coaptation, and orthopedic devices.
• Published abstracts & conference proceedings: Published abstracts and proceedings from orthopedic, surgical, sports-medicine, rehabilitation, and regenerative-medicine meetings in the United States and internationally.
• Professional & clinical publications: Practitioner, rehabilitation, performance-dog, and owner-focused articles translating complex orthopedic and sports-medicine subjects into clinically useful guidance.

Beginning in 1994, Founder and Medical Director Andrew Sams launched one of the profession's first canine arthroscopy programs. Since then, members of the team have continued that minimally invasive lineage while expanding how musculoskeletal disease, treatment, and recovery are evaluated and managed.

• Arthroscopy & minimally invasive orthopedic care: Early documentation of canine elbow arthroscopy; minimally invasive evaluation and treatment of shoulder, elbow, stifle, carpal, and other joint conditions; arthroscopy-assisted procedures; and minimally invasive stabilization for selected shoulder-instability cases.
• Needle-scope & image-guided intervention: Needle-scope evaluation and treatment, musculoskeletal-ultrasound-guided localization and injection, and combined use of ultrasound, arthroscopy, and minimally invasive instrumentation to identify and treat joint and soft-tissue pathology.
• Orthobiologic treatment integration: Condition-specific use of platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, cellular therapies, hyaluronic acid, and other biologic treatments within coordinated orthopedic, sports-medicine, surgical, and rehabilitation plans.
• Rehabilitation & return to function: Integration of rehabilitation, therapeutic exercise, progressive loading, conditioning, and return-to-activity planning into surgical and nonsurgical care for companion, sporting, and working dogs.
• Objective clinical decision-making: Use of gait analysis, stance and weight-distribution assessment, joint-motion measurement, functional testing, and repeatable outcome measures to support diagnosis, monitor progress, and guide return to activity.

In 1996, Dr. Sams helped develop and teach the first veterinary arthroscopy course presented at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons meeting. Across more than three decades, our specialists have continued that educational work through formal specialty training, advanced procedural instruction, and national and international continuing education.

• Residency, internship & fellowship training: Direct clinical, procedural, and research supervision of surgical, sports-medicine, rehabilitation, and orthopedic trainees, including many who advanced into residencies, specialty certification, fellowship training, and clinical leadership.
• Advanced procedural laboratories: Hands-on instruction in arthroscopy, needle-scope procedures, musculoskeletal ultrasound, intra-articular injection, platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow aspirate concentrate processing, orthopedic devices, objective gait assessment, rehabilitation, and sports-medicine examination.
• National & international continuing education: Invited lectures, keynote presentations, conference tracks, scientific sessions, and multiday programs for surgical, orthopedic, sports-medicine, rehabilitation, and regenerative-medicine audiences in the United States and internationally.
• Course, curriculum & multidisciplinary program development: Structured education for veterinarians, surgeons, rehabilitation professionals, physical therapists, and technicians, including advanced programs in arthroscopy, sports medicine, musculoskeletal ultrasound, orthobiologics, rehabilitation, and objective assessment.
• Digital & case-based professional education: Webinars, instructional videos, live case discussions, virtual workshops, on-demand learning, and remote procedural guidance translating complex subjects into practical clinical application.
• Public, performance & working-dog education: Seminars for agility, sporting, service, police, search-and-rescue, and other working-dog communities focused on injury recognition, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and return to activity.

Our specialists bring experience founding and leading pioneering practices, clinical programs, professional organizations, training pathways, and research and technology initiatives that have helped shape modern veterinary orthopedics, sports medicine, rehabilitation, and regenerative medicine.

• Specialty practice & clinical-service leadership: Founding and leadership of dedicated orthopedic, arthroscopy, sports-medicine, rehabilitation, and orthobiologic practices and service lines, including integrated models connecting diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation, and return-to-function planning.
• Professional organizations & specialty-college leadership: Founding presidency of the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians; presidency and committee leadership within the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation; and leadership of programs, symposia, and continuing education across national professional organizations.
• National clinical-program development: Creation and direction of multi-site sports-medicine, rehabilitation, and regenerative-medicine services, including national clinical programs, specialty-care networks, and new models for delivering advanced musculoskeletal care.
• Research & technology leadership: Leadership of research-and-development organizations, collaborative technology-validation programs, and clinical translation involving orthopedic implants, arthroscopy systems, orthobiologic technologies, biomaterials, diagnostic tools, and related clinical platforms.
• Specialty training, scientific governance & professional standards: Development of internship, residency, fellowship, advanced-training, and certification pathways; journal and manuscript review; research-grant evaluation; scientific advisory work; and oversight of professional education and evidence development.
• Nonprofit, access & cross-sector leadership: Programs extending orthopedic treatment and professional education to rescue organizations, families facing financial hardship, working-dog agencies, wildlife organizations, and veterinarians in underserved regions, together with advisory and governance roles spanning veterinary health, academic medicine, and product development.