Our Team
Specialists in Specialty and Emergency Care
Our team is proud of our collaborative approach to specialty and emergency veterinary care that includes working closely with the family veterinarian, the pet owner, and our fellow colleagues. This ensures continuity of care between pet owners, family veterinarians, and our specialists. Our support team always keeps the health and well-being of our patients as the most important factor during their time with us.To find out more about all of the people that make us special, please click the name of the doctor below.
Acupuncture & Alternative Therapies
- Diane Gabriel , VMD, CVA
Dr. Gabriel joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in October 2012.
Dr. Diane Gabriel graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2001 and received her certification in Veterinary Acupuncture from the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2007. She has been practicing integrative holistic veterinary medicine exclusively for over three years and performing acupuncture since 2006.
Dr. Diane Gabriel focuses her practice on integrative medicine. This approach utilizes more natural and gentle remedies coupled with traditional medicine to aid in healing and promote wellness. Dr. Gabriel creates individualized protocols for each patient, based on his/her specific needs. Her assessments include a comprehensive physical exam of the patient and an in-depth discussion with owners regarding nutrition, daily exercise and the personality of the patient.
Integrative medicine is beneficial to both young and senior pets. Dr. Gabriel utilizes a combination of Chinese and Western Herbs, Homotoxicology/Homeopathy, Nutraceuticals, Kinesiology, Nutrition and Acupuncture/Aquapuncture along with conventional veterinary medicine. Patients suffering from diseases such as osteoarthritis, skin disorders, allergies, kidney disease, anxiety, seizure disorders, and cancer may positively respond to integrative therapies.
- Lee Simpson, DVM
Dr. Lee Simpson joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in June 2011.
She graduated in 1979 from Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. In 1996, Dr. Simpson began to study acupuncture and Chinese medicine in Houston, Texas. She became certified in veterinary acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 1996. In 1997, she took a veterinary chiropractic course and became certified in animal adjusting (animal chiropractic) by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association. In recent months, Dr. Simpson has attended courses in food therapy and advanced acupuncture at the Chi Institute for TCVM in Florida.
Dr. Simpson's professional interest in alternative veterinary medicine started 15 years ago when she felt limited in treating chronically ill patients with conventional veterinary medicine. Her natural and complementary therapies include: herbal medicine, acupuncture, electroacupuncture, nutritional counseling for homemade diets, animal adjustments (animal chiropractic), and many types of supplements. In her free time, Dr. Simpson passions include bird and wildlife watching, the environment, traveling, gardening, and cooking.
Behavioral Therapy
- Robin Stephan , Animal Behavior Consultant
Robin Stephan joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in September of 2012.
Robin Stephan graduated from the University of Hartford, Hartford Connecticut Summa Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. She also graduated from the Canine Training and Management Program (Level I) and the Canine Behavior Program (Level II) which is accredited through Kutztown University and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.
Over the past ten years, Robin has worked with a vast variety of dogs as a trainer. She worked with Randy Krommer doing police dog and pet dog training. For the last two and a half years she has been teaching a Family Pet Dog Training class at Schuykill Veterinary Hospital. Along with teaching classes, Robin also does in-home training and behavior related consultations.
She provides boarding for dogs with behavior problems or health conditions that require extra care and are not accepted at a kennel.
Cardiology
- Dennis Burkett, VMD, PhD, DACVECC, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)
Dr. Dennis Burkett joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in January of 2006 and is board certified in both cardiology and emergency and critical care.
A 1984 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Burkett also completed his residency in emergency medicine and critical care at the University of Pennsylvania in 1987, becoming board certified in 1993. He returned to academia in 2002 and completed residency training in cardiology in 2005, achieving board certification in 2007. His professional interests include cardiology, emergency medicine, and critical care, with a special interest in cardiopulmonary emergencies
- Meg Sleeper , VMD, DACVIM (Cardiology)
Dr. Sleeper joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in June 2011 and is board certified in Cardiology.
Dr. Meg Sleeper graduated cum laude from the veterinary school of the University of Pennsylvania in 1993. Following an internship in private practice, she returned to the University of Pennsylvania for a residency in cardiology, which was completed in 1997. Since that time, with the exception of 1 year in private practice she has worked in the section of cardiology and has been section chief of cardiology since 2001. In 2008 she was promoted to associate professor of cardiology-clinician educator track at the University of Pennsylvania.
