BluePearl Pet Hospital
Clearwater, FL

Dr. Barbara Avalos Cavero is particularly interested in treating gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, endocrine disorders, toxicities and feline urinary tract diseases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Virginia Beach VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan

In her spare time, Dr. Avalos Cavero enjoys exercising at the gym, salsa dancing, painting and traveling. She loves to spoil her dog, Koko Puff.

Dr. Terri Baldwin finds restoring vision through cataract removal surgery particularly rewarding. She also enjoys repairing eye injuries to save an eye, and diagnosing systemic disease by evaluating the eyes and helping to save an animal’s life.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Master of Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Residency, Comparative Ophthalmology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Dr. Baldwin and her husband have two children, one of whom has autism, so she stays active as an autism advocate. She enjoys playing in the hand bell choir at her church, swimming, needlepoint and playing Sudoku. The family has four dogs and five cats.

Dr. Tony Blanco joined BluePearl to extend his formal training in veterinary medicine through a one-year specialty internship.

• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Blanco spends time outside kayaking, cycling and playing tennis. He also enjoys horror shows or movies, cooking, and listening to music. Leia is his miniature Australian Shepherd who befriends everyone and gets all the attention.

Dr. Helga Bleyaert has extensive experience and specialized training in minimally invasive surgical procedures such as arthroscopy and laparoscopy. She also has completed specialized training in total hip replacement, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy procedure for anterior cruciate ligament tears, as well as numerous other orthopedic and soft tissue procedures.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Marion DuPont Equine Center, Leesburg VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Dr. Bleyaert enjoys horseback riding, boating and woodworking in her garage.

Dr. Maxie Bowen is a resident in our critical care service. Her particular interests include neonatal and pediatric medicine, wound management and trauma.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Arts, International Affairs, University of Georgia, Athens

Some of Dr. Bowen’s favorite pastimes include running, baking and crafting. She has four dogs and three cats.

Dr. Amanda Burke is a small animal medicine and surgery intern. Prior to vet school, she was a zookeeper and worked with many different species to include giraffes, ostriches, zebras, gazelles and red river hogs.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

Dr. Burke and her girlfriend keep a miniature zoo at home including dogs, cats, fish, snakes and a crested gecko.

Dr. Rebecca Cassidy brings her talents to our emergency medicine service. Her interests include avian and exotics, neurology and endocrine disorders.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg FL

Dr. Cassidy enjoys painting and drawing. She has three dogs, a leopard gecko and a snake.

Dr. Dana Clark is an emergency clinician. Her interests include zoo, exotic, and wildlife species and nutritional management.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Clark and her husband share their home with a pit bull, five cats, a rabbit and a turtle. In her free time, Dr. Clark enjoys opportunities to observe wildlife and spend time outdoors.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George's University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Dr. Nicole Corrao is passionate about emergency medicine because every day is different. She enjoys treating anaphylaxis, feline lower urinary tract disease and dystocia cases.

• Clinical Rotation, Royal Veterinary College, London, England
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, California State University, Chico

Dr. Corrao enjoys spending time with her husband Luke, bipedal dog Benjamen and three cats Peaches, Winston and Myrtle. She loves being by the water and enjoying a relaxing sunset on the beach.

Dr. Trysta Dionne is a resident in our internal medicine service. Her clinical interests include endocrine disorders, renal disease and gastrointestinal diseases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Dionne enjoys working out and going to the beach. She has a dog named Benson.

Dr. Maura Faller is passionate about extending the lives of pets with cancer while maintaining their quality of their lives. She enjoys treating lymphoproliferative disorders and has an interest in multimodal therapy and novel therapeutic approaches like immunotherapy.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Veterinary Medical Oncology, MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets, Cincinnati OH
• Internship, Veterinary Oncology, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Science, Anthropology-Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Dr. Faller loves traveling with her husband. She also enjoys hiking, college football (especially Michigan) and watching the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals. Klu is the family cat, and Finn is their mixed breed dog.

Dr. Merrick Fultz is particularly interested in treating active congestive heart failure. Prior to veterinary medicine, he worked in the comparative medicine department at Johns Hopkins University.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
• Residency, Cardiology, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Cardiology, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Master of Arts, Literature, College of Charleston, Charleston SC
• Bachelor of Arts, English and Economics, Elon University, Elon NC

Dr. Fultz enjoys golf, tennis, assorted outdoor activities and any kind of international sporting event. He has two dogs.

