Dr. Carrie Friedewald

DVM/Owner

A native of Marietta, Dr. Carrie attended Davidson College on a volleyball scholarship, earning degrees in biology and psychology. She headed to the University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine to earn her veterinary degree. She was honored with a class Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine and Surgery before graduating in 2002.

A Veterinarian is Born

Dr. Carrie Friedewald (Dr. Carrie) grew up with all sorts of dogs and cats, but her family’s Alaskan Malamute, Shadow, made a permanent impression.

One day, Shadow came down with a dangerous case of bloat. During Shadow’s week in ICU, Dr. Carrie’s inquisitive nature needed to know what was happening and why. Shadow fully recovered, and “the seed had been planted”, sending a young Dr. Carrie on a trajectory to become a Veterinarian.

Fast forward to 2010…

She practiced for eight years in the Kennesaw and Marietta area before she realized that a family-focused, small-animal hospital was needed. She decided to make that a reality and opened Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital in 2010. With particular interests in internal medicine, oncology, soft tissue surgery, cardiology, and pain management, she has brought to life a premiere stress-free, family-focused practice through compassion, knowledge, and consistency.

Accomplishments

Atlanta Magazine: 5-Star Veterinarian Award 2010
Cobb Life Magazine: Named One of 20 Rising Stars Under Forty 2010
UGA College of Veterinary Medicine: Award for Excellence in Internal Medicine and Surgery

Homelife

Dr. Carrie, her husband Michael and her beautiful daughter Emma live with a black lab named Steve, three cats; a flame-point Siamese named Bill, two Sphinx Cats named Moose and Boris; Moose enjoys going for walks on his leash when he’s not riding on someone’s shoulders. Since Dr. Carrie was an awesome tennis player, her daughter, Emma, is following suit. Dr. Carrie’s time away from the hospital is dedicated to her daughter’s tennis endeavors.

Dr. Mary McTague

BVM

Dr. Mary McTague is living her best life, fulfilling the career she dreamed of since childhood. An avid animal lover, Dr. McTague has shared her life with a wide assortment of pets, including dogs, fish, birds, hamsters, rats, and her beloved three cats. Her deep affection for animals and the influence of the veterinarians in her family inspired her to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

Dr. McTague comes from a long line of doctors and veterinarians, which instilled in her a passion for animal care from an early age. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012 and then took an unconventional path to fulfill her dream by attending veterinary school in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This unique experience allowed her to practice at her family’s veterinary clinic in Brazil, where she gained invaluable insights and expertise in veterinary medicine from a different cultural perspective.

Dr. Mary has loved Kennesaw Mountain Animal hospital since she started interning here in 2018.  She is dedicated to providing the highest standard of care to her patients and continually seeks to learn and grow in her field.

When she is not practicing veterinary medicine, Dr. McTague enjoys walking, listening to audio books, indulging in good food, and relaxing with her cats and dog.

Nascida nos EUA, filha de uma mãe carioca e um pai americano com coração brasileiro, Mary Elise McTague cresceu cercada por uma família amorosa e uma verdadeira zoológico em casa. Desde cedo, seu sonho era se tornar médica veterinária, seguindo os passos de sua família brasileira, onde médicos e veterinários são tradição.

Após graduar-se em História pela Universidade da Geórgia, Mary Elise percebeu que seu coração pertencia à medicina veterinária. Buscando realizar seu sonho, mudou-se para o Brasil para estudar medicina veterinária na UNIFESO, Universidade Serra dos Órgãos, em Teresópolis.

Sua formação foi enriquecida pela experiência no Hospital Clínica Animal, de seus tios, onde pôde aplicar seus conhecimentos e consolidar sua paixão pelo cuidado animal.

Durante uma visita à sua irmã nos EUA, Mary Elise descobriu o Kennesaw Mountain Animal Hospital (KMAH), que compartilhava sua visão de tratar clientes e animais como família, assim como fazia sua família no Brasil. Foi durante um estágio nas férias que ela encontrou sua segunda casa profissional.

Hoje, como médica veterinária no KMAH, Mary Elise continua a viver seu sonho, proporcionando amor, cuidado e compaixão aos animais e suas famílias, unindo suas raízes brasileiras com sua experiência americana.

Dr. Rachel Lopez

DVM

Dr. Rachel Lopez has always been surrounded by animals. When she was young and living in south Florida, her family had numerous turtles, tortoises, rabbits, guinea pigs, snakes, rats, and dogs. From her parents, she learned to love all types of animals, from the small and scaly to the big and fluffy.

When her pup, Patches, reached her senior years, Dr. Lopez noted her slowing down but found it difficult to find a doctor that was interested in geriatric care. It was at that point that she realized that, if she couldnt find the doctor to help her, she needed to become one herself to promote preventative care and wellness at all stages of life.

Dr. Carlin Smith

DVM

Dr. Smith grew up locally in the Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead. There her journey into veterinary medicine and her early passion for animals ignited. During high school, she dedicated her spare time to Fulton County Animal Services, fostering numerous animals and nurturing her commitment to their well-being. Shortly thereafter, she began working at her family’s vet clinic any chance she could.

Dr. Smith attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. At Dickinson, her devotion to animals flourished further as she volunteered with Susquehanna Service Dogs and lived at the “Dog House” where she actively participated in the raising and training of service dogs on campus. Subsequently, she pursued her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at St. George’s University in the picturesque West Indies, returning home to Georgia to complete her clinical year training at the University of Georgia.

Now residing in Roswell, Dr. Smith shares her home with an eclectic family of pets: a Shepherd mix, three Pit Bull mixes, four Siamese cats, one domestic shorthair, and a one-eyed orange cat affectionately named Wink. In her leisure time, she indulges in reading, listening to podcasts, cherishing moments with her pets and family, and traveling.

Robin Robinson

Technician Manager

Bio coming soon!

Blake Tarnoff

Kennel Manager

Bio coming soon!

Marissa Bibbs

Groomer

Marissa’s personality blends perfectly with grooming. As a yoga and meditation instructor, she possesses a calm about her that our client’s pets pick up on. She has groomed cats and dogs that, before her, would need to be sedated to groom; now, they are groomed regularly without stress or drugs.

She enjoys volunteering at farms, as it puts her in touch with all kinds of wildlife, which explains how she became the mother of a sweet pig named Layla. Layla shares mom’s affection with two cats, Mercedes and Mitzi, several fish, and an Axolotl named Casper. Casper is a Mexican Walking Fish that does different poses in his aquarium to get Marissa to feed him…kind of like Layla’s pig.

A Georgia native, Marissa practices Buddhism and Hinduism and enjoys art, music, dance, and hula-hooping. An avid outdoors person, she hikes the Appalachian Trail, does caving, practice shoots at gun ranges, and loves music festivals. As a very compassionate person, Marissa has great empathy for animals and their owners and is grateful to play a role in helping them get the most out of life.

Marissa believes through confidence, skill, love, and compassion; a pet can relax enough to view grooming as a positive experience. Marissa embodies the calm, stress-free mindset we pride ourselves on, and we couldn’t be happier to have her as part of the Family.