DONALD H. MORGAN, DVM
Dr. Morgan grew up in a small Alabama town called Luverne. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University in 1964. From 1964-1967, he served as a Captain in the United States Air Force Veterinary Corps. For 38 years beginning in 1971 to 2009, Dr. Morgan was a partner and owner of Bluffs Animal Hospital, PA, in Belleair Bluffs. For 32 of those years, he helped ensure that the hospital maintained the highest standards by being a Certified AAHA Member Hospital.
Dr. Morgan is a member of several professional organizations, which include: AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) -- 46 years; FVMA (Florida Veterinary Medical Association) -- 43 years; AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) -- 32 years; PAF (Pinellas Animal Foundation) -- 20 years; and the PCVMA (Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association) -- 43 years. As a very active member of the veterinary community, Dr. Morgan has held numerous offices which include: PAF - Board of Directors, Secretary and President (2009-2010); PCVMA - Board of Directors, Secretary (five times) and President (1997); Grievance Chairman, PCVMA (1998-1999); Political Action Committee of Florida for the FVMA since 2000; and member of the Florida Veterinary Medical Association Board of Directors since 2007. As a highly respected member of the veterinary community, Dr. Morgan received the Gold Star Awards from the FVMA in both 2000 & 2001 and was named the Florida Veterinary Medical Association Veterinarian of the Year in 2007. In 2011, Dr. Morgan was honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the FVMA.
Throughout his career, Dr. Morgan has placed great importance on civic and community activities. He was a Past Chairman (1996) and served on the Board of Directors for the Greater Largo Chamber of Commerce for ten years. He Chaired the Government, Beautification, Golf Tournament, Educational and Annual Banquet Committees as Vice-President for the Largo Chamber of Commerce. He was the Regional Director and Member of the Board of Directors of the Miss Florida Pageant (1983-1994), member of the Pinellas County Junior Miss Committee (1974-1988), Past President of the Largo Jaycees for two terms, JCI Senator and US Jaycees Ambassador Awards, Chaired the first 4th of July Fireworks display for the City of Largo in 1977, and served two terms as President of South Ward Elementary PTA. Dr. Morgan was also on the Board of Trustees at Largo Medical Center, an HCA Hospital, for six years, and Chairman of the Board for three years (2002-2005). He served as Chairman of the Professional committee for the Largo Library Capital Campaign Steering Committee (2003-2005). With his numerous leadership positions in the community, Dr. Morgan was honored by being named Citizen of the Year for the City of Largo, by the Greater Largo Chamber of Commerce in 1977. Last but certainly not least, Dr. Morgan is a member and vocalist in the St. Paul United Methodist Church Choir and Men's Chorus.
Dr. Morgan is married to his lovely wife, Dianne, and together they have five children and eight grandchildren. Dr. Morgan has been a resident of Belleair for 39 years and lived in the area for 43 years.
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GUY GIBSON, DVM
Dr. Gibson is a native of Largo, Florida, and attended Keswick Christian High School. He attended the University of Florida and graduated in 1986 with a degree in Microbiology. He continued at the University of Florida, earning his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1990.
A true example of working his way up the ladder, Dr. Gibson first began working at Bluffs Animal Hospital as a 10th grader, taking care of animals in the kennel. After completing school, he worked as a Veterinarian in Dunedin from 1990-1997 and then returned home to Bluffs as an Associate Veterinarian. In the spring of 2009, Dr. Gibson became a Partner and Co-Owner of the hospital.
Dr. Gibson is a member of several professional associations, which include the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association); FVMA (Florida Veterinary Medical Association); AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association); and the PCVMA (Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association).
Happily married to his wife Michele since 1996, Dr. Gibson has a stepson named Joseph and son named Hunter. In addition, members of the family include "Duke", a black Lab, and "Vielula", a Golden Retriever. Dr. Gibson was proud to serve as the Coach of the Little League "Majors" for 18 years. As avid sportsman, he enjoys fishing and hunting, as well as gardening.
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DOUGLAS J. SPIKER, DVM
Originally born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Dr. Spiker moved to Florida at the age of three. He spent his childhood in New Port Richey, Florida, and was a graduate of Gulf High School. He then attended Florida State University on a Bright Futures Scholarship and majored in Biology. In 2001, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree. While at Florida State, Dr. Spiker was on the Dean's List, a member of several honor societies, and served as Treasurer of the FSU Ballroom Dance Club from 1998-2001.
