All services will take $100 deposit at the time of scheduling for all new Consultations. All services will require a $100 deposit for anyone who cancels or reschedules a recheck or procedure less than 2 business days before the appointment. Owners will forfeit the deposit if they fail to cancel or reschedule without 2 business days notice.
Surgery Department hours: Monday through Friday 8am-4pm
Surgery is the branch of veterinary medicine that is concerned with diseases or conditions that may benefit from an operation or other procedure. Most people are familiar with surgeons from their own healthcare experiences, and the analogy from human to veterinary medicine is generally accurate.
Dr. Grafinger performing a foreign body removal in our soft tissue bay.
Most general veterinary practitioners perform some surgery. A board-certified surgeon is specially trained in operative procedures in a rigorous and intensive training program. After obtaining their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, board-certified surgeons must spend a minimum of 4 additional years in an internship and residency programs in veterinary surgery before being able to sit for the certification exam. Many board-certified surgeons work in larger hospitals or referral practices, such at TVRH, that provide them with advanced technology and tools that may not be available in many general practices.
Our board-certified surgeons will work closely with you, your primary care veterinarian and our other board-certified specialists to ensure that your pet receives the best possible surgical care.
Does your pet have knee problems?
Pets can suffer from a number of knee problems such as injuries to their cruciate ligaments, like athletes who damage their ACL. Learn more...
Does your pet suffer from back pain?
Back pain can be caused by a number of things. A bulging or ruptured intervertebral disc can cause irritation, inflammation or damage to the spinal cord. Learn more...
Does your pet have bladder stones or repeated urinary obstruction?
Urinary obstruction caused by bladder stones or a number of other urinary complications, can be a serious problem in both cats and dogs.. Learn more...
Meet our board certified surgeons
Dr. Mike Grafinger graduated from Mississippi State University in 1999. Shortly after, he finished a one year internship at Animal Medical Center in New York City which has an annual case load of 50,000 patients and over 90 veterinarians. Next he practiced general medicine in NYC for one year before joining a North Carolina emergency and referral practice as an emergency clinician, eventually completing a surgical residency at NC State Veterinary School. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and three sons.
Dr. Morgan Hackett was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA before heading to the Caribbean where she attended veterinary school at Ross University. She performed her clinical year at Auburn University before graduating in January 2014. She completed a small animal rotating internship in Akron, Ohio, a surgery internship in Buffalo Grove, Il, a second surgery internship in Rochester, NY, plus a small animal surgery residency in Rochester, NY. Her professional interests include urogenital surgery, wound reconstruction, and miniature TTAs. Dr. Hackett lives in Durham with her fiancé and their three cats, Marge, Alice, and Howard.
Dr. Marc Hirshenson grew up in Rockville, Maryland. He received a BS in Animal Science from the University of Maryland and his DVM from Tufts University. After graduation, Dr. Hirshenson completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine, surgery, and emergency and critical care and a three-year residency in small animal surgery at Cornell University. He then returned to Maryland where he worked as a staff surgeon at a large specialty referral practice. For the last two and a half years he has served as the Chief of Surgery for a specialty hospital on Long Island.
Although he enjoys all aspects of veterinary surgery, Dr. Hirshenson is particularly interested in surgical oncology, canine stifle disease and repair, elbow disease, and wound reconstruction. He is proficient in minimally invasive surgical procedures including arthroscopy, cystoscopy, laparoscopy, rhinoscopy and thoracoscopy.
Away from the hospital, Dr. Hirshenson enjoys swimming, spending time outside, traveling or catching an Orioles or Terrapins game.
Surgery Service
Post-operative Care
