BluePearl Pet Hospital
Pittsburgh South
Washington, PA
Our Vets

Dr. Rachel Adams’ clinical interests include surgical emergencies and polytrauma. As specialty service head, she supervises the specialty and emergency clinicians at our Washington, PA, hospital.

• Fellowship, Small Animal Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Metropolitan Veterinary Emergency and Referral Hospital, Akron, OH
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Adrian College, MI

Dr. Adams loves to play and watch ice hockey, especially the Pittsburgh Penguins. Other favorite pastimes include snowboarding, soccer and running. Her family includes her husband, son, and two dogs: Shetland sheepdog, Reese, and Catahoula mix, Trafford.

Dr. Nikita Ahuja is most interested in working with exotics and endangered species and even has experience working with rhinos and lions in Africa.

• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Oradell Animal Hospital, Paramus, NJ
• Clinical Rotation, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Ahuja is also a fitness and dance instructor and loves going to the gym, hiking and spending time at the beach in her free time. She is hoping to adopt a dog soon!

Dr. Daniel Alexviczh is a small animal medicine & surgery intern. He is most interested in surgery and surgical oncology.

• Clinical Rotation, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Animal Science, University of Findlay, OH

Dr. Alexviczh enjoys watching almost any sport and playing hockey, lacrosse and golf. He loves going for rides on his motorcycle, trying new and different kinds of food, and hanging out with his cat Orion, who he adopted during vet school in St. Kitts.

Dr. Jonathan Anderson considers challenging surgical cases to be the most rewarding, but particularly enjoys complicated fractures, other orthopedic injuries, polytrauma, minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgeries and thoracic tumor removals.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Surgery, University of Georgia, Athens
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg

Dr. Anderson enjoys skiing, both water and snow, home renovations, and restoring/using early to mid-century American-manufactured woodworking machinery. He and his wife have three rescued dogs: yellow lab Bosun, golden retriever mix Cal Naughton, Jr., Jr., and Newfoundland Rookie.

A veteran in the veterinary ophthalmology field, Dr. Lawrence Bagley started and owned his own practice in Pittsburgh for 20 years before joining BluePearl. His special interests include cataract surgery with lens implantation, corneal disease and eyelid disorders.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, Eye Clinic for Animals, Garden Grove, CA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Mesa Veterinary Hospital, AZ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins
• Bachelor of Science, Pre-Veterinary Studies, University of Arizona, Tucson

Dr. Bagley is originally from Tucson, Arizona, and is the father of three adult children (and two beagles). He enjoys spending time hiking, playing softball and basketball, traveling, and attending the sporting events of the three Pittsburgh professional teams. He is an active member of his church and has been on many mission trips to Latin America and Africa.

Dr. Shari Brown particularly enjoys treating dental and dermatology cases.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Arboretum View Animal Hospital, Downers Grove IL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Albion College, MI

Dr. Brown’s favorite pastimes include reading and traveling. She is married with three daughters and two cats, Cody and Flower.

Dr. Amanda Castle is especially interested in exploratory surgeries and finds foreign bodies, soft tissue injuries, fractures, and joint injuries the most gratifying to treat.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, West Liberty State College, West Virginia

Dr. Castle enjoys spending time with her husband and two boys. Her hobbies include beekeeping, gardening, indoor and outdoor home improvement projects and community service.

Dr. Christine DePompeo’s particular clinical interests include angular limb deformities, fracture management, minimally invasive surgery and laser ablation of ectopic ureters.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Washington State University, Pullman
• Master of Science, Washington State University, Pullman
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, West Vet Emergency and Specialty Center, Boise ID
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona CA
• Bachelor of Science, Bioengineering (biomechanics), Syracuse University, NY

Some of Dr. DePompeo’s favorite pastimes include rock climbing, distance running, rowing and sporting events, especially Phillies, Flyers and Eagles. She has a German shorthaired pointer named Jeri Lynn and two cats, Leonidas and Fishy.

Dr. Walter Detwiler particularly enjoys ultrasounds and computer tomography, especially with the ability to use 3D printers to convert CT images into teaching tools for clients.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, Medvet, Cincinnati OH
• Internship, Diagnostic Imaging, Medvet, Cincinnati OH
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville
• Bachelor of Science, University of Florida, Gainesville

An avid outdoorsmen, Dr. Detwiler enjoys hunting and fishing. He’s married to a veterinary dermatologist, and the family includes mixed breed dog Kirra, Australian shepherd Lily, miniature Australian shepherd Roxy, ball python Hurley, bearded dragon Crush, and leopard tortoise Erie.

