BluePearl Pet Hospital
Buffalo
Cheektowaga, NY
Our Vets

Throughout his career, Dr. Josh Berenson has completed specialized training that fostered a strong passion for emergency medicine. His professional interests include emergency procedures, surgery, lameness and orthopedic examinations.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, MedVet Cincinnati, OH
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Guardian Veterinary Specialists, Brewster, NY
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus, NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Rochester, NY
• Bachelor of Arts, Physics, University of Rochester, NY

A Buffalo-area native, Dr. Berenson enjoys spending time with his dog, canine agility, snowboarding and hiking.

Practicing since 2018, Dr. Danelle Capobianco enjoys the fast pace of emergency medicine and has a strong interest in the management of critical cases, emergency and soft tissue surgery and teaching in the clinical setting.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Capobianco enjoys traveling both for fun and volunteer work, having provided volunteer veterinary care mentored veterinary students in Nicaragua, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia and India. She has visited many other countries for adventure and even completed the trek to Everest Base Camp in 2023. At home you can find her hiking locally with her dog, hanging out with her cockatoo and always enjoying everything Buffalo has to offer.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Guelph, ON, Canada
• Master of Science, Clinical Studies, University of Guelph, ON, Canada
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

Dr. Kaitlyn Nikirk’s clinical interests include emergency medicine and exotic animal care. She is Fear Free certified in avian, dog and cat medicine. Passionate about animal welfare and client education, Dr. Nikirk serves on the Legislative and Animal Welfare Committee for the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV) and the Animal Welfare Committee for the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV). She currently chairs ARAV’s PR & Membership Committee.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Houghton University, NY

In her free time, Dr. Nikirk enjoys playing board games, making pottery, gardening and walking to Bidwell Farmers Market with her dogs, Winne the Pooch and Lola.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Dr. Sarah Poltis’ professional interests include emergency medicine, exotics and business management.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

During her time off, Dr. Poltis enjoys spending time camping, playing board games and photography. She has a dog named Dottie and two more that are shared with her family (Pickles and Jackson).

Dr. Carl Spielvogel has training in small animal, exotic and zoological medicine. His experience in emergency medicine, general practice and aquarium and zoo veterinary care has led to an enjoyment of managing complex medical cases with a thoughtful and practical approach.

• Residency, Avian & Exotic Medicine, Specialized Care for Avian & Exotic Pets, Clarence, NY
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, New England Animal Medical Center, West Bridgewater, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Spielvogel enjoys spending time with his family and exploring the outdoors through camping, fly fishing and hiking.

Dr. Ann-Marie Tierney finds great satisfaction in working in an emergency setting. Her professional interests include ophthalmology, anesthesia and pain management. She enjoys teaching and sharing medical knowledge with colleagues and clients alike.

• Clinical Rotation, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Physical Anthropology, University at Buffalo, NY

Dr. Tierney enjoys hiking with her wife and dogs – Grayson and Enzo. She is passionate about traveling to new places, seeing new animals, gardening all kinds (flowering plants, vegetables and herbs) and anything outdoors like snow shoeing, skiing, canoeing and white-water rafting.