By LOIS KINDLE
Family Animal Hospital in Gibsonton has expanded its team of veterinarians with the addition of Lorena Bertolo, DVM. She joins Drs. Anna Bannon and Kelsey Sparta in providing expert, compassionate care to South Shore pets and their families.
Dr. Bertolo is a natural fit for this veterinary practice.
“When she and I first talked on the phone, something just clicked right away,” recalled Bannon, Family Animal Hospital founder/owner. “Her values and style of practicing medicine were very similar to mine.”
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Lorena Bertolo, DVM, earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2024 at Atlantic Veterinary College, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Her cat, Tucker, is shown here in her graduation photo.
Bannon said Bertolo not only met her high standards but also recognized the “intrinsic rewards of working at a small, private practice. She’s a great addition to our team.”
A Toronto native, Bertolo received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 2024 from Atlantic Veterinary College, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Trained as a general practitioner, her special interests include behavioral medicine, pet nutrition, client education and end-of-life palliative care.
Bertolo is fear-free, elite certified and is working towards her low-stress handling certification. Both enable her to build trust with animals and help them willingly participate in their own medical care. She uses gentle techniques, calming environments, conditioning and positive reinforcement to ease any anxiety they experience during visits.
“She’s already brought a lot of ideas – and items – to our practice that have helped with patient care, like spin-lick mats we fill with cheese,” Bannon said. “Dogs become obsessed with them and allow us to do an even lower-stress physical exam. For cats, she introduced [science-backed], calming music we play during exams that helps stressed-out cats relax.”
Bertolo’s love of animals started early. As a child, she sketched herself as a “vererinarian” surrounded by future patients – a charming misspelling of the career that would one day be hers. At 14, she took that passion a step further by attending “vet camp” at Atlantic Veterinary College.
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Veterinarian Lorena Bertolo has had a lifelong dream of caring for animals. As a child, she drew this picture of herself as a “verinarian.”
After moving to Florida with her husband, Aaron, an oncology fellow at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Bertolo worked at an animal clinic for a year in Parrish before joining Family Animal Hospital.
The couple lives in Apollo Beach with their 12-year-old cat, Tucker; 10-year-old cat Kitana; and 8-year-old pot hound, Scarlett. She also has a 2-year-old pittie mix named Walter, who’s looking for a forever home.
The 31-year-old veterinarian brings a thoughtful, compassionate approach to her practice.
“I love being a veterinarian because every day brings new and different challenges and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact,” Bertolo said. “Behavioral medicine allows me to strengthen the human-animal bond, and I find deep fulfillment in using cooperative care and low-stress handling to help animals feel safe and understood, reduce their fear and build trust.”
Bertolo values clear communication and lasting relationships. She takes pride in helping families make confident, informed choices about their pets’ care.
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Dr. Lorena Bertolo, seen here with her 8-year-old Caribbean pot hound, is the newest addition to the veterinary team at Family Animal Hospital in Gibsonton.
“Client education is at the heart of what I do – helping people work within their means to improve their pet’s quality of life,” she said. “It’s a privilege to support both animals and the people who love them.”
Outside of work, Bertolo enjoys collecting tropical plants, experimenting in the kitchen, participating in outdoor sports with her husband, traveling and spending quality time with her family.
Family Animal Hospital is at 13141 Kings Lake Drive, Gibsonton. The practice is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday. Appointments are required.
For an appointment or more information, call 813-512-7336, email WeLovePets@FamilyAnimalHospitalFL.com/, visit www.familyanimalhospital.com or go to the practice’s Facebook page.