Katie Kennedy, DVM, MS

Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal)

Dr. Lauren Pugliese grew up in Syracuse, NY. She always knew she wanted to be a veterinarian, growing up with a variety of pet animals and an obsession with horses. She attended Washington University in St. Louis for her undergraduate degree with majors in Comparative Literature and Biology. Dr. Pugliese graduated from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine and then pursued a rotating internship at the Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego followed by a surgical internship at Hollywood Animal Hospital in South Florida. Dr. Pugliese was the first Fitzpatrick fellow of orthopedic research at the Ohio State University and then stayed at the OSU for her surgical residency and Master’s degree. She developed an interest in joint replacement surgery when a family friend’s dog had a total hip replacement. Her Master’s thesis focused on the shape of the proximal femur as it relates to total hip replacement. 

After her residency, Dr. Pugliese stayed in the Midwest and worked in Indianapolis. She finally realized she was tired of the cold weather and moved to Virginia for a year (realizing the weather still wasn’t warm enough) before moving to Austin in 2020. She has become certified in total hip replacement and performs a number of orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries. She enjoys complex fractures and ear surgery.