Dr. Gronsky is most satisfied when she has helped to complete a successful surgery.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Arts , Animal Behavior, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA

Dr. Gronsky enjoys spending time with her rescued dog, August. She also likes to try new foods, go to the gym and watch football – in particular, the Steelers.

Dr. Chelsea Gyure enjoys the variety of cases, challenges, and fast-paced, organized chaos that is emergency veterinary medicine. She finds neurologic and toxicity cases to be particularly gratifying.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame IN

Dr. Gyure enjoys all types of outdoor exercise, traveling, singing in the shower, coloring, Netflix, cleaning, shopping and all things Disney. Her Dutch mix rabbit Beatrix is named after Beatrix Potter.

As a veterinary critical care specialist and a cardiology resident, Dr. Bradley Harris is particularly interested in congestive heart failure, pericardial effusion, respiratory disorders, sepsis and coagulation disorders. He has pioneered pilot studies using a novel bedside viscoelastic coagulation monitors to better assess patients’ coagulation statuses in real time.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
• Residency, Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Tulsa, OK

Outside of work, Dr. Harris enjoys spending time with his young child. He likes to participate in outdoor activities like running, hiking, hunting and coaching youth cross country and track. He also watches baseball and cheers on the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dr. Peter Helmer came to BluePearl with almost 20 years of experience in both small animal and avian and exotics medicine. He lectures at national conferences on topics such as avian orthopedics, radiology and physical exam. His special interests include senior pet care, especially long-lived birds, orthopedics, surgery and treatment of rabbit and rodent dental disease. Dr. Helmer treats birds of all types, including backyard poultry; non-venomous reptiles; amphibians; and small non-domestic mammals such as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, hamsters and rats.

• Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Avian Practice)
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Ontario

Dr. Helmer’s home is filled with the kind of a menagerie of animals you might expect from an avian specialist: there is mixed breed dog Red, Shih Tzu Fergie, and cat Boots, plus a Derbyan parakeet named Big Bird and a yellow-naped Amazon parrot, Sonny, who is almost as old as Dr. Helmer is. His favorite pastimes include kayaking, fishing, growing orchids, cooking and enjoying fine wine.

Dr. Henriquez has a special interest in wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and release. She enjoys working with diagnostic imaging – particularly with exotics.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Marine Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville

When Dr. Henriquez isn’t at the pet hospital, you can find her enjoying the salty air while kayaking or snorkeling. She is an avid nature lover and enjoys serving animals and their owners on short term trips with Christian Veterinary Mission.

Dr. Kelsey Human knew from the start of her veterinary career that she wanted to be a surgeon and finds it particularly gratifying. She has a strong interest in orthopedic and soft tissue procedures, postoperative pain management and physical rehabilitation.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, New York City
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, New York City
• Clinical Rotation, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St Matthews University, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Human enjoys activities with her husband, especially training at the gym, rollerblading, watching documentaries and movies. Her relaxation time includes gardening and sewing. The family has two Bengal cats, Bonsai and Koi, and a wonderful tripod cat named Bento.

Dr. Eleanor Itzkow has a background in wildlife rehabilitation and is quite interested in avian and exotic medicine. She particularly enjoys treating gastrointestinal and dermatological conditions, as it can bring so much relief to both the owner and the pet.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Itzkow currently shares her life with a very sweet and aged Amazon Parrot, a very fluffy and ridiculous Belgian sheepdog, and one very patient fiancé.

Dr. Megan Johnson's particular clinical interests include feline medicine, urethral obstructions, renal failure, trauma and shock.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia PA

A diehard sports fan, Dr. Johnson’s favorite teams are the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Mets. Favorite activities include biking, running and working out on her elliptical. She and her husband have three cats: grumpy Siamese mix Caleb and two naughty orange kitties, William Alexander and JT.

Dr. Curtis Kane enjoys all aspects of oncology.

• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn AL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Boston MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Kane enjoys spending time with his family, which includes four dogs. He is also a soccer fanatic.