Dr. Sam Durkan’s particular clinical interests include trauma, emergency surgery, sepsis, coagulation, endocrine emergencies and mechanical ventilation.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Rochester Veterinary Specialists, NY
• Clinical Rotation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ross University, St. Kitts & Nevis, West Indies

Away from the hospital, Dr. Durkan enjoys hiking, biking, water sports, yoga and is an avid motorcyclist. He and his wife have two children and two dogs.

Prior to joining BluePearl, Dr. Michael Finn was a clinical assistant professor at Oklahoma State University. His particular clinical interests include cataract surgery and corneal surgery. Dr. Finn volunteers his expertise with the annual free service dog eye exams, sponsored by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Master of Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Auburn University, AL
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan
• Bachelor of Science, University of Notre Dame, IN

Dr. Frye has worked exclusively with MRI/CT imaging for over ten years. His clinical interests include MRI of the brain for strokes and tumors, abdominal CTs, and anesthesia for the critical patient, especially those with brain tumors.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Bachelor of Science, Gannon University, Erie PA

Dr. Frye is a NCAA licensed football official and is the replay communicator for the Missouri Valley Football Conference. He is the father of four daughters and has two sphynx cats named Alopecia (Pecia) and Minoxidil (Moxi).

Dr. Christina Genareo finds trauma and toxicity cases the most gratifying to treat.

• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Cape Cod Veterinary Specialists, Buzzards Bay, MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Grove City College, Grove City, PA

Dr. Genareo has an elderly cat named Subaru who was found as a kitten near a car motor.

Dr. Melissa Gettinger finds gratifying the human-animal bond and its role in the diagnosis, treatment and management of the chronic diseases so often seen in internal medicine. Her particular clinical interests include immune-mediated blood conditions, lower urinary tract disease and kidney diseases. She also enjoys performing minimally invasive procedures.

• Residency, Small Animal Internal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe PA

A Pittsburgh native, Dr. Gettinger likes watching hockey, cooking and DIY home renovations. She has a dog Finnegan and two cats, Stella and Archie.

Dr. Kara Gornik’s particular clinical interests include golden retriever pigmentary uveitis, the genetics related to ocular conditions, and inherited retinal conditions.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Ophthalmology, Tufts University, North Grafton MA
• Fellowship, Comparative Ophthalmology, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, West Virginia University, Morgantown

Some of Dr. Gornik’s favorite pastimes include camping, traveling and hiking with her two dogs, Brie and Rascal. She also has a cat name Nacho.

After working in primary care and emergency medicine in Chicago for 12 years, Dr. Joey Kallem joined us in Pittsburgh where she loves complicated medical emergencies. She also has a special interest in exotic animal medicine.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia

Married with two boys, Dr. Kallem is a black belt in karate and Tae Kwon Do. She also loves to read, paddle board and ride her horse Rudy. The family has two dogs, three cats, one lizard, two birds, one fish and a rat living in the house with them.

Dr. Rachel Keller Vaughan finds the field of ophthalmology appealing because it combines medicine cases with surgical cases, allowing her to practice a variety of medicine. She also likes the variety of species she is able to see and treat as an ophthalmologist. Volunteering within her field is important to her, and she has served as both a committee member and board member on the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology (ACVO) Vision for Animals Foundation. She is also a consultant with the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium and participates in the ACVO annual free Service Dog Eye Exam Event. Particular clinical interests include immune-mediated disease cases, such as uveitis and retinal detachments, and eyelid, corneal and cataract surgeries. Her research interests include sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome and equine ophthalmology, both of which resulted in publications and teaching opportunities.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists
• Residency, Comparative Veterinary Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Auburn University, AL Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins Bachelor of Science, Veterinary Science, University of Arizona, Tucson

Dr. Keller Vaughan is active in local civic and school organizations. She and her husband, who is also a veterinarian, have a son who loves baseball and cats. The family spends time together hiking, camping, traveling and reviving their older home. Shorty, who is short, and Willie, who has one eye, are the family dogs. Joe Patti, the household “boss” cat comes from Pensacola, Florida where he was rescued outside of Joe Patti’s fish market as a kitten. Winnie, is their older diabetic cat, and Chibi (Japanese for Pipsqueak), is their newest cat who received a life- saving transfusion from the generous blood bank donors at PVSEC.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Michael Kraun’s clinical interests include general soft tissue and reconstructive surgery, tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) for treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease, less invasive fracture repair, spinal decompressive surgery, and procedural innovation/modification. He is also passionate about teaching, pain management, and issues pertaining to patient safety.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons-Small Animal Residency, Small Animal Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing
• Internship, Small Animal Surgery, Dallas Veterinary Surgical Center, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens
• Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens

Dr. Kraun enjoys playing sports, especially hockey. An avid college football fan, he is a proud Georgia Bulldog. He loves the outdoors, especially being on the water, and likes to incorporate music into his life whenever possible. He has two cats, Metzy and Cali, and two dachshund-mix brothers, Milo and Graham.

