Meet Our Dedicated Team

Susan Hodge, DVM, DACVS-SA

Veterinary Surgeon

Dr. Susan Hodge spent most of her childhood romping and tumbling amidst the snow and leaves in the Midwest. After several moves as a child, the family settled in Columbus, Ohio. She is a graduate of the Linworth Experiential Program in Worthington, Ohio, where she graduated as a Valedictorian. She left her home in Ohio to brave the cold in the Twin Cities of Minnesota due to a scholarship in gymnastics to pursue her undergraduate studies. During a successful collegiate athletic career, she completed a degree in Science in Agriculture with an Animal Science emphasis through the College of Agriculture at The University of Minnesota. Her passion for animals only grew during this education which drew her back to Columbus, Ohio to pursue a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University.

After completion of her DVM at Ohio State, she stayed in Columbus and worked as a general practitioner for 3 years. Realizing her passion for surgery, she left the comforts of home and spent time in Michigan and Indiana in pursuit of a surgical residency. Upon completion of her surgical residency at Michigan Veterinary Specialists in Detroit, Michigan, Dr. Hodge returned to Ohio and has spent the last 14 years in Cincinnati. Although it took a couple of years for her to find Greater Cincinnati Veterinary Specialists, she has been here for nearly 12 years.

Dr. Hodge has a knack for connecting well with her patients and clients. She strives to give both the pets and their owners the best possible experience. She feels that educating owners about their pet’s condition will provide them with the best means to care for them after surgery. Dr. Hodge feels that it is most rewarding to see just how much better our pets can live when they are not in pain and can return to as normal a life as possible. Although there has not been much time for outside activities, she enjoys reading, hiking, and watching movies with her husband.

Adel Benedek, DVM, Practice Limited to Surgery

Veterinary Surgeon

Dr. Adel Benedek is an experienced small-animal veterinarian with a strong background in surgery, emergency medicine, and critical care. She completed a rotating internship at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, followed by advanced small-animal surgical training at Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center and CARE Charlotte. After completing her surgical training, Dr. Benedek gained an additional year of hands-on surgical experience at a private veterinary practice in California, further developing her skills in orthopedic, neurologic, and soft-tissue procedures, as well as perioperative patient management and postoperative care.

Her surgical experience includes tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), medial patellar luxation correction, fracture repair, hemilaminectomy, hip procedures, femoral head and neck ostectomy, limb amputation, arthrodesis, and a wide range of soft-tissue surgeries. Her background in emergency and critical care has also given her extensive experience stabilizing critically ill and injured patients, managing complex cases, and supporting patients throughout the entire surgical process—from initial evaluation through recovery.

Dr. Benedek is committed to providing thoughtful, compassionate, and individualized care. She values clear communication with pet owners and believes every patient should be treated with the same dedication and attention she would want for her own animals.

Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Benedek enjoys traveling, scuba diving, sailing, dancing, staying active, and spending time with her family and dogs.

Kay Allyson-Deal, DVM, DACVIM

Veterinary Internist

Bio coming soon!

Alexis Torre, DVM

Emergency Veterinarian

Dr. Alexis Torre completed her undergraduate degree at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Oklahoma State University. Upon graduating from veterinary school, she returned to San Antonio and completed an equine internship at a referral hospital. She then followed the show horses to Florida and worked as an equine sports medicine veterinarian for many years before making the switch to small animal emergency medicine and joining the emergency department at a small animal specialty hospital in Southeast Florida. After several years developing her skills in a high level ER in Florida Dr. Torre was ready to relocate to better weather and scenery in beautiful Kentucky. She enjoys the complex medical cases that she sees in the ER, well as the pace, and most importantly helping animal companions and their families in their times of need.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time on her farm with her husband caring for their stallion, “Funkmaster Flex”, donkey, “Don King”, off the track gelding, “Bill I Am”, pigs: “Piggy Smalls,” Romeo, and “Ophelia”, dogs: “McLaren and Taxi,” and cat, “Gilbert”. Funkmaster Flex and Dr. Torre enjoy monthly visits to spend time with the children at Home of the Innocents in Louisville. Fun fact: Dr. Torre is one of 3 ER doctors in her family. Her father and brother are human ER physicians so you could say ER medicine runs in the family!

Megan Pagliughi

Practice Manager

Megan Pagliughi brings nearly 15 years of experience in veterinary medicine, with a well-rounded background in both large and small animal care. She began her career in Florida working in large animal medicine for a private veterinary practice, where she spent six years developing a strong clinical foundation and a deep appreciation for patient care.

Motivated to broaden her expertise, Megan returned to school to further her education in small animal medicine. She later transitioned into a small animal practice, where her natural leadership and operational strengths led to her promotion into a Practice Manager role. Over the past nine years, she has successfully overseen multiple hospital locations, building high-performing teams, improving operational efficiency, and maintaining a strong focus on quality patient care and client experience.

In 2025, Megan relocated from Florida to Kentucky to continue her professional growth and pursue new opportunities within specialty and emergency veterinary medicine. She is passionate about advancing hospital operations, supporting veterinary teams, and delivering exceptional care in fast-paced, high-acuity environments.

Outside of the hospital, Megan enjoys spending time with her daughter, often exploring local nature parks together. She is also deeply passionate about animal rescue and is dedicated to helping place animals into safe, loving, furever homes.