BluePearl Pet Hospital
Clearwater, FL
Our Vets

Dr. Adriana Alfonso Castro is a small animal medicine & surgery intern.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Technology, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan

Dr. Natali Almodovar is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She enjoys working with orthopedic cases (cranial cruciate disease, patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, and fractures) and any systemic disease that could lead to musculoskeletal diseases.

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

Dr. Almodovar was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Her hobbies consist of going on adventures, road trips, and going to the beach with friends.

Dr. Cristina Aponte is an internal medicine resident. She finds gastrointestinal and renal conditions the most gratifying to treat.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan

Dr. Aponte enjoys yoga and wine tasting. She has two perfect Yorkies, Lana and Mateo.

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.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Entrepreneurship, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Dr. Valeria Benitez-Vera is an intern in our ophthalmology service. Dr. Benitez-Vera is particularly interested in the formation and characterization of cataracts and finds cataract surgery highly rewarding. She also has a growing interest in surgical modalities for the treatment of glaucoma in canine and feline patients.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston, MA
• Clinical Rotation, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

In her downtime, Dr. Benitez-Vera enjoys being outdoors (especially on the beach or along trails) with her dogs, Pippa and Henna. Food is her second passion (ophthalmology is her first!) and she plans most of her weekends around restaurant visits to discover hidden foodie gems. To make up for all the food and sweets, she enjoys exercising and playing tennis.

Dr. Jaclyn Bertorelli is a small animal medicine & surgery intern who has always had a passion for surgery; mostly orthopedics, but also soft tissue procedures. She is interested in treating lameness, postoperative recovery, and rehabilitation.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ
• Bachelor of Business Administration, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
• Bachelor of Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Dr. Bertorelli enjoys hiking with her fiancé and three dogs (Kali, Kona, and Bud). She also enjoys baking desserts and going bowling in her free time.

Dr. Anthony Blanco is a resident in our internal medicine service.

• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + 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. Alyxandra Brady is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She finds critical care cases the most gratifying to treat.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Marine Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa

Dr. Brady has a dog named Totem and a cat named Edgar.

A dedicated emergency clinician, Dr. Casey Braginton’s interests include urethral obstruction, diabetic ketoacidosis and toxicities. He has also worked with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA SouthPaws, Fairfax VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg VA

When not working, Dr. Braginton enjoys reading, visiting breweries and board games. He has two cats, Frodo and Dart, and a pit bull mix named Roo.

Dr. Kylee Bush is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She is most interested in soft tissue cases, specifically lacerations, foreign body, gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), orthopedics, specifically fracture stabilization, and cardiology. Dr. Bush is certified in basic and advanced life support through the Recover initiative.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Master of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Bush enjoys running to help de-stress after a long day or catching up on the latest documentary series on Netflix with her couch potato dog, Murphy.

Dr. Melissa Chow is an intern in our ophthalmology service.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, East Bay Veterinary Specialists & Emergency, Walnut Creek, CA
• Clinical Rotation, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz

Dr. Chow’s family includes one dog and two cats.

Dr. Trysta Dionne’s clinical interests include endocrine disorders, renal disease and gastrointestinal diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + 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. Dionne enjoys working out and going to the beach. She has a dog named Benson.

Dr. Dugger enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Masters of Science, University of New Hampshire, Durham
• Bachelor of Arts, Graceland University, Lamoni IA

Dr. Dugger’s hobbies include spending time with her pugs, sailing and photography.

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. Sarah Gronsky is a resident in our avian & exotics service. She is most interested in raptor medicine and looking into the effects of Simbadol in rabbits.

• Internship, Avian & Exotics, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• 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 outdoors with her dog, Goose, and reading a good book on the beach.

Publications & Articles

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.

Dr. Kristin Habegger has a background in working with wildlife and in zoological institutions and enjoys bringing her knowledge of exotic animal medicine into clinical practice. She finds triaging and managing trauma and metabolic derangement cases the most interesting to address.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Kristin Habegger lives with her boyfriend and their two Australian shepherds, Khali and Arya. They all enjoy spending time outdoors together or staying in and watching movies.

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.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, Auburn University, AL

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, NY
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, New York, NY
• 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. 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. Kelly Kezer’s clinical interests include lymphoma, osteosarcoma and histiocytic sarcoma, and she is excited about new treatment options, to include targeted and combination therapy and immunotherapy.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Medical Oncology, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa, FL
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
• Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Haverford College, PA

Dr. Kezer enjoys traveling, cooking and hiking with her dogs – a golden retriever named Charlie and Eddie, a Labrador.

• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Findlay, OH

Dr. King enjoys exploring each new city she calls home with her two pups, Harley and Autumn.

Dr. Cristina King is an intern in our ophthalmology service. She is particularly interested in how systemic diseases may manifest through the eye. She finds treatment and management of chronic ocular diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts, particularly gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Licentiate of Arts, Advertising Design, Universidad Veritas, San José, Costa Rica

Dr. King enjoys outdoor activities with her husband and playing the piano. She has two cats, Orchid and Lily Pad, and many freshwater fish.

Dr. Kyle Kline is resident in our ophthalmology service. She is particularly interested in the diagnosis and treatment of corneal and retinal diseases.

• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Molecular Environmental Biology, University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Kline is an avid runner and enjoys spending time near the ocean, kayaking, reading and live music. She has one cat named Summer.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Taylor Lashlee is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Lashlee is interested in working with a wide range of cases to be the best doctor she can be, especially working with exotic animals.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Dr. Lashlee enjoys hiking, lake and beach days, movie and game nights, and spending time with her family, friends, and fuzz babies.

