Precision care for what matters most – helping your pet live a longer and better life.
We understand that seeing your pet experience an emergency or condition that requires surgery can be stressful. Fortunately, our veterinary surgery team is made up of experts in performing complex procedures using the latest state-of-the-art techniques and equipment, and we’re here to help.
Our commitment is not just to delivering highly advanced surgical care; it’s to enhance the well-being of your pet and be with you every step of the way.
If your pet has a condition or injury that requires advanced care and procedures, you’ll have an entire surgery team helping to improve your pet’s quality of life so you can get back to what matters most – spending precious moments together.
Your pet will receive unparalleled medical care during their time at the hospital (and they’ll be spoiled with love and attention, too).
Your pet can’t tell us what’s wrong, so we use sophisticated diagnostics and imaging tools to uncover the source of the problem.
Just as no two patients are the same, neither are their treatment plans. Our surgery team has experience with a range of advanced procedures and minimally invasive options to get your pet on the path to wellness, including:
Experience makes all the difference.
Our surgery team is made up of veterinarians, vet technicians and assistants, and support staff with rigorous training and experience in specialty medicine. The team works hand in hand to provide the comprehensive, compassionate care your pet needs and deserves. Because we’re a multidisciplinary hospital, the team can consult the expertise of other specialty departments, too.
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.
Dr. Bleyaert enjoys horseback riding, boating and woodworking in her garage.
Dr. Kaitlyn Cassel is an intern in our surgery service. She finds soft tissue surgery and emergency surgical procedures particularly gratifying.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. Kelsey Schaul is a resident in our surgery service. She finds fracture repairs and treating cranial cruciate ligament disease particularly gratifying.
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.
We want you to be prepared for your pet’s visit to the surgeon, so you have one less thing to worry about. Our entire BluePearl team will be with you every step of the way.
Take the first step to getting your pet back to their best self – call us to speak with the surgery team and make an appointment.
Prioritize your pet’s health with the experts in specialty medicine.