BluePearl Pet Hospital
Sandy Springs, GA
Our Vets

Dr. Stacy Andrew’s special interests include corneal diseases, ocular manifestations of systemic disease and eyelid surgery. Prior to BluePearl, Dr. Andrew served as a faculty member at the University of Florida.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, MSPCA Angell Memorial Hospital, Boston, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Vermont, Burlington

Dr. Andrew enjoys traveling, reading and horse-related activities. She and husband, Dr. Alan Cross, have a French bulldog and a pitbull.

Dr. Jordan Ayers is passionate about all things oncology and really enjoys the bonds she forms with clients and patients. She has participated in research on mammary tumors, osteosarcoma, melanoma, gastrointestinal tumors and lymphoma.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Master of Science, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Residency, Medical Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Wheat Ridge Animal Hospital, Denver, CO
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Dr. Ayers and her family love all water sports and help run a small water conservation non-profit. She has a mini cattle dog mix who enjoys snuggles and chasing lizards in the yard.

Dr. Nicolas Berryessa has interests in gastroenterology, respiratory diseases, endocrine disorders, infectious diseases and immune-mediated conditions. He leads the radioiodine I-131 program for cats with hyperthyroidism at our Sandy Springs hospital. He also performs interventional procedures such as urethral, tracheal and nasopharyngeal stenting. Dr. Barryessa has authored articles on various infections.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science, University of California, Davis

Dr. Berryessa enjoys podcasts, running, movies and drinking coffee. His wife is also a veterinary specialist. They enjoy spending their time with their three children, two dogs (Otter and Raya) and quarter horse (Moose).

Dr. Nicole Block knew she wanted to be a veterinarian since she was a young girl. Throughout high school and college, she worked at a very busy small animal practice, which solidified her love for veterinary medicine. She is excited to offer compassionate neurology care for pets in the Atlanta area. Her clinical interests include diagnosing and managing intervertebral disc disease, head trauma, inflammatory brain and spinal conditions and seizures.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Neurology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Shoreline Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, Norwalk, CT
• Clinical Rotation, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Asian Studies, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Dr. Block grew up on Long Island, New York. She served as captain of the women’s tennis team during her junior and senior years at Vassar College. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends and two dogs (Bowser and Bucky). She loves playing tennis, being active and going to see live music.

Dr. Alan Cross focuses on orthopedic surgery and frequently publishes and lectures on various procedures and topics within the specialty.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville

Dr. Cross is passionate about motorsports. He can often be found in his garage under an automotive restoration project or racing his Spec Miata race car on various tracks in the Southeast.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Erika Edmund is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. Interested in all facets of emergency medicine, Dr. Edmund finds treating trauma cases especially gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Arts, Biochemistry, Occidental College, Los Angeles CA

When not at the hospital, Dr. Edmund enjoys traveling, trying new food, playing video games and hiking with her dog, a one-eyed Chihuahua-terrier mix.

Dr. Andrew Eitzer is interested in multiphase CT angiography for abdominal and thoracic vascular anomalies, parathyroid gland ethanol ablation to treat primary hyperparathyroidism and abdominal ultrasound to identify intraluminal foreign bodies.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Diagnostic Imaging, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Master of Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Syracuse University, NY

Dr. Eitzer enjoys playing soccer and basketball, trying new beers, going to the movie theater and reading. His immediate family includes his fiancée and their two cats, Mimosa and Zinfandel.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Atlanta, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Animal and Veterinary Science, Clemson University, SC

Happiest outdoors, Dr. Forbes likes hiking, camping, skydiving or reading in a hammock. She’s also passionate about ultimate Frisbee and traveling. She has a red heeler dog named Ruby.

Dr. Lauren Fout is excited about the new developments in veterinary radiation therapy to include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) protocols, both of which are types of nonsurgical radiation therapy that can deliver precisely targeted radiation in fewer high-dose treatments than traditional therapy. She also has an interest in the use of both traditional western medicine and support therapy with integrated/nontraditional medicine for overall patient well-being.

