BluePearl Pet Hospital
Stone Oak
San Antonio, TX
Our Vets

Dr. Jonathan Blakely likes all aspects of surgery. His particular clinical interest is orthopedics, especially treating fractures.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, South Texas Veterinary Specialists, Stone Oak
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Blakely’s favorite pastime is spending time with his wife and kids. He also enjoys playing music, including guitar, banjo and the flute.

Dr. Bradley Book enjoys all aspects of emergency medicine.

• Diplomate, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Canine & Feline Practice)
• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, South Texas Veterinary Specialists, San Antonio
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Book spends his free time with his two children and their pets, golden retriever Trout, and cat Rover.

Dr. Walter Burghardt has over 35 years of veterinary behavioral medicine experience treating dogs, cats and exotics. His particular clinical interest is treating behavioral problems that strain the bond between pet and owner.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
• Doctor of Philosophy, Biopsychology, University of Maryland, College Park
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Master of Arts, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton
• Bachelor of Arts, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Dr. Burghardt is married with three grown sons. His favorite pastimes include flying, bicycling, traveling and hiking. He loves dogs, cats and tropical fish.

Dr. Oscar Carballo Jr. is a resident in our surgical service. He enjoys all aspects of surgery but has a particular interest in orthopedic and minimally invasive procedures.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, San Antonio, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Coral Springs Animal Hospital, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Florida International University, Miami

Dr. Carballo enjoys mountain bike riding, scuba diving, working out, spending time with family, traveling and fishing. He has a chocolate lab named Shamus.

Dr. Monica Chwala’s clinical interests include the treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases, endocrine disorders, liver and kidney/urinary diseases, gastrointestinal disease and respiratory disease. She particularly enjoys the use of minimally invasive procedures to examine and treat many conditions, like urinary incontinence or stones.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Associate of Applied Science, Veterinary Technology, Fox College, Tinley Park IL
• Bachelor of Science, Finance, Economics, University of Illinois, Normal

Dr. Chwala loves new experiences and adventures, meeting people, good food, horseback riding and sports. She has two Weimaraners, Lexy and Addie.

Dr. Thomas Edwards is a retired army veterinarian who has more than 15 years of experience caring for severely injured animals. He has lectured both nationally and internationally on critical care topics, such as on trauma, resuscitation, blood transfusions, mechanical ventilation and heart failure.

Dr. Edwards has a passion for improving the care that military working dogs receive after being wounded in the battlefield, and he has received the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Research and Development award for establishing a research program in this area. He remains engaged in this research and writing in order to bring cutting-edge trauma care to veterinary medicine.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care, University of Georgia, Athens
• Master of Science, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Department of Defense Military Working Dog Center, Lackland, TX
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana

Dr. Edwards shares his home with his wife, two young children and two Great Pyrenees, Yuki and Nova.

Publications & Articles

A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, Dr. James Giles enjoys arthroscopy and laparoscopy and is particularly interested in orthopedic and neurologic conditions in working dogs, especially surgical management of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis. While serving as a military veterinary surgeon, he became experienced in performing endodontic repairs and advanced dentistry. He also introduced the use of negative pressure wound therapy for use in military working dogs and treated the first dogs in combat with this modality.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Master of Science, Veterinary Biomedical Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

Dr. Giles’ wife is also a veterinarian, and they have two children. His favorite pastimes include outdoor activities, endurance fitness events and traveling. The family pets are Lucy, a golden doodle, and Mia, a poodle.

Dr. Charlotte Gillis is an intern in our surgical service. She is most interested in orthopedics and treating lameness and critical care soft tissue cases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Clinical Rotation, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Dr. Gillis enjoys barn riding horses, relaxing at home, painting pet portraits and spending time with her two retrievers.

Dr. Christopher Greiner is particularly interested in fracture management and repair, obstructive GI disease and wound management.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, San Antonio, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Loomis Basin, Loomis, CA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Greiner has a cross-country-traveling tuxedo cat named Kapow and enjoys boutique coffee shops, craft beer and sci-fi/fantasy literature.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Geoff Hennig was a production artist with a focus on biological and medical illustration before attending veterinary school. He has served on the surgical faculty at Louisiana State University as a visiting assistant professor. His research interests have been principally in the area of canine orthopedic diseases including the effects of injectable local anesthetics on cartilage health.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Master of Science, Veterinary Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Clinical Rotation, University of Georgia, Athens
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St Kitts & Nevis, West Indies

Dr. Katelyn Hickman is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She is dedicated to providing excellent medical care for patients in an emergency setting. Her interests include stabilizing and managing trauma patients, as well as ophthalmology and neurology.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

Dr. Hickman enjoys kayaking, pyrography and hiking with her dog, Miss Lemon Drop.

