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Dr. Scott Fetherston grew up in Wisconsin, where an early love for the outdoors, wildlife, and animals shaped the course of his life and career. Before veterinary medicine, he studied forestry and wildlife biology and spent years immersed in wilderness pursuits and outdoor science education. Along the way, he worked as a fly-fishing instructor, environmental scientist and educator, built a log cabin by hand, and paddled more than 2,000 miles through the remote waterways of Canada by canoe—experiences that continue to influence his approach to both life and medicine.
Dr. Fetherston has dedicated his career to advanced orthopedic surgery, with a focus on minimally invasive techniques to improve diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and patient outcomes. He has extensive experience in TPLO, patella luxation surgery, angular limb deformity correction, fracture management, arthroscopy, arthrodesis and total hip replacement.
Education and mentorship remain central to Dr. Fetherston’s professional philosophy. He serves as an educator, medical device consultant, clinical researcher, instructor and lecturer both at home and internationally, helping veterinarians refine surgical skills and clinical decision-making. His passion for teaching stems from a deep commitment to service, a desire to share what was generously given to him throughout his career, and a belief that education and collaboration ultimately improve the lives of pets.
Mentorship has played a defining role in Dr. Fetherston’s development. Early in his training he was inspired and mentored by the late Dr. Ralph Lewis, a pioneering veterinary orthopedic surgeon who developed the first successful canine total hip replacement systems. Later, he pursued advanced orthopedic training under internationally renowned surgeon Dr. Massimo Petazzoni, ultimately moving to Italy to live, work, study, and operate alongside his mentor while further advancing his experience in complex orthopedic procedures and innovation within veterinary orthopedics.
Dr. Fetherston has authored clinical research in patella luxation surgery and presented original research in total hip replacement at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) Surgical Summit. He has active clinical research projects in TPLO planning, total hip replacement, and trochlear prosthesis surgery focused on practical, evidence-based improvements in orthopedic care.
For more than 15 years, Dr. Fetherston traveled the backroads of Northern California providing orthopedic surgery services in partnership with primary care veterinarians. It has been an immense privilege to care for pets and the people who love them while collaborating closely with community veterinarians. Through those years, he recognized the need for a local independent surgical referral center capable of providing more accessible advanced surgical care with a personal, collaborative approach.
With longtime friend and colleague Dr. Tim Helms, that shared vision ultimately became reality through the creation of RRVSS—Russian River Veterinary Surgical Service—a dedicated, independently and veterinarian-owned and led surgical referral center in Sonoma County serving Northern California.
Dr. Fetherston enjoys adventuring outdoors, traveling, volunteering, cycling, motorcycling, building and working with his hands, and spending time with family and pets. He is also the proud parent of two adult children, a role he considers the greatest adventure of his life."
Dr. Tim Helms grew up among the mountains and beaches of San Diego, where an early fascination with the natural world—and all of its diverse fauna—set him on the path toward veterinary medicine. He earned his B.S. in Animal Biotechnology from UC Davis in 2004, followed by his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010.
At 16 years of experience in small-animal practice, Dr. Helms has built a career centered on orthopedic and soft-tissue surgery. Fresh off of graduation from Davis, a move to the more rural community of Ukiah, CA proved pivotal, offering not only increased surgical exposure but also the mentorship and lifelong friendship of Dr. Scott Fetherston. After four years in Ukiah, Dr. Helms relocated to Santa Rosa and continued his career in Petaluma at Central Animal Hospital. He later partnered with Dr. Matthew Carter, and together they ran the practice for many years until its sale in 2022.
During that time, Dr. Helms and Dr. Fetherston began shaping a shared vision: to create a dedicated, independently owned veterinary surgical referral center in Santa Rosa. That vision ultimately became RRVSS—Russian River Veterinary Surgical Service. After more than three years of planning, designing, and building, their dream has proudly become a reality.
Dr. Helms resides in Santa Rosa with his wife, Jessica; their sons, Jackson and Ryder; and their daughter, Maeanna. Their home is joyfully filled with a lively crew of animals, including one dog (Mo), ten koi, six lizards, and three chickens.
When he’s not in the operating room—or traveling for advanced surgical continuing education or trying to not be late for kid pickups/running them all over town for all the things —you’ll find Dr. Helms embracing the outdoors. He enjoys hiking, fishing, trail running, mountain biking, racing on two wheels or two feet, coaching youth sports, taking on creative home-building projects, exploring new financial ventures, and above all, spending quality time with his family and friends—furry, scaly, and human alike.
