Dr. Petersen attended college and veterinary school at Colorado State University, one of the premier and most respected veterinary schools in the country. From there he completed his residency in Small Animal Surgery at the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he was recognized as Resident of the Year in 1990.
Following his residency, Steve moved back home to Colorado and joined Alameda East Veterinary Hospital (AEVH) as a staff surgeon. In addition to his surgical responsibilities, he started and was director of the internship program. You may, or may not, remember back in the early days of reality TV, AEVH was featured on “Emergency Vets” which aired on Animal Planet.
Steve, and his wife Jill (a certified veterinary technician) moved to the Reno/Lake Tahoe region in 1999 and started their own surgical specialty practice, Veterinary Specialists of Nevada. After 4 years in Nevada, and with 2 young children, the desire to be near family inspired a move back to Colorado in 2003. Dr. Petersen joined Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital as one of their staff surgeons and became a partner in the practice. The move to Oregon, and Hood River, came in 2010 with the attraction of living, and raising their kids, in a small community while still being close to large city. Dr. Petersen joined VCA-Northwest Veterinary Specialists at that time and has worked there for the last 9 years until his recent full time re-location (of his practice) to Hood River.
Dr. Petersen’s primary clinical interests are orthopedic surgery, trauma surgery, neurosurgery, and reconstructive surgery for traumatic wounds. Within the realm of orthopedic surgery, his special interests include correction of pediatric injuries and growth deformities through distraction osteogenesis as well as general canine sports medicine including arthroscopic evaluation and treatment of joint and ligament injuries. Dr. Petersen was one of the first veterinary orthopedic surgeons in the country to use arthroscopy to diagnose and treat canine joint problems (starting in 1995) and he thus has many years of clinical experience with this specialty. Dr. Petersen lectures locally, nationally and internationally to numerous veterinary associations and veterinary surgical organizations. Outside of his clinical responsibilities, Steve devotes his free time to his family, and enjoys cycling, windsurfing, skiing, and hiking with the family dogs.