A native of St. Louis, MO, Dr. Harris completed his veterinary degree at the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2016. He then completed a small animal rotating internship, and a three year emergency and critical care residency at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa Bay, where he received his training in abdominal ultrasonography under the guidance of veterinary radiologists and internal medicine specialists. After practicing as a critical care specialist, he returned to resident life and completed his cardiology residency, again at BluePearl Tampa in 2024. He currently practices as both a cardiologist and critical care specialist at the BluePearl Tampa hospital.
While he enjoys all aspects of cardiology and critical care, his main passion lies at the intersection of ultrasonography and interventional radiology. Dr. Harris is an author and co-author of several publications, and has lectured on critical care and cariology topics to a wide range of audiences.
While not at the clinic, he spends his free time with his wife, daughter, and pit-bull mix named Finn. He enjoys most outdoor activities, but especially sand volleyball, softball, and mountaineering. He is an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, and fills his weekends coaching his daughter’s softball team.
Education:
- Residency in Cardiology: BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospitals, Tampa, Florida; January 2021 – January 2024.
- Residency in Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care: BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospitals, Tampa, Florida; July 2017 – July 2020.
- Rotating Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery: BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospitals, June 2016 – July 2017.
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine: University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbia, Missouri; graduated May 2016.
- Bachelor of Science, Biology, Magna Cum Laude: University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma; graduated May 2012.
Professional Memberships:
- American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine: 2020 – present
- American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care: 2017 – present
- American Veterinary Medical Association: 2016 – present
- Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society: 2016 – present
- Raptor Rehabilitation Project: 2012 – 2016
- Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA):
2012 – 2016 - Zoo, Exotics, and Wildlife Club: 2012 – 2015
- Missouri Veterinary Medical Association: 2012 – 2016, Student Liaison 2013
- Student Chapter of the Veterinary and Emergency Care Society: 2012 – 2013
Veterinary Clinical Experience:
BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospitals: Tampa, Florida
Small Animal Cardiology Clinician:
- Perform and interpret echocardiograms to diagnose congenital and acquired
heart disease in veterinary patients, as well as provide consultation for
management of cardiac illnesses in patients that are being managed by other
services in the hospital. - Perform interventional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures related to cardiac
disease, including balloon valvuloplasty, ACDO placement, transvenous
pacemaker placement, and esophageal echocardiography. - Train house officers (rotating interns, specialty interns, and residents) on topics
related to veterinary cardiology.
Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Clinician:
- Triage, develop, and execute diagnostic and therapeutic plans for patients
presenting to the critical care service, as well as provide consultation for critically
ill patients that are being managed by other services. - Routinely perform and interpret diagnostic thoracic and abdominal ultrasound
with fine needle aspirates for cytology. - Perform emergency gastrointestinal endoscopy for gastric and esophageal
foreign body removal. - Train house officers (rotating interns, specialty interns, and residents) on aspects
of critical case management, and topics related to veterinary emergency and
critical care.
Small Animal Cardiology Residency:
- Participated in weekly didactic rounds on topics related to veterinary cardiology.
- Performed echocardiograms on canine and feline patients with a variety of
acquired and congenital cardiac abnormalities. - Assisted and performed minimally invasive interventional procedures on canine
patients. - Provided consultation on case management for patients with cardiac pathology
being treated by other services within the hospital. - Educated junior house officers in both formal and informal didactic teaching
rounds on topics related to veterinary cardiology.
Small Animal Emergency and Critical Care Residency
Small Animal Rotating Internship
University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine: Columbia, Missouri
- Emergency Assistant
- Raptor Rehabilitation Project
Research, Publications and Teaching Experience:
- “A survey of emergency and critical care veterinarians regarding intravenous fluid
bolus therapy and monitoring practices in small animals.” J Vet Emerg Crit Care.
September; 31(5):564-573. - “Retrospective Evaluation of Dexamethasone for Treatment of Suspected Critical
Illness-Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency in Dogs with Septic Shock: 60 cases” J
Vet Emerg Crit Care. Accepted for publication: 04-Nov-2023 - BluePearl Specialty + Emergency Pet Hospitals: Tampa, Florida
- Evidence Evaluator
- RECOVER 2.0 initiative First Aid domain
- Domain chairs: Vince Thawley, VMD, DACVECC and Debbie Mandell, VMD,
DACVECC
- RACE approved continuing education for clinicians and technicians:
- “Under Pressure! The use of angiotensin II in the management of refractory
vasodilatory shock” - “A review of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)”
- “Fluid dynamics and the endothelial glycocalyx”
- “Under Pressure! The use of angiotensin II in the management of refractory
- Primary Researcher:
- Working title “Establishment of normal parameters using a novel bedside
viscoelastic coagulation monitor in a population of healthy canines.” - Performed viscoelastic coagulation measurements on a population of healthy
canine blood donors to establish reference parameters. - Other contributing clinicians: John C. Gicking, DVM, DACVECC
- Working title “Establishment of normal parameters using a novel bedside
- Evidence Evaluator
- University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine: Columbia, Missouri
- Didactic Surgery Laboratory Instructor:
- Instructed 3rd year students on how to perform vital procedures (ie. Intravenous
catheterization, endotracheal intubation, indirect blood pressure monitoring, and
anesthetic maintenance and monitoring).
- Instructed 3rd year students on how to perform vital procedures (ie. Intravenous
- Raptor Medicine Didactic and Clinical Practice Course, Founder and Student Leader:
- Planned and instituted a raptor medicine didactic course for the veterinary
medicine curriculum. - Developed and taught lectures that pertained to rehabilitation and treatment of
injured or orphaned raptors including:- “Natural history of common Missouri raptors”
- “Triage and emergency procedures for raptors”,
- “Common diseases of birds of prey”
- “Avian Pharmacology”
- Planned and instituted a raptor medicine didactic course for the veterinary
- Didactic Surgery Laboratory Instructor:
- University of Tulsa: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Researcher:
- “Life between predators and a small space: substrate selection of an interstitial
space-dwelling stream salamander” Journal of Zoology. Vol. 287, Issue 3. Faculty involved: Ron Bonett, MS, PhD - “Paedomorphosis is correlated with macroevolution of salamander limb asymmetry”. Currently submitted and under review in the The American Naturalist Journal. Faculty involved: Ron Bonett, MS, PhD
- “Life between predators and a small space: substrate selection of an interstitial
- Researcher:
Honors and Awards:
- University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine: Columbia, Missouri
- The Wildlife and Exotic Medicine Award, 2016: An annual award that recognizes a student entering the fourth year of study or a graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding proficiency and interest in wildlife or exotic animal medicine.
- H. Richard Adams Scholarship in Veterinary Medicine, 2016: An annual award given to a graduating veterinary student demonstrating exceptional interest and understanding of the human-animal bond.
- University of Tulsa: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Dean’s Scholarship, 2008-2012: An award given to entering freshmen at the University of Tulsa who have demonstrated extraordinary academic achievement throughout their secondary
education. - Albert Pat Blair Award in Biology, 2012: An annual award given to the student demonstrating outstanding academic achievement in biology.
- Division I Athletics, Cross Country and Track & Field Scholarship, 2008-2012: A four-year scholarship awarded to athletes with high athletic ability, moral
character, and team leadership. - Division I Athletics, Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll, 2008-2012: Participated in a conference sanctioned competition while maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Division I Athletics, Conference USA Academic Medalist, 2010-2012: Medals are given to those C-USA student-athletes who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or better.
- Dean’s Scholarship, 2008-2012: An award given to entering freshmen at the University of Tulsa who have demonstrated extraordinary academic achievement throughout their secondary