Dr. George Cuellar and Sadie

Dr. Cuellar is the owner and president of Southern California Veterinary Hospital.  Dr. Cuellar worked at the Southern California Veterinary Hospital from 1985 to 1988 and loved it so much he bought the hospital in June 2005. 

Dr. Cuellar was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and immediately moved to Mexico City with his family then to California two years later in 1961. He attended schoo l in the San Gabriel suburb of Los Angeles.  Dr. Cuellar attended San Gabriel High School and then he moved to Atlanta Georgia and finished high school at Woodward Academy in College Park Georgia where he graduated Suma Cum Laude in 1977.

Dr. Cuellar graduated from the University Of Georgia College Of Veterinary Medicine, Cum Laude, in 1984.  He decided it was time to go home and, in the summer of 1984, immediately following graduation, he drove back to California.  His first job was as an associate veterinarian in a four-doctor practice in the San Fernando Valley where he met his wife Melissa and years later they have three children: his son Jonathan born in 1988, his daughter Alison born in 1990, and his daughter Brenna born in 1997.  In addition, there are the “four-legged” children: two dogs Jello and Sadie, three cats Kiki, Mikko, and Napoleon, and a desert tortoise Timmy. 

Focusing on quality practice, Dr. Cuellar became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in 1992, specialty canine feline and recertified in 2002.  Dr. Cuellar enjoys internal medicine and surgery.  Dr. Cuellar’s other passion is for organized veterinary medicine.  Dr. Cuellar served as trustee for the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association, the largest local veterinary association in the world, and served as President in 1996.  He was member of the California Veterinary Medical Association’s Board of Governors for 6 years serving as their President in 2003. 

Dr. Mark C. Rigoni and Ricky

Dr. Rigoni is the Medical Director of Southern California Veterinary Hospital.  He has worked full time at Southern California Veterinary Hospital since 1996.  He thoroughly enjoys working with animals and has kept and managed numerous pets in his lifetime. 

Dr. Rigoni was born at the UCLA Medical Center and has lived in the Los Angeles area most of his life. He graduated with honors from Servite High School and started his college career at CSUF in 1979 studying physics and philosophy.  A few years later, he embarked on his first career as a fashion model and commercial actor which lasted about 10 years.  His first career allowed him to study on his own and live and travel extensively in Western Europe, Australia, New York, and Japan. While modeling in the Los Angeles area, Dr. Rigoni attended CSUN majoring in biology and philosophy.  He ended his first career and moved to Oregon in 1990 to finish his college career. He graduated in 1991 Cum Laude from OSU attaining his B.S. Degree in Biology.

Dr. Rigoni finally graduated from the University of Washington and Oregon’s DVM program, Cum Laude, in 1995.  Dr Rigoni has a daughter, Katarina, born in 1997.  His pets include 4 and ½ cats; Ricky (1+1/2cat), Mufasa, Easter, Mimi, and two dogs Emma Star, and Curry.  Besides his love for animals, he also enjoys working out and water-sports, such as water skiing, surfing, kayaking, and scuba-diving. 

Dr. Rigoni has a special interest in Dermatology and Surgery

Dr. Karen Kelly and Osa

Dr. Kelly is an associate veterinarian of the Southern California Veterinary Hospital.  She has been a part of the practice since 2002 and works 1-2 days a week.  She especially likes “the staff and the interesting case load”.

Dr. Kelly was born and grew up in San Diego, CA graduating from Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar.  Dr. Kelly’s father is a small animal veterinarian practicing in San Diego.

Dr. Kelly graduated from Colorado State University with a B.S in Environmental Health in 1990.  Then, she graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995.  Dr Kelly did an internship at California Animal Hospital immediately after graduation.  Dr Kelly is a published author in the current Textbook of Internal Medicine.   She became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in 2002, specialty canine feline.  Dr. Kelly enjoys internal medicine, holistic medicine, public health, and preventative medicine.  Dr. Kelly also served as President for the Westside Chapter of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association for three years.

Dr. Kelly lives in Thousand Oaks with her husband and pets.  She has two Quarter horses named Max and Crystal, her dog Osa, and two cats Nacho and Liza.  Dr. Kelly’ free time is spent riding her horses and when she gets a chance her hobbies include scuba diving, traveling, reading and camping.