Prior to emergency medicine, Dr. Kevin Kelley worked in private practice and as a zoo veterinarian, completing externships in zoos in Australia and Chicago. He is particularly fond of emergency surgery and complex internal medicine cases.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Kelley loves traveling with his three children to national parks, colonial Williamsburg, Disney and the beach. He enjoys swimming, reading, weight training and karate.

Dr. Michelle Kenig is a dedicated clinician and is especially interested in surgery and emergency & critical care.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Clinical Rotation, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies

Dr. Kenig likes the outdoors, especially hiking or going to the beach. Other favorite pastimes include cooking, exploring new cities and cheering on the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team.

Dr. Lacqua loves every facet of the veterinary field, but he is particularly interested in the science of surgery. His interest in the well-being of animals earned him the Merck Animal Health Student Innovation Award for his creating of a nonprofit organization, Animal Awareness Abroad.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Boston University, MA

Dr. Lacqua is an avid rock climber who also enjoys writing and blogging. As Founder and President of Animal Awareness Abroad, he spends his free time growing the nonprofit organization which is committed to promoting human, animal and environmental interconnectedness and providing veterinary care to underserved communities worldwide.

Dr. Danielle Lang is an emergency clinician. In addition to small animals, she is interested in zoo and exotic animals. Her clinical interests include internal medicine, emergency care and integrative medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Arts, Spanish, University of Florida, Gainesville

In her free time, Dr. Lang enjoys being hiking, biking, traveling, and painting.

Dr. Melinda Larson is especially interested in endocrine diseases, as well as abdominal ultrasonography and endoscopic procedures such as gastroduodenoscopy, cystoscopy and rhinoscopy.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Internal Medicine, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Dr. Larson enjoys running, reading or spending time with her Labrador retriever and two cats. She also enjoys traveling to Arkansas to visit her family.

Dr. Sylvia Lee sees surgeons as “fixers,” and the types of surgical cases she especially likes to “fix” include advanced orthopedics, oncology and regenerative medicine for chronic osteoarthritis. She also finds minimally invasive surgery gratifying.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Surgery, Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Physiology and Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego

Dr. Lee's favorite pastimes include trail running and cooking (but not baking). She has two animal companions, boxer mix Bailey and cat Slinky.

Dr. Lo is interested in treating and managing diseases of the cornea. In addition to ophthalmology, she is also fascinated by the science of surgery and is drawn to helping pets with pain management.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park

When she’s not at the pet hospital, Dr. Lo likes to visit the beach, snowboard, play tennis or go to concerts. She likes to travel and enjoys exploring new places.

Dr. Rachel Lucia loves building relationships with clients and considers them team players in the effort of determining the best outcome of their pets’ lives. She loves the wide variety of cases she manages as an emergency clinician.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Ocean State Veterinary Specialists, East Greenwich RI
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

In her spare time, Dr. Rachel Lucia loves reading, kayaking, hiking, visiting the beach, playing board games, and spending time with family. She has two dogs and a cat, Kapu, who enjoys hogging the couch space, asking for food after he has already been fed, purring, bossing around the dogs, and playing with catnip.

Fond of all aspects of emergency medicine, Dr. Melanie Madsen is particularly interested in clinical pharmacology.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Hospitals, Tampa FL
• Clinical Rotation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, University of Tampa, FL

Dr. Madsen enjoys meditation and watching documentaries. She has a Great Pyrenees named Bear and a Maine coon cat named Waylan.

Dr. Kristy Meadows has over 10 publications including topics of effects of various weather conditions as a potential ischemic stroke trigger in dogs and experimental models of focal and multifocal cerebral ischemia. Due to her research background, Dr. Meadows gives a unique perspective regarding the scientific basis behind certain procedures and therapies used in clinical veterinary medicine. She enjoys treating neurologic emergencies and endocrine diseases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience, Tufts University, Medford, MA
• Master of Science, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Medford, MA
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Meadows has three pets, two very elderly cats, Chop Suey who is 20 years old and Squash who is 18 years old, and a very grumpy 14-year-old Chihuahua named Mr. Oogie Boogie Man. Outside of work, she enjoys kickboxing, reading and watching old movies.