Dr. Andrea Huther is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She is most interested in cardiology and emergency and internal medicine, especially kidney disease and endocrine disorders.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, OH

Dr. Huther enjoys playing violin, horseback riding, spending time with her family and hiking in the Hill Country. She has several dogs, a horse and a miniature donkey.

Dr. Sarah Israel enjoys all aspects of surgery.
Learn more about Dr. Sarah Israel and the surgeries she performs in San Antonio, TX.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Ericka Jaramillo is an intern in our surgical service. She is most interested in thoracic surgery, wound management and cranial cruciate ligament tears.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, Norwalk, CT
• Clinical Rotation, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies

Dr. Jaramillo enjoys the outdoors, rollercoasters and spending time with her spouse, four dogs and two cats.

Dr. Stephanie Kennedy has more than 12 years of experience in veterinary medicine, including work with the U.S. Army Veterinary Corp. She enjoys all aspects of internal medicine but is especially interested in the evaluation of gastrointestinal disease, immune-mediated disease, infectious diseases and endocrine disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

Dr. Kennedy’s favorite hobbies include traveling the world, hiking, scuba diving, experiencing new adventures and meeting new people.

Dr. Chris Maffry worked as a small animal and laboratory veterinary technician before attending vet school. In addition to emergency medicine, he is particularly interested in ophthalmology.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Stone Oak, TX
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond

Dr. Maffry loves spending time with his wife and children. Some of his favorite pastimes include watching movies and outdoor activities, like hiking and fishing. The family has three pets: Aurora is a talkative Siberian husky; Jacqui is a shy Alaskan Klee Kai; and Dexter is a lazy domestic shorthair cat.

Dr. Amanda Marin enjoys all that emergency medicine has to offer with a special interest in wound management and client education.

• Clinical Rotation, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

Away from work, Dr. Marin enjoys weight lifting and outdoor activities such as kayaking and hiking. She has a cat named Norman.

Dr. Alicia Niedzwecki’s clinical interests include treating snakebites, acute kidney injury, Addison’s disease, immune-mediated diseases, coagulopathies and congestive heart failure. Procedures she enjoys include temporary tracheostomies, GI endoscopies and pericardiocenteses.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care, South Texas Veterinary Specialists, San Antonio TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, South Texas Veterinary Specialists, San Antonio TX
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Niedzwecki enjoys tennis, gardening and spending time with her family and pets, Xena, a German shepherd, and Zoe, a Siamese cat.

Dr. Nicole Palermo is interested in all emergency conditions and procedures, including lacerations and minor wound care, blunt trauma stabilization, anaphylaxis, effusive conditions (pericardial, pleural, peritoneal), urethral obstructions, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

• Clinical Rotation, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY

Dr. Palermo is married and has two lovely daughters and two wonderful dogs. She enjoys outings with family, exploring the outdoors, beach vacations, music, movies, soccer, and other sporting events.

Dr. Stephen Spence has a strong interest in orthopedic procedures, in particular fracture management cases.

• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, San Antonio, TX
• 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, University College Dublin, Ireland
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Publications & Articles

Dr. Catherine Strey enjoys all aspects of critical care medicine.

• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, San Antonio, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, San Antonio, TX
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Adeline E. Wadel is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. Emergency medicine often brings in cases that are stressful and emotional for pet owners, and Dr. Wadel cares deeply about helping her clients through that process.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn AL
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Kent State University, Kent OH

In her spare time, Dr. Wadel enjoys being actively involved in her local church, reading, playing music and cooking breakfast. She has a Siamese cat named Lil Bean who walks on a leash and loves to visit parks.

Dr. Fred Williams, Jr. grew up working in his dad’s veterinary clinic. He is the cofounder of South Texas Veterinary Specialists.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

Dr. Williams enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife of more than 20 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jacob and Jackson.

Dr. Katheryn Wolfe loves treating a patient with seizures in the morning then performing surgery on a paralyzed patient in the afternoon. The field of neurology continues to fascinate her, especially inflammatory conditions like meningoencephalitis and meningomyelitis, and she continues to strive for answers to the tough questions: Why? What triggers this condition? Do genetic or environmental factors play a role?

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Doctor of Veterinary Science, Neurology & Neurosurgery, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Emergency, Carolina Veterinary Specialists, Charlotte, NC
• Internship, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, TX
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C.

Dr. Wolfe loves to spend time with her husband, two kids and four dogs: Bella, Watson, Millie and Emma. Her personal hobbies include fishing and working out, specifically participating in triathlons.