• Residency, Radiation Oncology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Internship, Medical Oncology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Medical Oncology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Atlanta, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Nashville Veterinary Specialists, TN
• Master of Veterinary Biology, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture (Animal Health Technology), Murray State University, Murray, KY

Dr. Fout loves traveling internationally as well as exploring locally. Other interests include reading and baking. She has two rescue dogs, Sprockey and Muppet.

Dr. Rebecca Gelé is always ready to tackle challenging cases like immune-mediated diseases, diabetic ketoacidosis and Addisonian crisis. She doesn’t shy away from puzzling or complex illnesses.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biophysics, Georgia State University, Atlanta

Dr. Gelé likes to travel and attend sporting events. An outdoor lover, she enjoys kayaking and hiking with her husband and two dogs. Emmy is an energetic, mid-size brindle herding mix who likes to run and play. Reese is a wire-haired Jack Russell mix who likes chasing squirrels, sunbathing and snuggling.

Dr. Stanley Hunter enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL
• Bachelor of Science, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee AL

Dr. Hunter likes watching sports to include football, basketball, tennis, golf and cheering on the Yankees.

• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Fellowship, Orthopedics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, Annapolis Junction, MD
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Animal Medical Center, New York, NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Georgia, Athens

The diagnosis and treatment of head trauma and neuromuscular disease drew Dr. Johnson to the specialty of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando

An active sportsman, Dr. Johnson enjoys golf, tennis, and competing in triathlons. But even more so, he enjoys the company of his wife and their three children.

Dr. Ted Johnson enjoys educating clients about their pets’ conditions and training new clinicians on the BluePearl team.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Johnson’s hobbies include biking and playing board games. He has a border collie mix named Remy.

Dr. Danielle Laughlin is particularly interested in cardiac imaging using advanced echocardiography techniques and novel treatments for heart disease including new drugs and supplements to support patients with chronic heart disease. She lectures nationally on the management of heart disease in dogs and cats to help veterinarians better care for their patients. Discovering that your pet has heart disease can be overwhelming, but Dr. Laughlin enjoys working with her clients personally to help them manage their pets’ care and provide their pets with the best quality of life for as long as possible.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
• Residency, Cardiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Arts, Zoology, Miami University, Oxford OH

In her free time, Dr. Laughlin likes to travel, cook and spend time with her family. She and her husband have three children, two patient terriers and one handsome cat.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Olivia Lex is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She enjoys the variety of cases in emergency medicine and has a particular interest in wound repair and treating toxicities.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston

Dr. Lex favors outdoor activities, such as hiking, and is a huge football fan — especially the LSU Tigers. She has a little terrier mix name Dahlia, who is nine pounds of sass.

Dr. Jenny Lind has a strong interest in wound management and enjoys the challenge and variety of emergency medicine. She especially loves seeing the strength of the human-animal bond and supporting both pets and their families.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

Dr. Lind enjoys spending time with her Labrador mix, Matilda, along with her leopard tortoise, Pop Tort. She also enjoys watching Penn State football (WE ARE) and cheering for the Florida Gators.

Dr. Lori MacDougall’s special clinical interests include pain management, oncology and reconstructive surgery. She enjoys performing soft tissues surgeries and orthopedics limited to knee surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal)
• Residency, Surgery, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Masters in Veterinary Science, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Internship, Surgery, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Washington State University, Pullman
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Saskatoon, Canada
• Bachelor of Art & Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

Dr. MacDougall and her husband enjoy spending time with their active sons, two cats and dog. Whenever possible, you can find her enjoying outdoor activities and working out.

Dr. Tiffany McAllister enjoys the variety that emergency cases bring. She finds it very rewarding to have the opportunity to help clients in their time of need work through a stressful situation with their pets.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Iowa State University, Ames

Dr. McAllister has been a member of the Air National Guard since shortly before the 9/11 attacks. She stays active with CrossFit training and enjoys traveling to new places. Her personal goal is to hike to Mount Everest base camp. Rock and Sherman are her two rescue dogs.