Dr. Mears has been with BluePearl, and its predecessor, Florida Veterinary Specialists, since 1997.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL
• Bachelor of Science, Stanford University, Stanford CA

Erick enjoys spending time with his family and Bosco, the family cat.

Dr. Cathleen Meeks loves being a diagnostician and considers working up cases, diagnosing chronic conditions and giving patients relief very rewarding. Her special interests include immune-mediated diseases and liver diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Internal Medicine, Florida Veterinary Specialists, Tampa
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Florida Veterinary Specialists, Tampa
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Master of Science, Forensic Toxicology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr Meeks enjoys swimming, running and water activities. She has two rescue dogs, a Doberman named Lainey and a Jack Russell terrier named Scrappy.

Dr. Rachel Melvin is a surgical intern. She enjoys zoo and exotics medicine, surgery, and treating wounds and abscesses.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Dr. Melvin taught herself to crochet, braid paracord and sew surgery caps. She has two cats, Smudge and Ouija.

Fond of both orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, Dr. Brianna Miniter particularly enjoys minimally invasive procedures, like arthroscopy, procedures within a joint, and laparoscopy, procedures within the abdomen. Her research has involved computed tomography (CT) diagnosis of gastrointestinal obstructions in dogs and cats, and infections in dogs and cats from embedded Cuterebra, or fly larva.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center (BluePearl), Philadelphia PA
• Internship, Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, 404 Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital, Ontario, Canada
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Science, California State University, Fresno

An outdoor enthusiast, Dr. Miniter likes water sports, hiking, snowboarding, horseback riding and sporting events. Other interests include live music, cooking, traveling, and her pets.

Dr. Laison Nguyen is a resident in our ophthalmology service.

• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos

A fan of the outdoors, Dr. Nguyen can often be found playing soccer or ultimate Frisbee. He has a German shepherd named Junior.

Dr. Nicholas Olson is a specialty intern with our surgery department. He is especially interested in fracture repair, arthroscopy, and cranial cruciate ligament disease.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Sport Management, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Olson enjoys camping and cheering on the Florida Gators with his wife and son. Their furry family members include two cats, two dogs and a horse.

Experienced in all aspects of emergency and critical care medicine, Dr. Medora Pashmakova's particular interests include the emergent stabilization of shock and electrolyte disturbances; the critical care aspects of managing pets with sepsis, acute organ failure, endocrine disorders and environmental emergencies; and pediatrics, especially parvoviral enteritis. She also has advanced training in minimally invasive urinary interventions for pets with urethral and ureteral obstructions.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Environmental Biology, Columbia College, New York City

Dr. Pashmakova has volunteered as a criticalist for the Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska and is looking forward to more sled dog volunteer work in the future. She enjoys spending time outdoors and has two scruffy black dogs, Willard and Matilda.

Dr. Paskoff is drawn to the science of surgery. She also finds it rewarding to help pets heal from their wounds with proper cleaning and bandage changes.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Pet Specialists of Monterey, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Mission Vet Specialty & Emergency, San Antonio TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Advanced Veterinary Care, Fishers IN
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

When Dr. Paskoff isn’t at the hospital, you can find her reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and their dog, Finnegan.

Dr. Mallika Prabhakar is a resident with our internal medicine service. She particularly enjoys the management of gastrointestinal (GI) disease.

• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham

Dr. Prabhakar has a kitten named Chikki, who loves playing, cuddling and eating treats.

Dr. Alejandra Príncipe Martínez is a resident in our internal medicine service. She particularly enjoys treating gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders.

• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Clinical Rotation, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Dr. Príncipe Martínez considers the water her happy place, enjoying the beach, scuba diving and snorkeling. She also likes to hike and play video games. Carmelo is her island cat from Grenada.

