As a Board-Certified Veterinary Surgeon, Dr. Dycus has dedicated his career to the pursuit of excellence at restoring mobility to his patients and improving their quality of life. The desire to fuse decades long veterinary orthopedic expertise with empathetic and compassionate care lead to the vision to create Fusion Veterinary Orthopedics in Lanham, Maryland.
Dr. Dycus is a native of north Georgia and received his Bachelor’s degree from LaGrange College where he graduated in the top of his class with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. Dr. Dycus then attended Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for his veterinary degree. Following, he spent a year at Auburn University for a small animal rotating internship. Dr. Dycus then went back to Mississippi State for a 3 year combined surgical residency and Master’s degree.
Upon completion of his surgical residency Dr. Dycus obtained Diplomate status with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) in 2014 making him a Board-Certified Veterinary Surgeon. In 2015, he became a certified canine rehabilitation practitioner (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Dycus enjoys all aspects of orthopedics and sports medicine (non-operative orthopedics) and takes a patient specific approach. His areas of particular interest are in advanced and complex fracture repair, osteoarthritis, joint replacement, stifle (knee) stabilization, angular limb deformity correction, and 3D printing. He is trained in the use of minimally invasive procedures (arthroscopy and fluoroscopy) and attempts to utilize minimally invasive approaches where applicable. Dr. Dycus frequently sees patients with developmental orthopedic problems (elbow dysplasia, and osteochondritis dissecans) that are addressed with arthroscopy. Dr. Dycus is trained in multiple procedures for the treatment of patients with cranial cruciate ligament disease such as the tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), the CORA based leveling osteotomy (CBLO), Tightrope Procedure, and tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA). He has received his stem cell certification and when deemed appropriate Dr. Dycus will employ the usage of biologic therapies (PRP and various forms of stem cell therapy).
Aside from clinical medicine, Dr. Dycus is frequently asked to lecture locally, nationally, and internationally. He has given over 250 continuing education lectures and taught over 150 laboratories. He has published numerous research articles and authored or co-authored several book chapters. He is the co-editor of the textbook: Complications in Canine Cranial Cruciate Ligament Surgery. In 2023 Dr. Dycus received the Veterinary Hero’s Award in surgery by DVM360 and was named by DVM360.com as one of the 10 veterinarians to watch in 2018. Dr. Dycus is a frequent contributor for updates in orthopedics to several veterinary websites and magazines. Dr. Dycus has also been featured on Sirius XMs Doctor Radio’s segment on Pet Health and Orthopedics.
His passion for teaching has allowed Dr. Dycus to become a laboratory instructor for the CBLO, TPLO, extra-capsular stabilization, medial patella luxation, angular limb deformity, and fracture repair. He is on faculty for AO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen), and he is an orthopedic consultant for VIN (Veterinary Information Network).
Along with being a scientific reviewer for multiple journals, he serves on the editorial review board and is the associate editor (orthopedics) for Veterinary Surgery, the official publication of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons. He has previously held an appointment on the research committee for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Currently Dr. Dycus is on the Board of Trustees for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, is a council member for the Association for Veterinary Orthopedic Research and Education (AVORE) and is on the education committee for AO North America.
Along with being the founder and director of Fusion Veterinary Orthopedics, he is also the founder of Ortho Vet Consulting, an educational consulting and orthopedic coaching service.
Dr. Dycus currently resides in Anne Arundel County with his wife Brooke, daughter Kennedy, and their two dogs. Outside of working Dr. Dycus enjoys long distance running and cycling.
To learn more about Dr. Dycus please visit www.drdaviddycus.com or follow his Facebook and Instagram.
Dr. Rivas earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in 1996, followed by a postgraduate specialization in Small Animal Surgery and Medicine (ECMPA) in 2000. Early in his career, he balanced clinical practice with academia, serving as a faculty member in UCV’s postgraduate program in small animal surgery for more than six years.
In 2011, Dr. Rivas obtained ECFVG certification to practice veterinary medicine in the United States and completed a surgical internship at the Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital (MASH). Later he rejoined MASH in 2018 as part of the surgical and rehabilitation team, expanding his focus to include advanced therapeutic techniques.
To enhance patient outcomes, Dr. Rivas pursued certifications in rehabilitation and manual therapy. He became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner (CCRP) through the University of Tennessee in 2022 and earned certification as a Canine Manual Therapist (CCMT) from North Carolina State University in 2024. These qualifications complement his area of expertise and emphasize his dedication to enhancing the well-being of companion animals improving mobility, pain management, and recovery in dogs and cats.
