BluePearl Pet Hospital
Philadelphia, PA
Our Vets

Brittany Betancourt likes the challenge of emergency and critical care medicine and particularly enjoys internal medicine, toxicity and gastrointestinal surgery cases, as well as caring for critical postoperative patients. Her favorite pastimes include Crossfit, reading and shopping. Polly and Barney are her two pit bulls.

Dr. Ana Cáceres has a special interest in computed tomography (CT); angiography, which is a procedure to X-ray blood and lymph vessels using a radiopaque substance; ultrasonography of the thorax, abdomen and musculoskeletal system; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine, thorax, abdomen, nervous and musculoskeletal systems.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL

Dr. Cáceres likes salsa dancing. She has two American bulldogs, Maximilian and Abigail, and three cats, Molly, Stephanie and Baby.

Dr. Arielle Camp is an emergency veterinary clinician whose special areas of interest are fluid therapy in critically ill animals, and trauma.

• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, Levittown PA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Pet Hospital, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Rochester, NY

Originally from Philadelphia, Dr. Camp enjoys biking, yoga and cooking. She and her husband have a dog named Frankie.

Dr. Lauren DelMaestro is a resident in our internal medicine service. Dr. DelMaestro’s special interests include kidney disease, immune-mediated disease, geriatric medicine, and feline medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Tinton Falls, NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Pre-Veterinary Medicine, University of Delaware, Newark

Dr. DelMaestro enjoys yoga, reading, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family. She has one cat named Timothy.

Dr. Ashlea Erk is a resident in our internal medicine service. She has 13 years of experience in general practice.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Center for Animal Referral and Emergency Services, Langhorne, PA
• Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians, Fort Collins, CO
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Scranton, PA
• Associate in Science, Veterinary Technology, Johnson College, Scranton, PA

Dr. Erk enjoys hiking, kayaking, yoga, flower gardening and spending time with her husband and three sons.

Dr. Hannah Ghindea is a resident in our surgical service. She especially enjoys neurosurgery, reconstructive surgery and surgical emergencies.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Conshohocken, PA
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, South Paws Veterinary Surgical Specialists, Mandeville, LA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus

Dr. Ghindea grew up in Ohio and has family throughout Pennsylvania. She enjoys powerlifting, weightlifting, crafting and spending time with her two dogs, Zephyr and Phillie.

Since painting a self-portrait as a veterinarian when six years old, Dr. Brett Harling’s devotion has always been towards compassionate care of animals, and his strength as a problem solver aids his pursuit of complex internal medicine cases. Dr. Harling particularly enjoys performing complex endoscopic and minimally invasive procedures.

• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, The Animal Medical Center, New York, NY
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Animal Specialty Group, Los Angeles, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Animal Medical Center, New York, NY
• Clinical Rotation, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Harling enjoys playing tennis and golf, exercising with his wife (sometimes) and exploring new areas near and far. His family includes a spicy old tortoiseshell cat named Petry, an orange tabby named Tommy and two rescue Frenchies: Kobe and Josie.

Dr. Stephanie Harrier’s particular clinical interests include trauma, shock, diabetic ketoacidosis and feline lower urinary tract disease (including urethra obstruction).

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Harrier enjoys playing roller derby, reading, cooking and traveling. She and her wife have four very large cats, Bug, Sweetie, Zulu and Ayo, and one small dog named Macaroni.

Dr. Alexis Kersting is an intern in our diagnostic imaging service. She has experience working in emergency medicine and is most interested in performing vascular anomaly and oncology ultrasounds.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Center of Tucson, AZ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Science, University of Arizona, Tucson
• Associate of Science, Animal Science, Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix, AZ

Dr. Kersting enjoys riding her horse and spending time with her husband and two dogs.

Dr. Ariana Lopez particularly enjoys feline medicine, ocular emergencies and treating toxicities.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Arts, Classical Civilizations, Florida State University, Tallahassee
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee

Dr. Lopez has many hobbies, including long-distance running, cinema and travel. She has two rescue black cats named Darwin and Dharma.

A dedicated clinician, Dr. Rachel Manchester is interested in all facets of emergency medicine, especially ophthalmic emergencies, feline urethral obstructions and toxicology.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, England
• Bachelor of Science, Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Clemson University, SC

When not at work, Dr. Manchester enjoys traveling, exploring the Philadelphia food scene and spending time with friends and family. She has an amazing tabby cat named Branston.