Dr. Eric Ledesma enjoys educating owners about pet care in order to help strengthen the human-animal bond. He is particularly interested in dermatology and cardiology.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, ASPCA Animal Hospital, New York, NY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, New Jersey City University, NJ

Dr. Ledesma enjoys caring for house plants and exploring the various sites that Pittsburgh has to offer.

At North Carolina State University (NCSU), Dr. Edward MacKillop was awarded the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Resident Research Award for his project on the incidence of urinary tract infection in dogs after surgery for intervertebral disk disease. He was the cofounder of the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine Clinical Research, Education, And Treatment of Encephalitis (CREATE) Fund, which is intended to provide financial assistance for the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory central nervous system disease in dogs and cats along with supporting small clinically-based research projects. A prolific writer, he has been published numerous times and is a reviewer for a number of professional journals. Dr. MacKillop is particularly interested in malformations of the central nervous system and axial skeleton.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology)
• Residency, Neurology & Neurosurgery, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Dr. MacKillop and his wife have three daughters. Their pets include an English bulldog Tulip, calico cat Peach, and momma and baby cat, Mochi and Tsubu. One of Dr. MacKillop’s favorite pastimes is collecting console video games.

Dr. Meredith Maczuzak’s clinical interests include polytrauma, parvoviral infections and acute abdominal syndrome.

• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Southpaws Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center, Fairfax VA
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
• Bachelor of Science, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

Dr. Maczuzak has a black cat she calls Dr. Tipper Bruce, PhD, an expert in seasonal conifers and décor. Her great Dane is Sir Lloyd Von Maczuzak.

Dr. Valentina Moshnikova finds abdominal ultrasounds, CT angiography and CT excretory urography the most gratifying to perform.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Radiology
• Residency, Diagnostic Imaging, University of Minnesota, St. Paul
• Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, Houston, TX
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Carolina Veterinary Specialists, Charlotte, NC
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA

Dr. Moshnikova enjoys hiking, drawing, resin epoxy crafts and indoor rock climbing. She and her husband own one lovely cat who has the voice of three.

Publications & Articles

Dr. Anthony Pardo is especially interested in respiratory surgical conditions – tracheal collapse, laryngeal paralysis and in orthopedics – knee surgery, fractures and hip replacement.
He spent five years as an associate professor of surgery at the University of Tennessee and is currently an adjunct assistant professor with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His current research interests include tracheal collapse in the toy breed dog; management of cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in the dog; canine hip replacement; and oncologic surgery.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Residency, Small Animal Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Animal Medical Center, New York City
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis
• Master of Science, Plant Physiology, University of California, Davis Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham MA

Dr. Pardo is on the executive board of Humane Animal Rescue, a local animal shelter in Pittsburg. Some of his favorite activities include fly fishing, bowling, bicycling and hiking. He is married and has three sons and three cats.

Dr. Casey Simchik finds laceration repairs, abscesses, toxicities, neurologic disorders and infectious diseases the most gratifying to treat.

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana
• Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Alfred University, NY

Dr. Simchik enjoys running, photography, traveling and learning about other cultures. She also enjoys taking her mixed breed dog, Tenney, to the dog park and watching TV with her cat, Alley.

Dr. Kate Stewart is a doctor in our emergency service. Conditions she especially enjoys treating include immune-mediated thrombocytopenia and anemia, transfusion medicine, seizure disorders and toxicities.

• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists, Louisville KY
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Centre College, Danville KY

Dr. Stewart enjoys riding hunter/jumper horses and going to concerts. She has two dachshund mixes and two guinea pigs.

Dr. Danna Torre’s particular clinical interests include transfusion medicine and mechanical ventilation. She also finds it rewarding to treat coagulation disorders and immune-mediated diseases.

• Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
• Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Tufts University, Medford MA
• Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, Tinton Falls NJ
• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, Medford MA
• Bachelor of Science, Biology, Binghampton University, NY

Dr. Torre enjoys exercise classes. She and her husband have two children and three brachycephalic (short-snouted) dogs.