Utah Veterinary Hospital was founded in 2015, is owned and operated by our veterinarian, Samuel Rivera, BS, DVM, GPC(SAS). Dr. Rivera was born in Durango, México, and grew up in Riverside, California. He attended the University of California, Davis, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Animal Science, with an emphasis in Captive and Companion Animals in 2004. He went on to veterinary school at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, where he graduated with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree in 2009. Most recently, Dr. Rivera successfully completed a General Practitioner Certificate in Small Animal Surgery [GPC(SAS)] from the International School of Veterinary Postgraduate Studies in 2025. Dr. Rivera has a well-rounded résumé with over 16 years of experience in corporate hospitals, private hospitals, high- and low-cost clinics, animal shelter medicine, relief veterinary care, and private practice ownership. Now, he has chosen to settle down to provide the best quality veterinary medicine at Utah Veterinary Hospital, in American Fork, UT. Dr. Samuel Rivera is married to his wife, Elizabeth Jean, and is father to Samuel James, Sadie Jayne, and Sawyer Jack. He has his companion dog, a yellow lab named Sally. He enjoys veterinary medicine, wellness and preventative medicine, and veterinary surgery, with a strong interest and experience in wound care management and orthopedic surgery. His hobbies include exercise, fishing, snowboarding, Koi pond care, and spending time with his family. He is also a big LAKERS fan, and loves watching the Olympics and World Cup sports (fútbol and basketball).
Dr. Rivera is currently enrolled in a post-graduate collaboration between ISVPS and Harper Adams University, has successfully completed all related assessments, and expects to finish his second international Post-graduate Certificate [PgC(SAS)] in Small Animal Surgery by mid-2026. Recently he has engaged in offering exotic animal medicine, small animal endoscopy, and orthopedic surgeries, aside from his extensive small animal medical and surgical offerings. He has additional training in the following advanced areas: Proper Dental Prophylaxis and Surgical Dental Extractions (2008, 2010); Ophthalmology Corrective Surgical Procedures (2010); General Soft Tissue and Respiratory Corrective Surgery (2010, 2011); Canine & Feline Endocrine Diseases (2013-2014, 2019); Fracture Repair in Toy Breed Dogs & Cats (2018); Principles of Fracture Repair (2019); SOP for Fracture Repair, MMP Progression of TTA Procedure for Canine Cruciate Repair, and RidgeStop Patellar Luxation Repair Technique (2019). Dr. Rivera is inclined to begin training in TPLO orthopedic surgery for correction of cranial cruciate ligament disease after completing his PgC(SAS) certificate in 2026.