Dr. Colleen Mans is an intern in our surgical service. She spent five years as a veterinary captain in the United States Army Veterinary Corps and has provided emergency and preventative care to over 400 military working dogs and horses, both at home and overseas. Dr. Mans is most interested in acute abdomens, wound management and urinary disorders.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

Dr. Mans enjoys running, spending time with her family and wine tasting. She has a cat who begrudgingly allows her houseroom.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Kaitlynn Marshall’s particular clinical interests include trauma, neurologic emergencies and metabolic emergencies.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls NJ
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Dr. Marshall enjoys reading, baking and watching rugby matches. She has a cat named Lizard who she admits to spoiling.

Dr. Andrew Nelson has a special interest in neurologic emergencies, critical care, trauma, toxicology, feline medicine and veterinary acupuncture.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty & Emergency Pet Hospital, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal & Dairy Science, Mississippi State University, Starkville

Dr. Nelson enjoys hiking, kayaking, tennis, exploring Philadelphia’s diverse neighborhoods and cuisine, and critiquing reality show contestants. He has a rescued Italian greyhound, Dr. Pepper, and cat Liesl.

Dr. Samantha Norris is a resident in our surgery service. Her clinical interests include minimally invasive orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, interventional radiology, wound management and reconstructive surgery, total hip replacement, neurological surgery, physical rehabilitation and pain management and clinical research, particularly in osteoarthritic pain management and treatment.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Southfield, MI
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Center, Buffalo Grove, IL
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, MedVet Medical and Cancer Center for Pets, Fairfax, OH
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center, Fishers, IN
• Clinical Rotation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology and Chemistry, Franklin College, IN

Dr. Norris enjoys playing soccer and volleyball, working out, horseback riding, taking photos, traveling abroad, arranging flowers, planning events, and spending time with her one-eyed shih tzu, Trip.

Dr. Michael Pawenski’s particular clinical interests include urinary tract surgery, cardiothoracic surgery and anesthesiology.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa, FL
• Clinical Rotation, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Dr. Pawenski enjoys hiking with his dog Astro, skiing, cooking and napping.

Dr. Sabrina Reilly’s particular clinical interests include intravenous anesthesia; pain management before, during and after surgery; local and regional anesthesia and pain management; and anesthesia and pain management in critical/emergency patients.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Anesthesia & Analgesia
• Residency, Anesthesiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Anesthesiology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Internship, Equine Medicine, Manor Equine Hospital, Monkton MD
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada

Dr. Reilly loves travel, Muay Thai boxing, western boxing, Savate (French boxing), ice skating and hiking with her two dogs, Quintus and Moira.

Dr. Ella Richardson is devoted to providing remarkable pet care. Her clinical interests include treating sepsis and feline emergencies.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona CA
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis

When not working, Dr. Richardson enjoys hiking, visiting breweries and spending time with her boyfriend, who is also a veterinarian, and their two cats.

Dr. Sarah Round’s areas of special interest include hepatobiliary, minimally invasive and brachycephalic airway surgeries as well as orthopedic diseases and fracture management.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, Philadelphia PA
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls NJ
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Round lives with her husband, two daughters and rambunctious rescued dog Ella. When not chasing her daughters, she likes family hikes, yoga, running and teaching her daughters to bake.

Dr. Carl Smola is a resident in our surgery service. His clinical interests include orthopedic, oncologic and neurologic surgeries, as well as early correction of congenital disorders.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, New York City
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
• Master of Agriculture, Animal Sciences, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, Auburn University, AL

Dr. Smola enjoys watching and playing any sport, traveling, kayaking, hiking, and exploring NYC with his wife.

Dr. Katie Umstetter Venanzi has a particular interest in trauma; shock; endocrine emergencies, including diabetic ketoacidosis and Addisonian crisis; and feline lower urinary tract disease, especially urethral obstruction.

• Master of Laboratory Animal Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia PA
• Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Scranton, PA

Dr. Venanzi and her husband like hiking, concerts and going to any Philly sporting events. They have two cats.

Dr. Cameron Wood’s special interests are immune-mediated diseases and endocrinology.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Hospital, San Marcos CA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona CA

Dr. Wood is married and has a pit bull. He likes finding new food to try, traveling and hiking.