Our Doctors
Melissa (Vogeler) Barrow, DVM received her Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina State University (Go Wolfpack!) and her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University. She purchased Bluebonnet Animal Hospital, formerly South Lamar Animal Hospital, in the Fall of 2012. Her professional interests include dentistry, dermatology, and preventative medicine. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and four kids!
Dr. Lake grew up in Round Rock, Texas. She received her undergraduate degree in Animal Science with a minor in Biochemistry from Texas State University and her doctorate in veterinary medicine from Ross University.
Growing up, Dr. Lake always had a love for animals and her family pets inspired her to pursue veterinary medicine. Her goal is to help clients understand their pets’ medical conditions and treatments. She wants them to feel informed and empowered to make decisions for their pet.
Her special interests include brachycephalics especially pugs, dermatology, dentistry, senior and preventative healthcare. When she is not taking care of patients, she enjoys rock climbing with her husband and spending time with friends & family.
Dr. Kelly Hopkins received her Bachelor’s in Biology at the University of Texas at Austin in 2010. She went on to Texas A&M to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree then spent 5 years practicing at a small animal practice in Dallas, TX. She was excited to return home to Austin in 2019 to set up roots. Her professional interests include surgery, dentistry, ultrasound, cardiology, and preventative medicine. Dr. Hopkins has a goofy rescue pug and kitty who are best buddies. Outside of work, she loves traveling, hiking, and trying new restaurants!
Dr. Tutchton’s passion lies in creating and fostering a comfortable, honest and safe relationship with her clients and their beloved pets. She loves helping guide her pet parents in ways of preventative medicine, and when things suddenly change, and our fur babies get sick, she is honored to be a part of helping that sick pet become once again happy and healthy. She joins BlueBonnet after practicing a year in emergency medicine.
She is a proud graduate from North Carolina State University where she obtained her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in May 2023 (Go Pack!). She also attended Old Dominion University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in Biology and played Division 1 Lacrosse. Her clinical interests include soft tissue surgery, cardiology and internal medicine.
When Dr. Tutchton isn’t treating her patients, she can be found exploring her new city, enjoying live music, or binge-watching reality TV with her 5-year-old rescue dog, Otto!
Our Staff
Meet our Office Manager! Francisco (Frankie) has been with Bluebonnet since it opened eight years ago. He has three cats (Duncan, Khaleesi, and Reyna) and is originally from Santa Fe, NM. He enjoys all of what Central Texas has to offer, but fishing is his number one hobby. If you’ve been to our clinic before, you’ve likely been met at the front with one of his smiles!
Fun Fact: He designed and created some of the awesome artwork in the lobby and exam rooms.
Haley comes to us from the beautiful island of Maui, HI where she was born and raised. She traded her Hawaiian flower lei for a cowboy hat when she moved to Austin in 2021. Always the avid animal lover and advocate, Haley has worked in veterinary hospitals since 2015. Over the years she’s worked at hospitals that specialize in emergency, holistic, and general practice. Her focus has always been on customer service and providing pet parents with reassurance, guidance, and education. Haley’s goal is to nurture the human-animal bond we share with our pets and strives to make sure you leave our clinic feeling like our staff truly cares about your pet. Outside of work she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, her two loud, rambunctious parrots (Pika and Curry), and her soul-dog (Tali).
Neil grew up in San Antonio, TX, where his passion for animals began. His career in Veterinary Medicine began in 2003, gaining experience in all positions in the veterinary hospital, both clinical and emergency. He studied biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio and graduated in 2008. After moving to Austin in 2013, he joined the team at Bluebonnet Animal Hospital, providing leadership in veterinary care to the South Austin area, and has expanded to the East Austin area at Bluebonnet Riverside Veterinary Clinic in 2018. In 2020, he achieved his Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) certification that recognizes the knowledge obtained from years of practice management, knowledge of human resources, adhering to a strict code of ethics.
He has one handsome dog and two sweet cats and enjoys hiking, camping, and serving the Austin area.
He has one handsome dog and two sweet cats and enjoys hiking, camping, and serving the Austin area.
Originally from Laredo, Tx. Christopher joined Bluebonnet Animal Hospital in 2019. He has over fifteen years of experience in the veterinary field. During this time, he has excelled in training new veterinary technicians, nurturing client relationships, and maintaining a stress-free environment for clients and patients. Christopher is passionate about client education, surgical assistance, and rehabilitation. During his free time, Christopher enjoys spending time with his wife, his 2 playful dogs (Liska and Crom), and his independent cat (Pickles).