A leader in the field of small animal arthroscopy, Dr. Sams is recognized for his achievements in arthroscopic and general orthopaedic surgery, and has lectured on both nationally and internationally. He has a special interest in cruciate ligament disease and repair, which includes surgeries such as the TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveleing Osteotomy). He has practiced small animal arthroscopy since 1994, first as chief of orthopaedic and neurology services at the Animal Medical Center in New York, where he launched a canine arthroscopy program. In 1999, Dr. Sams opened The Sams Clinic with the goal of providing state-of-the art veterinary medicine, with an emphasis on minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment. It was important that The Sams Clinic provide a comfortable environment where people feel confident their pets are receiving the best possible care.

A 1989 graduate of UC Davis Veterinary School, Dr. Sams’ academic achievements include specialty certification by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in 1994, an internship at Texas A&M University and a residency in surgery at Cornell University. This is where he earned a master’s degree studying biological methods of resurfacing damaged joints. A native San Franciscan, Dr. Sams and his family, which includes a yellow Labrador retriever, live in Marin County, California.

“All through veterinary school, my master’s and post-grad training, my internship and residency, I found orthopaedics rewarding. I’ve always enjoyed the technology, the physics, the science, and I still do. But in the end, the best reward is to see my patients go back to doing the things they like to do, and their people like to do with them.”

– Dr. Andrew Sams

Dr. Kirsten Wegner-Fowley, DVM, Diplomate, ACVAA

Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia

Dr. Wegner-Fowley is originally from Tucson, AZ and is happily based here again. She graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry. She completed her DVM degree at Oregon State University with two of the four years spent at Washington State University as part of the W.O.I. Program. Following graduation, she spent five years in private practice in Southern California including a rotating Internship in Equine Medicine and Surgery and four years as a Large Animal ambulatory clinician in San Diego. She returned to Academia to complete a Residency in Anesthesia and Pain Management with a research focus on opioid analgesics in cats at the University of Florida. Continuing her research interests, Dr. Wegner-Fowley completed a post-Doctoral Fellowship in Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Florida with emphasis on the pharmacology of various analgesics in horses. She returned to San Diego to accept a prestigious post-Doctoral Fellowship with Dr. Tony Yaksh at U.C.S.D. where she developed a detailed pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model of analgesics and sedatatives in dogs. In 2008, Dr. Wegner-Fowley accepted a faculty appointment at New Bolton Center, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s Large Animal Hospital. As a member of the Anesthesia faculty at UPenn, she enjoyed the large, diverse clinical caseload, extensive teaching responsibility and opportunities to develop an equine anesthesia recovery scoring system and an equine-specific composite pain scale. Returning to the West, Dr. Wegner-Fowley and her family chose a more relaxed lifestyle and the chance for her husband to pursue his professional interests. Dr. Wegner-Fowley focuses her time on providing clinical anesthesia care to veterinary patients. She has a busy consulting practice based in AZ with clients in CA where she takes care of beloved pets requiring the anesthesia and pain management care of a Specialist-level doctor. She also offers on-site training in anesthesia and pain management to veterinary clinicians and staff. In her free time, she and her husband love hiking and camping in the wilds of the Southwest with their two dogs.

Dr. Daniel Ben-Aderet

DVM, DACVAA

Dr. Ben-Aderet grew up in rural San Diego County in a veterinary household. His parents owned and operated a small animal general practice hospital for over 30 years and introduced him to his love of veterinary medicine.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from UCLA in 2012 he attended UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, obtaining his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2018. Following a year in general practice and a subsequent year of training focusing on specialty and emergency medicine, he developed a passion for, and commitment to enhanced peri-operative care and pain management. In light of this development, a residency in anesthesia and analgesia was a natural next step. After completion of a 3-year residency in anesthesia and analgesia at UC Davis he became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. His professional interests include cardio-thoracic anesthesia, one lung ventilation, orthopedic case management, and local/regional analgesia (ultrasound and nerve stimulation guided peripheral nerve blocks).

Dr. Ben-Aderet pursued two additional years of clinical and teaching work in the department of Anesthesia and Analgesia at UC Davis before shifting his focus to bringing enhanced peri-operative anesthetic and pain management services to practices all over California.

When not overseeing cases in the operating room, Dr. Ben-Aderet enjoys exploring both the mountains and restaurants of northern California and is an avid tennis player and downhill skier.

Dr. Dana Whitlock, DVM, MS, DACVSMR

Board Certified sports medicine and rehabilitation Specialist

Dr. Whitlock joined The Sams Clinic in July 2016. Prior to becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Whitlock was a physical therapist for humans, receiving one of two Masters degrees from Duke University. She also completed a Masters degree at SUNY Upstate Medical Center studying muscle physiology as it pertains to exercise. As a physical therapist, she was a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapists. She began working with dogs in the realm of physical rehabilitation in 2001 and completed her canine rehabilitation certification at the University of Tennessee. She went on to complete her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis in 2007.

She completed an internship at the University of Georgia, a surgical internship at Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, and a fellowship in the canine gait lab at the University of Tennessee prior to surgical residency training at the University of Missouri. She is a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist through the Chi Institute in Florida.

Dr. Whitlock is the only board-certified sports medicine and rehabilitation specialist in the Bay area working with dogs and cats.