Dr. Spiker continued his education at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in Auburn, Alabama. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and received the Tyler and Fran Young Scholarship for academic achievement in 2002. Exceptional in his clinical studies, Dr. Spiker was honored with several awards as a senior, which included: American College of Veterinary Surgeons Small Animal Surgery Clinical Proficiency Award; Kodak Radiology Clinical Proficiency Award; and the Deborah J. Harrington Memorial Overall Clinical Proficiency Award. He served the important role of being a Small Animal Student Resident from Fall 2004-Spring 2005. His many leadership roles included: Treasurer, Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine, Class of 2005, (2001-present); Treasurer, Alpha Psi National Veterinary Fraternity (Spring 2003-2004); Finance Chair for the College of Veterinary Medicine Open House (Spring 2003); Alternate Justice to the Student Board of Ethical Relations (Fall 2001, Fall 2003, Fall 2004, Spring 2005); Rush Chairman (2002), National Convention Delegate, and Sergeant at Arms for Alpha Psi National Veterinary Fraternity.
During his studies, Dr. Spiker completed several externships at various animal hospitals, which included an externship at Florida Veterinary Specialists (FVS), Tampa, FL (Summer, 2003); externship at the Southwest Equine Medical & Surgical Center, Scottsdale, AZ (Summer, 2003); and Preceptorship at North Florida Animal Hospital, Tallahassee, FL (Spring, 2005). Dr. Spiker graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Magna Cum Laude, in 2005.
The beginning of his veterinary career was during 1998-2000, when he worked part-time during school breaks as a Kennel Technician at Hidden Oaks Animal Hospital in Tarpon Springs, FL. In June of 2005, Dr. Spiker joined Bluffs Animal Hospital as an Associate Veterinarian. In the spring of 2009, he became a Partner and Co-Owner of the hospital.
Dr. Spiker is a member of several professional associations, which include the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association); FVMA (Florida Veterinary Medical Association); AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association); the PCVMA (Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association). His veterinary leadership roles include: serving on the Board of Directors for the Pinellas Animal Foundation (2009-2011); being an Educational Advisor for the Tarpon High School Veterinary Assistant curriculum; and serving on the Board of Directors (2007-2009) and as President (2010) of the Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association. In 2011, Dr. Spiker was honored with a Gold Star Award from the Florida Veterinary Medical Association for his commitment to the veterinary profession and the local community.
Married in 2005, Dr. Spiker resides in Belleair Bluffs with his loving wife, Christine Battista, his high school sweetheart. They have three furry kids -- "Billy", a Boxer, "Madison", a Boston Terrier, and "Annie", an All-American rescue dog. He enjoys many outdoor hobbies which include biking, running, hiking, swimming, and gardening. When confined inside, he likes working on remodeling projects, going to the theatre, ballroom dancing, and reading. Dr. Spiker and his wife are also very passionate about travel in the U.S. and abroad, and are especially devoted to being a "Big Couple" mentor to a "Little" in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. In January of 2012, Dr. Spiker and Christine were named "Big Couple of the Year" for Pinellas, Hernando and Citrus Counties.
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KRISTIN HEATHERLY, DVM
Dr. Heatherly was born in Tampa, Florida, and graduated in 2000 from Tampa Prep. She attended college at Auburn University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 2004, Summa Cum Laude. She continued at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2007, Summa Cum Laude. Dr. Heatherly completed an internship at Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Northbrook Illinois, with rotations in neurology, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery and cardiology.
Dr. Heatherly is a member of the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), the FVMA (Florida Veterinary Medical Association), AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association) and the PCVMA (Pinellas County Veterinary Medical Association).
Dr. Heatherly and her husband, Jay, a high school teacher at Gaither High in Hillsborough County, were married in July of 2006. They reside in Largo with their “furry family”, which consists of 2 dogs -- “Maizie” and “Annabelle”, and 2 cats -- “Miles” and “Ricky The Dragon Steamboat”, all of which are rescued animals. Dr. Heatherly is an avid runner and has participated in several marathons. She also enjoys doing crafts.
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BRADY PRATT, DVM
A native of Florida, Dr. Pratt was born at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. He then moved and grew up in Crystal River, Florida, and graduated from Crystal River High School in 2003. During high school, he was a member of the National Honor Society, President of Future Farmers of America, and a State-Champion Wrestler.
