Tampa Veterinarians

Our veterinarians are some of the best in Tampa Bay! Here at Circle of Life Animal Hospital, we pride ourselves on providing personalized care for your pets.



Dr. Palma

Dr. Laura Palma


Dr. Palma is the founder of Circle of Life Animal Hospital! She completed both her undergraduate education and veterinary school at Michigan State University, graduating from veterinary school in 1985. She first opened Circle of Life Animal Hospital in 1998 and her goal has always been to give her clientele personalized, individual care for their pets in a family environment.

Dr. Palma has been an official veterinarian for the AKC Eukanuba National Championship in both 2005 and 2006. She was honored to be asked 2 years in a row to take care of the health and well-being of the top show dogs in the world during the national event. Circle of Life Animal Hospital believes in giving back to the community and is a proud supporter of the Shriners organization.

She loves continuing education for both herself and her entire staff. They attend the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in January each year to further their knowledge and increase their education in the veterinary field. She enjoys the opportunity to bring state-of-the-art knowledge to her clients and their pets. She has a special interest in skin and ear allergy diseases and enjoys creating maintenance treatment plans for chronically allergic patients. Dr. Palma also has a passion for preventive veterinary care. She loves working closely with her clients to uncover trends in their pet’s blood work diagnostics that allow for more proactive intervention before clinical signs of disease actually occur! Preventing a problem or disease with proactive decisions with her clients is a consistent goal on a daily basis. And because each pet is an individual, she believes in giving each pet and client a personalized treatment plan that works best for them.

Dr. Palma has been married for over 10 years and has two beautiful, twin daughters. As a family, they have 3 dogs, all rescues: 2 Chihuahuas and a chocolate Lab mix. Over the years they have had a menagerie of dogs, rats, fish, etc. The clinic also houses their two rescue clinic cats, Simba and Nikko. When she isn’t working, Dr. Palma enjoys being active with her family, biking, going for walks, swimming, and doing anything that has to do with the outdoors. She also loves musicals, entertainment, and the arts.

Dr John Doe

Dr. Chuck Holley

Dr. Holley, who joined our team in 2015, earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Michigan State University. He is a member of several veterinary organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association and Hillsborough County Veterinary Society. Dr. Holley is also a member of the Tampa, Florida, and National Audubon Societies, Florida Native Plant Society, The Nature Conservancy, National Wildlife Federation, Florida Wildlife Federation, and Bat Conservation International.

He has always had an interest in animals and he enjoys the opportunity to improve their lives, with the help of the staff here at Circle of Life Animal Hospital. His favorite aspect of veterinary care is being able to see pets respond well to treatment and seeing the joy that improved health brings to their owners.

At home, Dr. Holley has two dogs of his own, Rommel and Dakota. In his spare time, he enjoys outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, camping, and birding, as well as traveling and reading.

Dr. Ibram Youssef, Veterinarian Apprentice

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​​​​​​​Ibram graduated from veterinary school in Egypt in 2012. He loves wildlife, which is the reason he chose this career path. While in Egypt, he had his own veterinary clinic where he worked as a vet for 4 years before he and his family came to the US.

​​​​​​​At home, he and his wife, Amany, have three children: Emma, Marco, and Levi! In his spare time, he enjoys listening to music, photography, and fishing.

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