Within the internal medicine specialty, Dr. Olga Norris’ clinical interests include endocrine and gastrointestinal diseases. She especially enjoys feline medicine.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Master of Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Dr. Norris and her husband enjoy traveling, cooking and hiking. They have two poodles and a cat.

Originally from Nova Scotia, Dr. Jennifer Parkes’ clinical interests include seizure management, inflammatory brain disease and intervertebral disc disease.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, Iowa State University, Ames
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Sandy Springs
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada
• Bachelor of Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax NS

Dr. Parkes and her husband, Dr. Nick Berryessa, met while completing their internships at Georgia Veterinary Specialists. Along with spending time with her husband and daughter, she also enjoys cooking, travel and hiking.

Dr. Courtney Paulis prides herself on learning the latest medical advancements to grow her knowledge and provide the best care for her patients. Her professional interests include wound repair and pediatric patient care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro

Dr. Paulis is married with a son. She has eight cats and three dogs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, gardening and walking with her dogs.

Dr. Jennifer Pittman is particularly interested in the treatment of snake bites, sepsis and coagulation disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Pittman is an accomplished violinist. She’s played since elementary school and has been a member of the Athens Symphony Orchestra since 1999. She enjoys traveling, scuba diving and the company of her three cats.

Dr. Mona Qahwash enjoys all aspects of neurology.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology & Neurosurgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Small Animal Neurology, Georgia Veterinary Specialists, Atlanta
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Qahwash enjoys 3D printing, backpacking, rock climbing, hiking, building computers, travel, live music and (dabbling in) drums and rock guitar.

Dr. Sayra Reyes is particularly interested in gastrointestinal disease and toxicities.

• Internship, Michigan Veterinary Specialists, Grand Rapids, MI
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras

Dr. Reyes relaxes with a book or snuggles with her corgi-mix pooch named Kyler. She can also be found dancing with her husband.

Dr. Rothman Reyes knew he wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age and decided to focus on oncology after an influential externship during veterinary school. According to Dr. Reyes, a gratifying part of his job is advocating for patients and helping owners choose a treatment option that they’re comfortable with and prioritizes their pet’s quality of life.

• Master of Science, Comparative Oncology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Residency, Oncology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Internship, Oncology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Atlanta, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Pre-Veterinary Medicine, University of Delaware, Newark

Northern Michigan is Dr. Reyes’ happy place. He enjoys going on road trips – both for hiking and exploring – with his pets, Aimée and Cyfri. He loves cooking and baking all types of different foods from French pastries to Korean kimchi. Dr. Reyes also enjoys playing tennis and going on runs around his neighborhood.

Dr. Cassandra Ruthrauff enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Surgery, Veterinary Surgical Associates, San Francisco CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Garden State Veterinary Specialists, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A & M University, College Station

Dr. Ruthrauff enjoys watching professional sports, particularly New England teams, as well as playing soccer, wakeboarding and snowboarding. Her two dogs and two cats also keep her busy.

Dr. Leslie Shelnutt enjoys all aspects of internal medicine. Her particular interests include immune-mediated, infectious and gastrointestinal diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Sandy Springs, GA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, Animal Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Some of Dr. Shelnutt’s favorite pastimes include traveling, running and hiking. She has a Labrador named Gwen and mixed breed dog named Meredith.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Kevin Winkler enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery. He currently serves on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s disaster relief team.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens GA
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens GA

Dr. Winkler and his wife have four children, two dogs and two cats. They enjoy traveling and following the Georgia Bulldogs.

Publications & Articles

After nine years as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois, Dr. Jackie Wypij remains dedicated to teaching others and is often invited to speak at national veterinary conferences. She also continues to pursue additional training for herself and has earned certificates in grief counseling, online teaching and clinical and translational research methods. Dr. Wypij’s particular clinical interests include canine lymphoma and mast cell tumors; feline cancer of all types, especially oral; and palliative and hospice care.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
• Residency, Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Daemen College, Amherst NY

Dr. Wypij enjoys dancing the Argentine tango, hiking, camping or chasing after her two children.