Dr. Michael Reems has particular interest in both surgical oncology, including cancer removal and reconstruction, and minimally invasive surgery arthroscopy, laparoscopy, and thoracoscopy. He has performed urinary bladder stone, lung lobe tumor, adrenal gland/mass, cryptorchid retained testicle, and gall bladder removals minimally invasively, in addition to prophylactic gastropexy fixation of stomach for prevention of gastric-dilatation volvulus and laparoscopic liver biopsy. He has also completed specialized training in circular external skeletal fixation fracture repair, and tibial tuberosity advancement TTA and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy TPLO procedures for anterior cruciate ligament tears.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Master of Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Internship, Surgery, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Davidson College, North Carolina

Dr. Reems volunteers examinations and surgical treatments for service dogs. He enjoys spending time with his wife, a criticalist at BluePearl, cat Fat Bobby, and dogs, Emma and Maggie. His favorite pastimes include saltwater fishing, mountain biking, and fly fishing.

Dr. Sherrie Satmary is an emergency & critical care resident.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Passionate about going to the gym, Dr. Satmary also likes outdoor activities with her dog Jack, like hiking, fishing and horseback riding.

Dr. Simone Schechtmann is a resident in our ophthalmology service. She particularly enjoys treating diseases of the eyelids, cornea and sclera, which is the white part of the eye.

• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa Bay FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa Bay FL
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Arts, International Studies, Boston College, MA

Dr. Schechtmann loves playing tennis, barre method classes, current events, watching films and going to music events. She has a dog named Jameson.

Dr. Kali Sherman enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine, especially treating toxicology cases and wound management.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Clinical Rotation, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal-Dairy-Poultry Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

Away from the hospital, Dr. Sherman’s favorite pastimes include photography and time with her beagle.

Dr. Heather Siemon is a resident in our surgery service. Her clinical interests include total hip arthroplasty, fracture repair and neurosurgery.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, San Antonio TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Animal Specialty Group, Los Angeles CA
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
• Bachelor of Arts, University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Siemon and her husband have a dachshund named Nico and a dachshund mix, Lulu. Her favorite pastimes include traveling, cooking and photography.

Dr. Brittany Sinclair's particular clinical interests include blood disorders, diabetic ketoacidosis, toxicities, trauma and postoperative management. Additionally, her research interests include blood-related topics, especially blood storage lesions, transfusion medicine and anemia in critical illness.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Bachelor of Science, University of California, San Diego

Dr. Sinclair likes to spend time with her fluffy black kitty, hiking, swimming and exploring the warm Florida beaches.

Dr. Jessica Stine has a special interest in microsurgery of the eye including endolaser for glaucoma treatment. She is especially fond of blepharoplastic procedures to correct problems with the eyelid and vision sparing procedures, such as corneal grafting and cataract surgery. One of the most rewarding parts of her job is returning vision to a pet with cataracts.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Red Bank NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee

Dr. Stine happily volunteers her expertise with the Florida Aquarium, the SPCA Tampa Bay, The Narrows Raptor Center at George C. McGough Nature Park, and several other rescue organizations. She loves gardening, running, and paddle boarding with her husband. She has a one-eyed calico cat, Winks.

Dr. Stromberg has a passion for all aspects of veterinary medicine but particularly for neurology, emergency medicine and internal medicine. He’s drawn to the science of diagnosing and treating brain and spinal disorders. He also likes the challenge of the emergency room.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

When he’s not in the hospital, Dr. Stromberg loves to spend time with his niece and nephew. He also likes going to musicals and classic rock concerts.

Dr. Steven Tutela enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ

Dr. Tutela enjoys lifting weights and the endless outdoor activities found in Florida, although he admits to missing family and friends back in New Jersey.

Dr. Danielle Wyatt is an experienced clinician with special interests in intradermal testing, deep ear flush, CO2 lasers and treating underlying allergies.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Dermatology
• Residency, Dermatology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Clinical Rotation, Auburn University, AL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Georgia, Athens

When not working, Dr. Wyatt enjoys spending time with her golden retriever and kitten. She also likes riding her bike, paddle boarding and watching Netflix.

Eager to work in a fast-paced emergency room environment, Dr. Maxwell Yim’s clinical interests include trauma and toxicity cases.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Dr. Yim enjoys hiking, reading, watching sci-fi movies, playing video games, and visiting breweries during his travels. He has a rescued chocolate Labrador retriever.

Karen enjoys interventional procedures to correct defects that cause congenital heart diseases. She also enjoys helping patients with acquired heart disease live longer and more comfortably. Her family includes a pug, Chihuahua and four cats, and she loves traveling and watching her son play baseball.