Her research initially focused on the identification and characterization of juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy in Portuguese water dogs and has led to several ongoing studies, including most recently the evaluation of various candidate genes for use in a therapeutic gene transfer approach to improve cardiac function in failing hearts. Ultimately the goal is to translate this work to gene transfer treatment approaches for canine idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and human heart failure. Studies are also underway evaluating therapeutic gene transfer approaches to treat cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction in X-linked muscular dystrophy golden retriever dogs.
Clinical Pathology
- Kristin Fisher, DVM, MS, DACVP (Clinical Pathology)
Dr. Kristen Fisher joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency in August of 2015 and is board-certified in Clinical Pathology.
Dr. Kristin Fisher studied Zoology and earned her bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University. She graduated from the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 and completed a three-year clinical pathology residency at Purdue University in 2015. During her residency, she also received a Master's degree in Comparative Pathobiology.
Dr. Fisher has presented several times at the American College of Veterinary Pathologists Annual Meeting. She has participated in numerous studies involving a variety of specialists and enjoys working closely with clinicians. She has given many lectures on veterinary clinical pathology to undergraduate and veterinary students, veterinary technicians, interns and residents.
Dr. Fisher's clinical interests include hematopathology, surgical pathology and cytology, clinical chemistry, and infectious disease. Her goal is to make clinical pathology understandable and easily accessible and to provide accurate and timely results in order to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.
Dr. Fisher currently lives in Easton, PA with her husband, Alex, her dog, Lily, and her two cats, Figaro and Skittles. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cooking and traveling.
Emergency
- Christopher Garthwaite, MRCVS
Dr. Garthwaite joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in August of 2017.
Dr.Garthwaite is a native of West New Jersey. He completed his undergraduate at the University of Arizona and continued his studies at the Royal Veterinary College, making him a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Dr. Garthwaite likes being an active member of the Lehigh Valley community and enjoys helping animals. His professional interests include emergency medicine and internal medicine.
Outside of work he plays golf and the blues harmonica. He also enjoys riding his motorcycle.
- Heather Regan, VMD
Dr. Heather Regan joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in 2012.
Dr. Regan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2007. She is originally from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania and completed her undergraduate degree at Penn State University. She has been working as an emergency veterinarian since graduating from Penn that time and joined the team at Valley Central Emergency.Dr. Regan resides with her husband and two children in Lehigh County.
- Karen Patton, DVM
Dr. Karen Patton joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in 2011.
Dr. Patton was raised on a farm in western Kansas. She completed her BS in Biology from Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS. in 2003 and worked for a short time as a lab technologist in human medicine. She returned to school at and received her degree in veterinary medicine from Kansas State University in 2008. Drawn by her special interest in internal medicine and emergency care, Dr. Patton completed a rotating internship in internal medicine, surgery and emergency medicine. Dr. Patton expanded her experience and skills in a progressive emergency practice in Northeast Pennsylvania. She continues her interest in emergency and critical care medicine, internal medicine and cardiology.
Internal Medicine
- Candace Carter, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Dr. Candace Carter joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in August of 2003 and is board certified in internal medicine.
Dr. Carter graduated from the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996 and then completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at Rowley Memorial Animal Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts. She practiced small animal medicine locally as an associate at Walbert Animal Hospital in Allentown, PA, from 1997-1999. She went on to complete a small animal medicine residency at Michigan State University from 1999-2002. She spent one year as a clinical instructor at the University of Pennsylvania before returning to practice in the Lehigh Valley at Valley Central Veterinary Referral Center in 2003.
Dr. Carter interests include immune-mediated disease and hematological disorders. She continues to find all facets of internal medicine rewarding. She is able to perform endoscopy, colonoscopy, rhinoscopy, cystoscopy, bronchoscopy and ultrasonography to meet a variety of diagnostic challenges. Dr. Carter strives to provide quality medical care and answers so that her clients can make educated decisions regarding the welfare of their beloved pets. - Ronald Hodges, DVM, PC, DACVIM (Owner - Co-Hospital Director - Chief of Internal Medicine)
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Dr. Ronald Hodges is an owner and senior internist at Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center. He has been board certified in internal medicine since 1996 and has been caring for pets in the Lehigh Valley since 1997.
