BluePearl Pet Hospital
Tampa, FL
Our Vets

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. Danielle Auzenne is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Auzenne is particularly interested in small animal surgery and behavior.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Veterinary Science, University of Nevada, Reno

Dr. Auzenne enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and crafting.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Barbara Avalos Cavero is particularly interested in treating gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, endocrine disorders, toxicities and feline urinary tract diseases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Virginia Beach VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Bachelor of Science, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan

In her spare time, Dr. Avalos Cavero enjoys exercising at the gym, salsa dancing, painting and traveling. She loves to spoil her dog, Koko Puff.

• 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. 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. 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, Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy procedure for anterior cruciate ligament 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.

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. Amanda Burke is a resident in our critical care service. Prior to vet school, she was a zookeeper and worked with many different species to include giraffes, ostriches, zebras, gazelles and red river hogs.

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

Dr. Burke and her girlfriend keep a miniature zoo at home including dogs, cats, fish, snakes and a crested gecko.

Dr. Kaitlyn Cassel is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Cassel finds soft tissue surgery and emergency surgical procedures particularly gratifying.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Toxicology, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, State College

Dr. Cassel enjoys spending time with her friends and family trying new restaurants around the city, keeping a house full of plants, and getting outdoors in the beautiful Florida weather.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Lauren Cochran’s research experience includes boxer colitis, pancreatitis, and nutritional management (including effects of esophageal feeding tube placement) in cats with chronic kidney disease. Her primary clinical interests include gastroenterology, renal and lower urinary tract disease and immune-mediated disease.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, CA
• Internship, Internal Medicine, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Agriculture, Biological Science & Animal Science, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Cochran enjoys riding horses, as well as traveling, hiking, biking, kayaking and cheering on Georgia and Auburn. Her mixed breed dog is named Tater.

Dr. Coyle manages a large caseload of pets with cancer, with the goal of extending their lives while providing a good quality of life.

• 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, Florida Veterinary Specialists, Tampa
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Auburn University, AL

Dr. Coyle loves her all-orange family: a golden retriever named Murphy and two cats, Aubie and Ellie. She loves college football and is an avid Auburn fan.

Dr. Cody Cragnolin is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Cragnolin’s clinical interests include diabetic ketoacidosis, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion taps.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies

Dr. Cragnolin skydives whenever she can and has been licensed for two years. She has one cat named Mustache.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee

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.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island, West Islip, NY
• Clinical Rotation, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C.

Dr. John Gicking enjoys all aspects of critical care medicine and can often be found training others and presenting continuing education to the veterinary community.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of South Florida, Tampa

Dr. Gicking enjoys K9 sports, including agility and obedience. He also spends time outdoors, scuba diving, and participating in competitive chili cooking.

Dr. Wendy Gwin enjoys all aspects of diagnostic imaging.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Affiliated Veterinary Specialists, Maitland FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn AL

Dr. Gwin’s family includes four dogs named Pup, Dino, Siman and Jake. Her interests include exercising, music and art.

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. Dana Haimovitz is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Haimovitz’s special interests include cardiology – especially interventional procedures and congenital anomalies.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Maryland, College Park

Dr. Haimovitz has two cats (Quesadilla and Olive) and a hedgehog (Dill Prickle).

As a veterinary critical care specialist and a cardiology resident, Dr. Bradley Harris is particularly interested in congestive heart failure, pericardial effusion, respiratory disorders, sepsis and coagulation disorders. He has pioneered pilot studies using a novel bedside viscoelastic coagulation monitors to better assess patients’ coagulation statuses in real time.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
• Residency, Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care, 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 Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Tulsa, OK

Outside of work, Dr. Harris enjoys spending time with his young child. He likes to participate in outdoor activities like running, hiking, hunting and coaching youth cross country and track. He also watches baseball and cheers on the St. Louis Cardinals.

Publications & Articles

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

Dr. Da’Ne Irvin is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Irvin’s professional interests include surgery, emergency medicine, and critical care.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN
• Bachelor of Science, Tennessee State University, Nashville

Dr. Irvin has two dogs, Preston and Lincoln, and enjoys hanging out with friends and family, trying new food/restaurants, exploring Tampa, and going to the beach.

Dr. Anthony Ishak enjoys all aspects of cardiology and internal medicine.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine)
• Residency, Internal Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Master of Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Dr. Ishak’s family includes two dogs named Stanley and Pumba, and two cats named Ramses and Siptah.

Dr. Sydney Johnson is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She enjoys treating chronic conditions such as kidney disease and GI disorders.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Auburn University, AL

In her spare time, Dr. Johnson loves swimming in the pool or the gulf, kayaking, and reading a good book. She also enjoys hiking with her chihuahua mix, Bodie.

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.

After veterinary school, Dr. Michael Kimura worked in his native Japan as a family veterinarian for two years. He enjoys all aspects of neurology.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Internship, Neurology, Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, Dallas, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins

Dr. Kimura enjoys fresh water fly-fishing, hiking, camping, tennis and cooking Japanese cuisine.

• 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. Kate Kingsley is a small animal medicine & surgery intern.

• Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, England
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station

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. Rachel Lucia is a resident in our critical care service. She loves building relationships with clients and considers them team players in the effort of determining the best outcome of their pets’ lives.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Ocean State Veterinary Specialists, East Greenwich, RI
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

In her spare time, Dr. Rachel Lucia loves reading, kayaking, hiking, visiting the beach, playing board games, and spending time with family. She has two dogs and a cat, Kapu, who enjoys hogging the couch space, asking for food after he has already been fed, purring, bossing around the dogs, and playing with catnip.

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. Mears has been with BluePearl, and its predecessor, Florida Veterinary Specialists, since 1997.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Erick enjoys spending time with his family and Bosco, the family cat.

Dr. Kasandra Miner is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Her clinical interests include emergency and critical care medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Miner enjoys going running and cuddling with her Siamese cat.

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. Alejandra Príncipe Martínez is a resident in our internal medicine service. She particularly enjoys treating gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders.

• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Veterinary Partners, Tampa FL
• Clinical Rotation, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg VA
• 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, enjoying the beach, scuba diving and snorkeling. She also likes to hike and play video games. Carmelo is her island cat from Grenada.

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. Michael Reems has particular interest in both surgical oncology, including cancer removal and reconstruction, and minimally invasive surgery arthroscopy, laparoscopy, and thoracoscopy. He has performed urinary bladder stone, lung lobe tumor, adrenal gland/mass, cryptorchid retained testicle, and gall bladder removals minimally invasively, in addition to prophylactic gastropexy fixation of stomach for prevention of gastric-dilatation volvulus and laparoscopic liver biopsy. He has also completed specialized training in circular external skeletal fixation fracture repair, and tibial tuberosity advancement TTA and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy TPLO procedures for anterior cruciate ligament tears.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Master of Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Internship, Surgery, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Davidson College, North Carolina

Dr. Reems volunteers examinations and surgical treatments for service dogs. He enjoys spending time with his wife, a criticalist at BluePearl, cat Fat Bobby, and dogs, Emma and Maggie. His favorite pastimes include saltwater fishing, mountain biking, and fly fishing.

Dr. Miryam Seems enjoys all aspects of emergency and critical care.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, Florida Veterinary Specialists, Tampa FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Reems’ family includes cats named Fat Bobby and Sagan as well as a dog named Emma.

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. Sherrie Satmary is an emergency & critical care resident.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Specialty and Emergency 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. Satmary also likes outdoor activities with her dog Jack, like hiking, fishing and horseback riding.

Dr. Kelsey Schaul is a resident in our surgery service. She finds fracture repairs and treating cranial cruciate ligament disease particularly gratifying.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Kirkland, WA
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Veterinary Specialty Center, Buffalo Grove, IL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Schaul enjoys hiking and camping (when it’s not too hot!) and getting out on the water for boating and swimming. She lives with her husky, Kira, and cat, Tippy.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Eric Schneck is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. He finds endocrine and cardiac diseases the most gratifying to treat.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Schneck has a fiancé who is also a veterinarian, and together they have two dogs and a cat, all of whom keep them busy with their abundant energy.

Dr. Riley Shugg is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. She finds infectious diseases, toxicities and gastrointestinal diseases the most gratifying to treat.

• 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.

Melissa cites the wide range – and often unexpected nature – of cases in emergency and critical care as the best part of her work. “I find it extremely exciting, not knowing what is going to walk through the door,” she says.

Before coming to BluePearl, Dr. Alan Spier was an assistant professor at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He enjoys all aspects of cardiology.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
• Residency, Cardiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, Texas A&M University, College Station
• Bachelor of Science, University of Texas, Austin

An avid — and vocal — Green Bay Packer fan, Dr. Spier enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

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. Eric van Eerde’s particular interests include hand-on modalities such as ultrasound, as well as building relationships with referring veterinarians through telemedicine. He also enjoys working with a variety of animals and feels fortunate to have been able to take images of a number of species at the local zoo during his residency.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, Iowa State University, Ames
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. van Eerde enjoys travel, woodworking and Florida Gator sports. He and his wife have two sons, and a number of pets: miniature schnauzer Daisy, Florida brown dog Demodexter, Havanese Boo, and a green-cheeked conure bird named Kiwi.

Karen enjoys interventional procedures to correct defects that cause congenital heart diseases. She also enjoys helping patients with acquired heart disease live longer and more comfortably. Her family includes a pug, Chihuahua and four cats, and she loves traveling and watching her son play baseball.

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.

Dr. Jennifer Yee is particularly interested in volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), plesiotherapy (Strontium-90), nasal tumors, novel non-oncologic radiation treatments, and improving patients’ quality of life.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology-Radiation Oncology
• Residency, Radiation Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Radiation Oncology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Internship, Oncology, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Friendship Hospital for Animals, Washington, D.C.
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Science, Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing

Dr. Yee enjoys relaxing with her husband and their cat, Bao, and spending time at the pool. In addition to enjoying the local music and theatre scene, she’s working on expanding her own musical skills (piano, ukulele, and guitar).