BluePearl Pet Hospital
Clearwater, FL
Our Vets

Dr. Natali Almodovar Garcia is a resident in our surgery service. 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.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, VCA Palm Beach Veterinary Specialists, West Palm Beach, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Surgery Center of Sarasota, University Park, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez

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

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. Dominic Barra is a resident in our ophthalmology service. He finds treating diseases of the eyelids and cornea especially rewarding, with a particular interest in corrective eyelid surgeries. Dr. Barra values clear client communication as an essential part of effective treatment and prevention of common eye conditions in pets.

• Research Fellowship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment & Specialties, Walpole, MA
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland

In his free time, Dr. Barra enjoys staying active with long walks, hiking, bouldering and the occasional yoga session. His hobbies include woodcarving (primarily spoons and small animal figures), shell hunting, reading and playing cribbage. He shares his home with two cats, Nutmeg and Magpie, while his dogs, Moose and Chewbacca, live with his parents in Maine along with their five dogs.

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, TPLO procedure for ACL 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.

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.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl 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. Cacciatore also enjoys outdoor activities with her dog, Jack, like hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.

Dr. Katelyn Cadwallader is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include exotic animal medicine (especially reptiles), internal medicine and critical care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Cadwallader enjoys reading and finding new and fun ways to be active.

Dr. Denaé Campanale’s clinical interests include orthopedic and musculoskeletal disease, congenital and developmental abnormalities, emergency and trauma imaging, and exotic/zoo species.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Internship, Diagnostic Imaging, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Master of Public Health, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Arts, English Literature, German, University of Central Florida, Orlando

Dr. Campanale enjoys all outdoor activities (snowboarding, surfing, rollerblading), the beach, working out and watching movies with her husband. They have three dogs: Leia, Brody and Junebug, and two cats: Whiskey and Mimosa.

Dr. Kaitlyn Cassel is a resident in our surgery service. Her clinical interests include cardiothoracic and urinary tract procedures.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Pennsylvania State University, State College
• Bachelor of Science, Toxicology and Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Cassel enjoys staying active, music and reading.

Dr. Christine Cassen is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include ophthalmology, especially cataracts and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS).

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Associate of Science, International Relations at Seminole State College, Sanford, FL

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Cassen enjoys singing at church, running, reading and going to the gym. She has three cats (Mochi, Coral and Frosty), a Pacman frog (Humphrey) and a Chinese cave gecko (Fire).

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. Juli Chun is a small animal medicine & surgery intern particularly interested in oncology and internal medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Calif., Dr. Chun enjoys fitness, especially lifting weights and Lagree. She has two cats, Lily and Juniper, and a golden doodle, Cora. In her free time, she loves building Legos, finding cool cafes and going to the beach.

Dr. Ashley Cubb is a resident in our ophthalmology service. She is most interested in diagnosing and treating corneal disease through medical and surgical modalities.

• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Cubb enjoys spending time near the ocean, paddle boarding, baking and traveling. She has several pets, including a chihuahua name Louie, a dachshund named Olive, two guinea pigs and a hedgehog.

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 Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl 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. Emily Erdman is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include exotics, medical oncology and small animal medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville

In her free time, Dr. Erdman enjoys playing video and tabletop games, reading, all things Star Wars, and spending time with her boyfriend, their two cats (Rit and Gandalf), and ball python (Nagini).

Publications and articles

Prior to veterinary school, Dr. Mia Felix developed a passion for emergency and specialty medicine while working as a veterinary technician. Dr. Felix finds acute trauma and stabilization, cardiopulmonary emergencies, and endocrine disorders particularly gratifying to treat. She also has strong clinical interests in soft tissue surgery, diagnostic imaging and exotic animal medicine.

Dr. Felix is RECOVER certified in Basic and Advanced Life Support and Fear-free certified for small animals.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Albright College, Reading, PA

Dr. Felix loves spending time with family and friends by the beach, running, salsa dancing, and trying new restaurants. She has a dog named Levi Mason, a Havanese mix, and a bearded dragon named Leonardo.

Throughout her academic career, Dr. Felix has contributed to many different research studies and plans to continue research efforts in the future.

Publications and articles

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 Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Cardiology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Master of Arts, Literature, College of Charleston, SC
• Bachelor of Arts, English and Economics, Elon University, NC

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

Dr. Sarah Gronsky is most interested in raptor medicine and looking into the effects of Simbadol in rabbits.

• Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Exotic Companion Mammal Practice)
• Residency, Avian & Exotics, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Avian & Exotics, BluePearl 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. 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 Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, New York, NY
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, B BluePearl Pet Hospital, 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. Grace Johnston is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include exotic companion animal husbandry and zoological anesthesia.

• Clinical Rotation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

Publications and articles

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.

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 Pet Hospital, 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.

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.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Ophthalmology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl 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. 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 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. Morgan Murray is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include oncology, surgery and emergency medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington

Originally from Hillsborough, N.C., Dr. Murray has two cats, Alfie and Banks, and loves to spend her free time traveling, kayaking and reading.

Dr. Sarah Nguyentran is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include BOAS corrective surgeries, orthopedic repairs, wound management and heat stroke management.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Master of Public Health, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Nguyentran enjoys climbing, boxing, cooking and dancing. Her proudest moment was successfully dart-vaccinating a giraffe from a helicopter in South Africa. Also high on that list is placing second in her fifth-grade geography bee.

Dr. Alejandra Príncipe Martínez particularly enjoys treating gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Clinical Rotation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg
• 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 and enjoys the beach, scuba diving and snorkeling. She also likes to hike and play video games.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Master of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
• Bachelor of Science, Psychology & Biology, Florida State University, Tallahassee

Dr. Riley Shugg finds infectious diseases, toxicities and gastrointestinal diseases the most gratifying to treat.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Master of Science, Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Auburn University, Auburn, AL

Dr. Shugg enjoys biking, exploring local coffee shops and breweries, and reading. She has a dog named Karoo and two cats named Frodo and D’artagnan.

Dr. Mikaila Smith is a small animal medicine & surgery intern with a particular interest in soft tissue surgery, especially abdominal surgeries.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Crystal Van Horn is a small animal medicine & surgery intern most interested in microbiology, surgery and endocrinology.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Rebecca Wassmuth is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include emergency and critical care procedures, soft tissue surgery and anesthesia. She is also interested in exotic animal medicine, particularly aquatic animals. Dr. Wassmuth enjoys cases that require strong teamwork, effective communication and coordinated patient care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
• Master of Science, Epidemiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
• Bachelor of Science, University of Calgary, AB, Canada

Outside of the hospital, Dr. Wassmuth enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends, paddleboarding, kayaking and working towards her scuba diving certification. She and her partner plan to have several dogs and a small hobby farm with chickens and other animals.

Dr. Virginia Womack is a small animal medicine & surgery intern.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. Matthew’s University, West Bay, Cayman Islands

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville