Staff Role: Veterinarian - Primary Care

Dr. Amy Fayette has been an associate veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary since May of 2007, and has special clinical interests in parasitology, preventative care, shelter medicine, and feline medicine. She received her undergraduate degree from UMass Amherst in 2003, and her DVM from Ross University Veterinary School in 2007. Dr. Fayette is a member of the AVMA.

Dr. Fayette is originally from the great state of Massachusetts and lives with her husband, Steve, and their new baby daughter. Together, they have a not-very-smart Jack Russel named Artoo, Meows (a retired feline blood donor), and two Caribbean cats from veterinary school, Diamond and Zack. Growing up, Dr. Fayette always had cats, starting from when she was just seven years old. Her love for her feline friends sparked an interest in animals that led to her career as a veterinarian.

Special Interests:

• Parasitology
• Preventative care
• Shelter medicine
• Feline medicine

Dr. Christina D. Desjeunes is an associate veterinarian joining the Pieper Veterinary primary care team at our Essex hospital. Raised in Connecticut, Dr. Desjeunes received a Bachelors of Science in biology and biotechnology through Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2008, and earned her degree in veterinary medicine through the University of Minnesota in 2013. She completed a specialty internship focusing on zoo, exotic animal, wildlife, and exotic animal medicine before practicing as an associate veterinarian in Indiana for almost ten years before moving back to New England. She maintains a special clinical interest in both exotic animal medicine and internal medicine for dogs and cats.

Dr. Desjeunes is married with two young daughters and shares her home with her 14-year old Dachshund, Cookie, and her 19-year old cat, Bella. In addition to animals and veterinary medicine, she enjoys reading, theatre, and ballet.

Special Interests:

• Internal medicine
• Exotic animal medicine

We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Julia Chant to Elm City Vet. Born and raised in Meriden, CT, she graduated from the University of Connecticut before earning her degree in veterinary medicine from Ross University in 2003. In addition to her medical training, Dr. Chant is certified in Veterinary Acupuncture and Veterinary Spinal Manipulation Therapy. She also serves as a board member for The Feline Connection cat rescue in Rutland, VT, and performs surgical work for Homeward Bound Humane Society in Middlebury, VT.

Outside of the clinic, Dr. Chant loves spending time outdoors, whether it’s running, hiking, and gardening in the summer or cross-country skiing in the winter. She’s a lifelong animal lover and shares her home with her husband, two wonderful children, an Irish Wolfhound named Keeva, a Lab mix named Boone, three cherished cats, a flock of chickens, and a rotating crew of foster kitties. She enjoys the continuous learning that veterinary medicine provides and takes pride in using her knowledge to improve both the health of her patients and their relationships with their families.

Special Interests:

• Primary care
• Veterinary acupuncture

Dr. Heather Cardoza is a primary care veterinarian who sees patients from our Marlborough Animal Hospital location. A native to Middletown, CT, she graduated from UCONN in 2017 with a Bachelors of Science in Animal Science, and achieved her degree in veterinary medicine from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2021. She is a member of the AVMA and has a clinical interest in soft tissue surgeries, oncology, and wellness and preventative health care.

Dr. Cardoza has wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as she can remember, and her favorite aspect of her job is being able to work together with her clients to help their pets live out long, happy, healthy lives together. She lives with her two cats, Nala and Violet, and two dogs, Reeses and Gus, and when not working she enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking with her dogs, reading, horseback riding, and spending time relaxing on the beach.

Special Interests:

• Soft tissue surgery
• Oncology
• Wellness and preventative care

Dr. Lorena Cambizaca is a primary care veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary. Originally from the nearby town of Wallingford, CT, she graduated from Roger Williams University in 2019 with her undergrad, and achieved her veterinary degree from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, with a clinical year completed at the University of Florida. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and has special clinical interests in preventative medicine, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, and the care of “pocket pets” and exotic animals.

Dr. Cambizaca originally worked at Pieper as a veterinary assistant prior to attending veterinary school. She says that while she’s always wanted to be a veterinarian from a young age, her experience working at Pieper really helped to confirm that this was the field she wanted to dedicate her career to. Her favorite aspect of her job is getting to build to know and build relationships with both her patients and their families. When not working, Dr. Cambizaca enjoys hiking, golf, dog training, and spending time with her pets.

Special Interests:

• Preventative Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Emergency medicine
• Surgery
• Pocket pets and exotics

Dr. Victoria Caginalp has been a veterinarian at Pieper Veterinary since 2016, received her Bachelor of Veterinary Biosciences at University of Glasgow, and her Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery in 2016. She has an interest in dentistry and emergency critical care, and is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association and member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Outside of being a veterinarian, Dr. Caginalp has spent a lot of time volunteering with horses and donkeys at the American Fondouk in Fez, Morocco, and with elephants at WFFT Elephant Refuge Centre in Thailand. Her three loves are her long-haired miniature dachshund, Franklin, (who is an adorable regular fixture at Pieper Veterinary), horseback riding, and running.

Has an Interest In:

• Dentistry
• Emergency and critical care

Dr. Cheryl Brienza has been a veterinarian with the Pieper Family since 2004. She is a graduate of Albertus Magnus College and received her DVM in 2000 from Iowa State University.  She has practiced at both Pieper-Olson Veterinary Hospital in Middletown and Essex Veterinary Hospital.

She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association and New Haven County Veterinary Medical Association. 

At home in Haddam, CT, Dr. Brienza lives with her husband Chip and daughter Johanna.  She currently has one dog, Tyrion.

Through the years at Pieper Veterinary, she has enjoyed forming bond with many clients and helping with the care of their furry family.

Special Interests:

• Internal medicine
• Preventative Care

Dr. Krystian Dabrowski is the Primary Care Medical Director and a veterinarian at Pieper, with special interests in dentistry, dermatology, endocrinology, and ophthalmology. He graduated from UCONN with a Master’s degree in education, and later obtained his doctorate from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. He is a member of the AVMA, CVMA, and the Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry.

Dr. Dabrowski has dreamed of being a vet ever since he was a child, and his favorite aspect of his job is being able to help clients make informed decisions about their pet’s health care. Client education – helping them understand what ailments may be affecting their pets, and making sure they know all of the available treatment options – allows pets to receive the best care and helps strengthen the human-animal bond.

Originally from Poland and Germany, Dr. Dabrowski has called Connecticut home since the early 90s. He is married with two children and lives with his family, their pet boxer, and a betta fish. He is fluent in Polish, and when not working he enjoys traveling and watching Bundesliga soccer games.

Special Interests:

• Dentistry
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology
• Opthalmology