After graduating from Tuskegee University, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987, Dr. Hodges completed a one-year small animal internship at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. He then completed a small animal residency at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1991, he joined on as a small animal practitioner at Wyncote Animal Hospital. He became CEO and owner of the Small Animal Veterinary Internal Medicine Referral Hospital of Langhorne, Pennsylvania in 1994. In 1997, he became the owner and CEO of the internal medicine department of Valley Central Veterinary Referral Center.
A high achiever since childhood, Dr. Hodges was valedictorian of his high school and was on the honor roll, Dean's list, and graduated within the top 10% of his class at Tuskegee University. In 1991, he received a Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident Teaching Award from the University of Tennessee. He was also awarded the Tuskegee University Eastern Regional Achiever Award in 2001.
Dr. Hodges has authored several publications and continues to provide conference presentations and continuing education seminars. He also currently holds several active committee memberships. In 2003, he became an Executive Board Member of Valley Central Veterinary Emergency Center. In 2004, he became a member of the Corporate Leadership Committee for the Philadelphia Zoo.
Nuclear Medicine
- Ronald Hodges, DVM, PC, DACVIM (Owner - Co-Hospital Director - Chief of Internal Medicine)
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine
Dr. Ronald Hodges is an owner and senior internist at Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center. He has been board certified in internal medicine since 1996 and has been caring for pets in the Lehigh Valley since 1997.
After graduating from Tuskegee University, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1987, Dr. Hodges completed a one-year small animal internship at the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, Florida. He then completed a small animal residency at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1991, he joined on as a small animal practitioner at Wyncote Animal Hospital. He became CEO and owner of the Small Animal Veterinary Internal Medicine Referral Hospital of Langhorne, Pennsylvania in 1994. In 1997, he became the owner and CEO of the internal medicine department of Valley Central Veterinary Referral Center.
A high achiever since childhood, Dr. Hodges was valedictorian of his high school and was on the honor roll, Dean's list, and graduated within the top 10% of his class at Tuskegee University. In 1991, he received a Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident Teaching Award from the University of Tennessee. He was also awarded the Tuskegee University Eastern Regional Achiever Award in 2001.
Dr. Hodges has authored several publications and continues to provide conference presentations and continuing education seminars. He also currently holds several active committee memberships. In 2003, he became an Executive Board Member of Valley Central Veterinary Emergency Center. In 2004, he became a member of the Corporate Leadership Committee for the Philadelphia Zoo.
Oncology
- Christine Mullin, VMD, DACVIM (Oncology)
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
Dr. Mullin joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in August of 2015 and is board-certified in Oncology.
Dr. Christine Mullin is a native of Cherry Hill, NJ. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Biology from The College of New Jersey where she was also captain of the women's soccer team, playing in two NCAA Division III National Championship games. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and graduated summa cum laude. Dr. Mullin completed a one-year internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in NJ. She subsequently completed a three-year residency at The Oncology Service in the Washington DC metro area and obtained board certification in Medical Oncology from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Dr. Mullin has a strong interest in clinical research and has served as a co-investigator for multiple clinical trials through the Animal Clinical Investigation network. Her professional accomplishments include publication of several co-authored journal articles and book chapters, being awarded a clinical research grant from Pfizer as an intern, and designing and implementing a multi-institutional prospective clinical trial as a resident.
During her residency, Dr. Mullin conducted extracurricular bench top research in osteosarcoma within the Pediatric Oncology Branch at the NIH National Cancer Institute. She was recently awarded the Amiya Patnaik Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Resident Basic Science Research at the 2014 Veterinary Cancer Society conference for this work.
She lives in NJ with her husband as well as their German shepherd and 2 cats.
- Kate Vickery, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Oncology)
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Oncology)
Dr. Vickery joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in March 2013 and is board-certified in Oncology.
Dr. Vickery majored in Molecular Genetics and Biology and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Kings College, Wilkes-Barre. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. After obtaining her VMD degree, she went on to complete a three-year combined Residency and Master?EUR(TM)s Degree in Medical Oncology and Cancer Biology at the world renown, Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University.
