Randy Acker, DVM: Medical Director

Dr. Randy Acker

Dr. Randy Acker, moved to Sun Valley, Idaho and became the owner of the Sun Valley Animal Center after graduating from Colorado State University in 1979.  Dr. Randy Acker’s focus has been in dog surgery with a particular emphasis on orthopedics. By attending multiple orthopedic courses over the years, Dr. Randy Acker has obtained the skills to achieve excellence in orthopedic surgeries. Courses attended by Dr. Randy Acker include cruciate ligament repair (TPLO, TTA, and others), Total Hip Replacement (BioMedtrix THR, Kyon THR, Micro and Nano Hip Systems), bone plating, arthroscopy, external fixation, and many others.

In the early 1990′s, Dr. Randy Acker began doing the Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) after learning the surgical technique from Dr. Barclay Slocum, who developed the TPLO. In 2013, Dr. Randy Acker taught the TPLO course for Synthes at the Veterinary Orthopedic Society meeting in Park City, UT. Dr. Randy Acker has been an instructor eight times at the Kyon Total Hip Replacement course.  The Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) program of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) certified Dr. Randy Acker as an instructor for Total Hip Replacement (THR) courses.

Dr. Randy Acker’s special interest in orthopedics has led him to multiple orthopedic patents, invitations to lecture worldwide, and the development of the TATE Elbow, as well as an ankle replacement system.  Dr. Randy Acker has taught numerous TATE Elbow courses.  The TATE Elbow was developed and named after the Acker Family’s yellow lab, Tate, who suffered from severe elbow arthritis.

Dr. Randy Acker lives in the valley with his wife, Susan and their dogs and cats.  Dr. Randy Acker mentors and shares his skills and veterinary interests with his daughters, Dr. Amber Acker-Sanborn and Dr. Maggie Acker-Buck who are working with him at Sun Valley Animal Center.  His son, Marcus Acker lives in Alaska.  

Dr. Randy Acker, Veterinarian, Owner, and Medical Director at Sun Valley Animal Center, has many long-term employees, including two of his brothers and both of his daughters who are all veterinarians making the practice a family business.  The Sun Valley Animal Center team aims to treat their patients as if they were their own pets.