Dr. Cristina Portus was raised in Florida and attended the University of Florida where she earned her Bachelor of Science degrees in both animal science and wildlife ecology and conservation. After her undergraduate studies, she worked as a veterinary technician for four years. During that time, she further realized her passion for veterinary medicine. In 2010, Dr. Portus received her doctorate degree in veterinary medicine from Western University of Health Sciences. After graduation, she furthered her training by completing a one-year small animal emergency and medicine internship. Dr. Portus has been practicing emergency medicine in South Florida for six years. In 2014 she joined the PERC team full time. Her special interests include soft tissue wound healing and pain management. In her free time, Dr. Portus enjoys spending time with her husband David, two young daughters Hazel and Hannah, her three cats, and Chiweenie, Jane Doe.