He attended and graduated from the University of Florida, Magna Cum Laude, in the spring of 2007. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Cell Science, and a minor in Chemistry. While at UF, Dr. Pratt served as Secretary for the UF Pre-Vet Club, made the President's list, and was a member of multiple honor societies.
Dr. Pratt then continued his studies at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He graduated with a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in May of 2011. At LSU, he was a member of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) Student Chapter, the Surgery Club, and was also on the Dean's list.
To further his studies, during spring of 2010, Dr. Pratt completed externships at North Florida Animal Hospital in Tallahassee, Florida, and at Florida Veterinary Specialists in Tampa, Florida. Over the summer months between his second and third year of veterinary school, he also worked as a Veterinary Assistant at Bluffs Animal Hospital in Belleair Bluffs, Florida. In June of 2011, Dr. Pratt joined Bluffs Animal Hospital as an Associate Veterinarian.
In Dr. Pratt's spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities such as fishing, boating, and hunting. He is currently single, but in good company with his beagle named Casey.
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Linda Guerin
Linda moved to Clearwater in 1973 from her hometown of Rochester, NY. She graduated from Largo High in 1977 and received her Associates degree in Veterinary Technology from SPJC in 1979. After working at another Veterinary Hospital for 18 years, she started with Bluffs in March of 1997. Linda obtained a Certificate in Veterinary Management in 2011 and is a member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association.
Linda has 2 boys and has been married to the love of her life, Robert, since 1995. When she is not working or going to school, she enjoys spending time with her husband and taking care of their Standard Poodle “Mabel”, a Pomeranian mix “Jasmine”, a purebred Pomeranian “Stella”, a West Highland Terrier “Abbey”, a Chihuahua/Terrier mix “Peanut”, a cat “Sheila”, and their fish. Linda is especially proud of her “Mabel”, the official blood donor for our hospital. Mabel was adopted from the Florida Poodle Rescue in 2000. Linda’s hobbies include camping, crafts, cooking and she is also an avid bowler and has been for more than 42 years!
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CERTIFIED VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (CVT)
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Beth Head CVT, BAS-VT
Beth has been an esteemed employee at Bluffs since 1998. She graduated from St. Petersburg Junior College in 1999 with an Associate of Science degree in Veterinary Technology. Beth also graduated with honors from SPC in December 2011 with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology.
Beth is a native of Florida, born and raised in Pinellas County. She has been married since 2003 and has 3 children -- all girls. It is obvious Beth is an animal lover, as her family includes dogs, cats, fish, a squirrel, and even a rat!
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Allison
Allison, originally from Port St Lucie, Florida, joined the Bluff’s team in March 2011. When she was a little girl she embraced her love for animals and had aspirations to care for them. During high school, Allison began pursuing her goals by becoming a kennel attendant and veterinary assistant in a small animal hospital. In 2006, she graduated from Fort Pierce Westwood High school with honors and a veterinary assisting certificate. In 2007, after completing her A.A. degree at Indian River State College, she decided to move to Pinellas County and enroll in St Petersburg College’s Veterinary Technology A.S. program. After graduating in May 2009, Allison became certified with the Florida Veterinary Technician Association. Compassionate about the profession and having the desire to continue learning, she enrolled in St. Petersburg College Veterinary Technology BAS program in August of 2010.
Currently living in Largo, Florida, Allison takes care of her five “fur-babies”: “Luna” an Australian Shepherd; “Crush” a Black Lab; “Tux” a Domestic Shorthaired Cat; “Mort” a Domestic Longhaired Cat; and “Hugs” her rabbit. In her free time she enjoys oil painting, going to the park or the beach with her dogs, and spending time with family and friends.
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SENIOR VETERINARY ASSISTANT
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Lori
Lori was born and raised in Livonia, Michigan, and moved to Florida in 2006. She has been a non-certified Vet Tech since 1984 and has been at Bluffs since 2006. She has an adorable Shih-tzu named “George”, and a cat named “Loretta”. Lori has a wonderful daughter and 2 beautiful grandchildren, Jaxon and Jillian.
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Shannon
Since 2005, Shannon has worked as a Veterinary Technician
at Bluffs. She received her Associate of
Arts degree from SPC in 2005 and graduated from Galen School of Nursing, LPN-RN
Bridge program in 2011. Shannon has 2
dogs: “Haney” is a Shih-Tzu and “Tyson” is a Boxer. Since the age of 5, Shannon has been an avid
bowler (and loves to challenge Dr. Spiker about it regularly!).