Dr. Vickery has published research articles in Veterinary Comparative Oncology and Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, peer reviewed journals. She is an active collaborator for clinical trials sponsored by numerous veterinary universities, pharmaceutical companies and Animal Clinical Investigations Network. She has lectured nationally to veterinarians and veterinary students on the topic of Veterinary Oncology. Dr. Vickery holds the position of Chair of the Oncology Forum Planning Committee for the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She is a member of the Veterinary Cancer Society, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Dr. Vickery strives to provide the highest quality patient care and client service. Client education and recognition of the human-animal bond are both imperative in her daily practice.
Dr. Vickery enjoys spending time with her husband, their dog Lucy and their cat Jim. In her free time she enjoys practicing yoga, trail hiking, camping, and beer tasting.
Ophthalmology
- Mary Landis, VMD, MA (Practice limited to Ophthalmology)
Practice Limited to Ophthalmology
Dr. Mary Landis joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in August of 2005.
Dr. Landis received a BA in chemistry with a minor in mathematics in 1995 from Temple University. In 1996, Dr. Landis earned a MA in physical chemistry. She then joined the Barnett Institute at Northeastern University for postgraduate work in materials science and engineering. Dr. Landis continued her studies by earning a veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2004.
Dr. Landis has received many awards including, Employee Excellence in 2006 from Doylestown Animal Medical Clinic, Department of Chemistry Excellence in Teaching Award in 1998 from Northeastern University, Academic Excellence in Materials Science in 1998 from Barnett Institute of Materials Science and Ernst Giessen Award for Outstanding Achievement in Materials Science Research in 1997.
Her clinical interests include corneal and orbital disease as well as other comparative aspects of ophthalmology.
Surgery
- Angela Gifford Carnathan, DVM, DACVS-SA
Dr. Angela Gifford joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in August 2013 and is board-certified in Surgery.
Dr. Gifford is originally from Ithaca, New York, she found veterinary medicine to be the perfect combination of her interests in dog training and biology. After completing her undergraduate degree in biology at St. Bonaventure University, Dr. Gifford continued on to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine where she completed her veterinary degree in 2009. During veterinary school she participated in research on reproductive disease of the dog and the congenital disorder, petcus excavatum. She was awarded the American Animal Hospital Association Student Achievement Award in Medicine and Surgery, the Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology Award, the Westminster Kennel Club Foundation Veterinary Scholarship, and the Fingerlakes Kennel Club Veterinary Scholarship.
Dr. Gifford continued on to a rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Oradell Animal Hospital in New Jersey, and then moved to Rhode Island to complete a three year residency in surgery at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists. During residency, her research focused on surgical oncology and the use of chemotherapy beads in the treatment of various soft tissue tumors dogs, cats, and rabbit.
Dr. Gifford enjoys all types of surgery, including emergency, soft tissue, neurologic, oncologic, and orthopedic surgery. She has participated in several AO courses on orthopedic repair. She offers TTA, TPLO, and extracapsular stabilization for the repair of cruciate deficient stifles. Dr. Gifford has taken an interest in minimally invasive and interventional techniques. Her own cat has undergone ureteral stenting and ureteral bypass, providing a firsthand view of the advantages of these procedures. Beyond surgery, Dr. Gifford has keen interest in patient care and pain management, striving to treat the entire patient throughout their surgical treatment.
Dr. Gifford is currently a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association, and the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management.
In their spare time, Dr. Gifford and her husband enjoy hiking with their Flat Coated Retrievers and Caribbean rescue dog, horseback riding on their Appaloosa mare, and many other outdoor activities. They also share their home with three wonderful cats. - Carlos Hodges, DVM, MS, PC (Practice Limited to Surgery) (Owner - Co-Hospital Director - Chief of Surgery)
Practice Limited to Surgery
Dr. Carlos Hodges is an owner and surgeon at Valley Central Veterinary Referral? and Emergency Center and has been caring for pets in the Lehigh Valley area since 1996.
Dr. Hodges comes from a family of veterinarians. His father is a retired general practitioner in Philadelphia and he works with his brother, a veterinary internist. Dr. Hodges graduated from Tuskegee University, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. He completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery from 1985-86. Dr. Hodges completed a one-year fellowship in surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, completing a research project in veterinary dentistry under the guidance of Dr. Colin Harvey. Dr. Hodges completed a surgical residency at Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine from 1987-90. His research was in chylothorax under the guidance of Dr. Terry Fossum. In 1990, Dr. Hodges accepted an appointment as Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Orthopedics at the teaching hospital of the Texas Veterinary Medical Center at Texas A&M University from 1990-96, working with Dr. Don Hulse. He remained in that capacity with interests in soft tissue surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and veterinary dentistry until June of 1996 when he began the surgical practice at Valley Central.
