COLUMBIA, S.C. (Sept. 9, 2025) – South Carolina Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care (SCVSEC), part of Thrive Pet Healthcare’s community of veterinary hospitals, has expanded its Columbia facility and significantly increased its medical team. With more than 13,000 additional square feet now integrated into the hospital’s footprint, SCVSEC has nearly doubled in size and welcomed six new specialists to meet the growing demand for advanced, collaborative veterinary care.
The expansion allows the hospital to increase specialty service offerings, improve interdisciplinary case management, and grow its availability to referring veterinarians. Further plans are in progress to use the new facility for continuing education seminars for the local veterinary community and support staff.
“Having more experts under one roof allows us to tackle cases in a more holistic way,” said Dr. Allison Hassinger, SCVSEC medical director and emergency/urgent care veterinarian. “We can talk to each other in real time, draw on each other’s expertise and maximize patient care. That level of cooperation makes a measurable impact in outcomes and in the experience for the pet owner and the referring veterinarian.”
SCVSEC continues to offer 24/7 emergency services. Referral appointments are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for specialty services.
New specialty additions to the hospital’s staff over the summer included:
Michelle Waschak, DVM, DACVS – Soft tissue surgery
Amanda Rathgeber, DVM - Surgery service, specializing in orthopedic surgery
Ashley Barton, DVM, DACVVA, CVA, CCRP – Anesthesiology, pain management and rehabilitation
Three additional specialists came aboard this month:
Anna Panyutin, DVM – Internal medicine
Rebecca Manson, DVM, DACVIM-SAIM – Internal medicine
Alix Saavedra, DVM, DACVIM-SAIM – Cardiology
“Hiring these specialists is a demonstration of our support for an increased level of continuity and sophistication of care,” said Celeste Stone, SCVSEC veterinary relations manager. “It also better solidifies our connection with primary care veterinarians who refer to us for complicated cases and after-hours emergencies.”
SCVSEC is located at 3924 Fernandina Road in Columbia. For more information about Thrive Pet Healthcare’s nationwide community of hospitals, visit
thrivepetcare.com.