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Christine
Christine was born and raised in Pinellas County. She graduated from Tarpon Springs High School in 2004, after being a member of the Agriscience Academy and leadership and Music Conservatory. After high school, Christine attended the University of South Florida and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She now teaches 5th grade at Orange Grove Elementary, in addition to working part-time at Bluffs. Christine joined the Bluffs family in 2005 as a kennel employee and has also worked as a bather, receptionist, and veterinary assistant. Her furry family consists of two mischievous Chihuahuas, “Boris” and “Sophia”, aka “Uggers”, and a lazy cat, “Natasha”.
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Melissa
Having grown up in Florida, Melissa loves anything to do with the water – including boating and fishing. She also enjoys spending time with her Boxer named “Hades”. She graduated with an AA in Psychology and is currently working towards a BAS in Management and Organizational Leadership. Her goal is to work in Animal Pharmacology.
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Julia
Julia was born and raised in Clearwater and has had a love for animals since a very young age. She attended a zoo animal technology program in Gainesville for two years and is currently enrolled at SPC in the veterinary technology program. She enjoys visiting zoos all over the country and learning as much as she can about both exotic and domestic animals. Julia has one dog at home named “Molly”, who is a shepherd mix. Her hobbies include reading, going to the beach and shopping.
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Ashley
Also referred to as “Swim Coach”, Ashley is too shy to admit it, but she is a state-champion swimmer. Born and raised in Pinellas County, she graduated from high school in 2005. Ashley is currently enrolled in the veterinary technician program at St. Petersburg College and loves every minute of it. With 5 birds, 2 dogs and a gerbil, she is most definitely an animal lover. “Rainbow” is a Sun Conure, “Ariel”, “Eric” and “Scuttle” are Parakeets, “Sunnie” is a Cockatiel, “Skippy” is a Jack Russell Terrier, “Skeeter” is a Silky Terrier, and “Abby” is her gerbil. Ashley also works part-time at the SPCA of Tampa Bay as a veterinary assistant. In her spare time, Ashley's favorite hobbies include camping and kayaking with her dog “Skippy”, as well as sewing quilts.
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Terri
Born in the Buckeye State of Ohio, Terri moved to Florida in 1976. She graduated from Osceola High, and then Tampa Business College, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. She joined the Bluffs team in 2007. Her family includes 2 children and 4 dogs.
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Judy
Judy has lived in the St. Pete/Clearwater area since 1976 and was a graduate of Countryside High School. She attended St. Pete Junior College, the University of Florida, and also served as a Medic in the Army for 5 years. Judy has been a Veterinary Technician and worked as a receptionist since 1989. An animal lover, Judy is the proud parent of 4 dogs, 4 cats, and a bird. Her hobbies include collecting shells, walking on the beach, bike riding, and wine tasting.
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Cindy
Cindy moved to Florida from Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1968. She started working at Bluffs in 1978 and has worked on and off since then. She shares home with her much-loved pets which include 2 dogs and 2 cats.
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Jen
Jen was born in St. Petersburg and graduated from Largo High School in
2009. She currently attends St. Petersburg College, pursuing an AA degree. She
has been working in the animal field since 2008. Jen has been married to
her high school sweetheart, Alex, since August of 2010, and they have 3 Pit
Bulls: "Coco", "Junie" and "Pimp". Jen also loves
cats, but currently has none.
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Kathy
A fairly recent, but much appreciated edition to the Bluffs team, Kathy grew up in the local area and graduated from Boca Ceiga High. In addition to her position at Bluffs, she also teaches basic and advanced obedience classes at the Dog Training Club of St. Petersburg. Married since 1985, Kathy has 2 children and 4 dogs, all Australian Shepherds. Her main hobby is showing her dogs in both the Obedience Ring and Confirmation Ring. “Blaze” has a CD Title and is working towards a CDX, while “Nikki” is almost a Champion and just needs one more major. The newest puppy, “Tett”, is starting in the Confirmation Ring, while “Flash” struggles with keeping his feet on the ground in the Confirmation Ring, but is well suited for the Agility Ring. Clearly, Kathy is an animal-lover!
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Chris
Chris has been a valued employee at Bluffs since 2003. He graduated from Palm Harbor University High School in 2008 and is currently attending St. Petersburg College. His hobbies include socializing with his friends, participating in sports that promote good exercise, and taking care of his dog, “Goliath”.
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Mabel
Bluffs Official Blood Donor
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