Dr. Stephanie Lo is a resident in our ophthalmology service. She is most interested in corneal diseases, especially treating corneal ulcers with medical or surgical therapy.

• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Lo enjoys visiting the beach, going to concerts, traveling, rock climbing, playing tennis, taking her dog to the park and cuddling her cat.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Wilmer Lopez is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. He is particularly interested in the management of endocrine, renal, and other metabolic diseases.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Dr. Lopez enjoys going to the beach and listening to music.

Dr. Alexandria LoPrinzi is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She finds trauma cases and autoimmune diseases, such as immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) and diabetes presenting as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), the most gratifying to treat.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Asbury University, Wilmore, KY

Dr. LoPrinzi enjoys hiking, kayaking, playing sports, especially tennis, board games and watching movies. She is quite fond of her three family dogs, all of which are English setters.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Rachel Lucas is most interested in exotic and wildlife emergencies and gastrointestinal diseases.

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

Dr. Lucas enjoys spending time with her husband and their foster-failure feline, Aslan, and serving their church and the Tampa Bay community.

Dr. Kevin Lura finds blocked felines, toxin ingestion and all emergencies particularly gratifying to treat.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa

Dr. Lura is an avid scuba diver and visits the pistol or rifle range about once a month. In addition to his cat, he has several reef tanks and beehives.

Dr. Cassandra Mancari is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She finds helping animals in respiratory distress, treating feline urinary obstructions and repairing lacerations particularly gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC

Dr. Mancari and her fiancé have two cats who they enjoy spoiling to no end. She enjoys being outside (hiking, walking and beach trips), working out (Pilates and Yoga) and lazy mornings playing video games with her cats.

Dr. Krista May finds wound repair and management, cytology and treatment of cardiac diseases the most gratifying to perform. She prides herself on her compassion for her patients and empathy for their owners.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Berry College, Mount Berry, GA

Dr. May enjoys reading, scuba diving, playing video games and spending time with her Labradors, Marley and Gracie.

Dr. Cristina Metral is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Metral enjoys treating exotic animals, particularly metal toxicity in birds.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Metral enjoys going to zoos, aquariums, and beaches. She is a huge foodie and loves trying different types of restaurants and breweries. After work, she likes to wind down by watching Netflix with her cat, Zazu.

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.

An experienced clinician, Dr. Thao Nguyen finds emergency medicine especially gratifying. Her particular areas of interest are toxicology, wound care and treating trauma cases.

• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

In her free time, Dr. Nguyen enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors and rock climbing. She has two dogs: Rua (her “Irish souvenir” from living in Dublin) and Archie (a mutt who is half-amazing and half-terrific).

Dr. Nicholas Olson is a resident in our surgical service. He is most interested in fracture repair, minimally invasive techniques, such as arthroscopy and laparoscopy, and cranial cruciate ligament disease.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, 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 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 two children. Their furry family members include two cats, two dogs and a horse.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Elena Pfisterer is a resident in our surgery service. Dr. Pfisterer’s professional interests include complex fracture repair, angular limb deformities, total hip replacements, and thoracic surgery.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Carolina Veterinary Specialists, Charlotte, NC
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Nashville Veterinary Specialists, TN
• Clinical Rotation, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies

Dr. Pfisterer has a fiancé who is also a veterinarian, and two cats at the head of the household: Fetty and Savannah.

Dr. Lindsey Ramirez is an intern in our surgery service. She has a passion for zoological medicine and scientific research, and she has contributed to the field of veterinary education by assisting in the development and construction of veterinary teaching models utilized at her university.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
• Master of Science, Marine Biology, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, Texas State University, San Marcos

Dr. Ramirez enjoys outdoor jeep adventures, gardening, crafty DIY projects and spending time with her partner, their Weimaraner named Emmett and two cats, Moose and Ducky.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Jessica Rhodes is most interested in endocrinology and emergency medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, England
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology and Biomedical Sciences, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
• Associate of Arts, Fulton Montgomery Community College, Johnstown, NY

Dr. Rhodes shares her home with reef tanks, dart frogs, and a ball python. In her free time, she enjoys diving.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Chani Rue is a small animal medicine & surgery intern with a special interest in exotic animal medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

Dr. Rue enjoys beach days and has a cat named Ravyn.

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. Nicole Tomasso’s special interests include foreign body removal as well as treating diabetic ketoacidosis (especially in cats), soft tissue injuries and fractures.

• Clinical Rotation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

Dr. Tomasso enjoys walking outside on trails, playing tennis, eating sushi and visiting her family for Sunday dinners. She has two cats: one named Manny, who was adopted in St. Kitts during her time at veterinary school, and one named Dominik, who was adopted in Indiana during her clinical rotation.

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.

• Clinical Rotation, Oregon State University, Corvallis
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Florida State University, Tallahassee

Dr. Clarence Williams is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Technology, Mercy College, NY

Dr. Jessica Williams is an intern in our surgery service. She is most interested in total hip replacements, soft tissue procedures and orthopedic surgeries, especially complex fracture repairs that require some extra imagination or patience. It is rewarding to her to see all the “pieces of the puzzle” come together.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Auburn University, AL

Dr. Williams enjoys painting and relaxing with friends and family. She has a mini-Australian shepherd named Rue.