Dr. Hodges' surgical interests include but are not limited to soft tissue surgery, neurosurgery, and orthopedics. He is certified in the Kyon TTA & Total Hip, and performs TPLO and Tight Rope surgeries for the cruciate deficient stifle. Dr. Hodges is also certified in the Biomedtrix Total Knee Replacement. He performs minimally invasive orthopedic (arthroscopy, ACL, & fracture fixation), soft tissue surgery (gastropexy, ovariohysterectomy, bladder stone removal, etc), and thoracoscopy procedures (lung biopsy, pericardectomy).
Dr. Hodges won the research portion of the ACVS residents competition in 1990. He is a member of the AVMA, AAHA, PVMA, LVVMA, and serves on the board of the Valley Central Veterinary Emergency Hospital. Dr. Hodges joined the Novartis/Hills Osteoarthritis Speaker Advocate Panel in 2010. Dr. Hodges co-hosts the Animal Doctor Show on Channel 69 WFMZ-TV Allentown, PA, with Kathy Craine. He is also a frequent participant on MyFox Philly 29 and WCAU-TV Philadelphia. Dr. Hodges has hosted a Wednesday's Foster Child segment sponsored by Freddie Mac from WCAU-TV Philadelphia. The segment won the PVMA's Media Award in 2004.
Dr. Hodges and his wife, Ardeth, have a daughter, Raya, and a cat, Sophina. Outside the hospital, he enjoys cycling, scuba diving, wine and beer tasting, golf, traveling, and hiking. - Daphne Clendaniel, VMD, MS (Practice limited to Surgery)
Dr. Daphne C. Clendaniel joined Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center in May of 2015.
Dr. Clendaniel is a Delaware native whose dedication to a career in veterinary medicine began at an early age. She practiced as a veterinary nurse during the completion of her BS and MS in animal science at the University of Delaware. Early exposure to specialty practice lead her to develop an interest in small animal surgery.
During her curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Clendaniel was an active member of the Student Veterinary Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Service, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management and the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Her training included an externship in orthopedic and soft tissue surgery at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Post-graduation she continued her training by completing a small animal rotating internship in medicine and surgery at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital before being accepted into a surgical internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York. Four months into her surgical internship training, she left to accept and complete an accredited residency in small animal surgery at the Veterinary Referral Center in Malvern, PA.
As a member of our soft tissue surgical team at Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center, Dr. Clendaniel offers not only excellence but also compassion in veterinary surgery and medicine to her patients. Her training has enabled her to provide a comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and care plan for your pet. Safe and effective anesthetic protocols are tailored for each individual need including the pediatric, geriatric and critically ill patient. Her goal in surgery is to keep the surgical as well as anesthetic duration for each patient as short as possible, while minimizing soft tissue trauma. Dr. Clendaniel believes that perioperative patient care is as equally important as surgical treatment. Her attention to detail and accurate assessment of her patients enables her to implement optimal peri-operative care protocols, including effective pre and post-operative pain management facilitating a smooth and rapid recovery.
Upon receiving her veterinary degree, Dr. Clendaniel was awarded the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Student Award of Excellence in Small Animal Surgery. Dr. Clendaniel's specialty and main interest is in the area of soft tissue surgery. We are excited to have her join our surgical team where she will continue to offer her skills in the areas of neurosurgery, surgical oncology, limited orthopedic and endoscopic procedures, and all areas of soft tissue surgery including abdominal, gastrointestinal, thoracic, head and neck, reconstructive and urogenital. Her focus is to bring the latest advances in soft tissue surgical technique to Valley Central Veterinary Referral and Emergency Center.
Dr. Clendaniel is an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, American Animal Hospital Association, and International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management. She also serves as a board member of the Day By Day Pet Caregiver Support Group.
Dr. Clendaniel loves spending time participating in outdoor activities with her golden retriever Chase, maltipoo Maximus, Norwich Terrier Niles, and long-haired Chihuahua Bridget. She enjoys cooking, traveling, hiking, yoga, painting and is fascinated with alternative/holistic approaches to medicine.
- Guy DeNardo DeNardo, DVM (Practice Limited to Surgery)