BluePearl Pet Hospital
Tampa, FL
Our Vets

Dr. Adriana Alfonso Castro is a resident in our critical care service.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Technology, Universidad de Puerto Rico, San Juan

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. Michael Astor is a small animal medicine and surgery intern. He finds immune-mediated disease, gastrointestinal disease and endocrinopathies the most satisfying and intriguing diseases to help diagnose and treat.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Lafayette College, Easton, PA

Dr. Astor has a boxer mix named Porter. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, biking and sports (especially the New England Patriots), as well as brewing and trying craft beer.

• 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

• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• Internship, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, CA
• 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. Blanco enjoys reading (science fiction, philosophy, and science narratives), video games, biking, running, picking up new niche skills and learning about other fields of study such as architecture.

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.

Dr. Kylee Bush is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She is most interested in soft tissue cases, specifically lacerations, foreign body, gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), orthopedics, specifically fracture stabilization, and cardiology. Dr. Bush is certified in basic and advanced life support through the Recover initiative.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Master of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Bush enjoys running to help de-stress after a long day or catching up on the latest documentary series on Netflix with her couch potato dog, Murphy.

Dr. Virginia Butler is honored to help other families say goodbye to their pets by providing a comfortable and tranquil passing at home in the place they love most.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis

Dr. Butler enjoys exploring all the places and activities the Tampa Bay area has to offer. This usually includes a lot of zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and beach days with her daughter. They love getting home to share snuggles with their fox terrier/Schnauzer mix, Ginger.

Dr. Kaitlyn Cassel is an intern in our surgery service. She finds soft tissue surgery and emergency surgical procedures particularly gratifying.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• 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’s clinical interests include diabetic ketoacidosis, pneumothorax, and pleural effusion taps.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• 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

• Clinical Rotation, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Youngstown State University, OH

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.

Dr. Dane Gallagher is particularly interested in wound management, toxin ingestion, cardiac and respiratory conditions and other emergencies.

• Clinical Rotation, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Master of Science, Laboratory Animal Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
• Bachelor of Arts, English Literature, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA

Dr. Gallagher is originally from Pennsylvania (and is an Eagles fan!) and moved to Florida with his partner after finishing veterinary school. In his spare time, he likes getting outside for hikes, fishing, kayaking and spending time at the beach. He also enjoys exploring the Tampa area and eating at new restaurants.

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. Bradley Harris loves all aspects of emergency, critical care and cardiology — especially cardiopulmonary diseases and sepsis. His primary clinical interests lie where his training intersects, which includes coagulation disorders and the acute and chronic treatment of congestive heart failure. Dr. Harris is keenly interested in minimally invasive therapy of congenital and acquired heart disease and is excited to bring these new and innovative therapies to the Tampa Bay region.

• Residency, Cardiology, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• 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

Dr. Harris is an outdoor enthusiast who loves anything that has him outside, from running and hiking to camping and mountain climbing. In his free time, he enjoys playing sand volleyball, coaching his daughter’s softball team, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals as a die-hard fan.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Jennifer Irizarry is a small animal medicine & surgery intern.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, WI
• Bachelor of Science, Integrative Animal Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa

Dr. Irizarry’s hobbies include fencing, watching 80s movies, checking out new restaurants and breweries, and longboarding. Her pets include a cat named Holly and a German shepherd mix named Orchid.

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 an intern in our internal medicine service. She enjoys treating chronic conditions such as kidney disease and GI disorders.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• 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. Amanda Kordenbrock is a small animal medicine and surgery intern. Her clinical interests include autoimmune, neurologic and behavioral disorders.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg

Dr. Kordenbrock has two golden retrievers – father and son – who were part of a research study at the University of Florida. Outside of work, she enjoys music, poetry, painting, making jewelry and interior design.

Dr. Zachary Lembersky is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. His clinical interests include anesthesia, sedation and pain control.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Bachelor of Science, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

Publications and articles

Dr. Wilmer Lopez is a resident in our internal medicine service. He is particularly interested in the management of endocrine, renal, and other metabolic diseases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Clearwater, FL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton

Dr. Lopez enjoys going to the beach and listening to music.

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’s clinical interests include emergency and critical care medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• 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. Michael Reems is particularly interested in both surgical oncology, including cancer removal and reconstruction, and minimally invasive surgery such as 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, tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA), and tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) procedures for anterior cruciate ligament tears.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Surgery, 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 a resident in our critical care service. She is interested in endocrinology and emergency medicine.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl 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. Sidney Rouse is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. Dr. Rouse particularly enjoys emergency cases that allow her to provide immediate support and relief to animals in need and critical anesthetic cases. She is passionate about helping patients who can benefit from a nutrition standpoint in health, wellness, and specific disease management through diet.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Bachelor of Science, Health Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

Dr. Rouse enjoys exploring local breweries, cheering for the Gators and Buckeyes in sports, cooking and grilling, scuba diving and water activities, and most importantly, spending time with her little family, including her husband and their two cats: Uno and Dusty.

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

• Clinical Rotation
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Exercise Physiology, Florida State University, Tallahassee

Dr. Eric Schneck is a resident in our internal medicine service. He finds endocrine and cardiac diseases the most gratifying to treat.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, BluePearl Pet Hospital, Tampa, FL
• 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.

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.

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).