Utah Veterinary Hospital is owned and operated by Dr. Samuel Rivera. Dr. Rivera was born in Durango, México, and grew up in Southern California. He attended the University of California, Davis, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science 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. Dr. Rivera has a well-rounded résumé with over 15 years of experience in corporate hospitals, private hospitals, high- and low-cost clinics, animal shelter medicine, relief veterinary care, and private 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 J., and is father to Samuel James, Sadie Jayne, and Sawyer Jack. He has his companion dog, a yellow lab named Sally, and cares for Koi fish in his home. He enjoys veterinary medicine, wellness and preventative medicine, and veterinary surgery, with a strong interest and experience in orthopedic surgery. His hobbies include exercise, fishing, snowboarding, and spending time with his family. He is also a big LAKERS fan!
Dr. Rivera is currently enrolled in an international surgical certification program, expected to be finished in 2025. 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 specialized 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 Endrocrine 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).
