Timothy J. Ireland, VMD

Owner

Born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia, Dr. Ireland graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. After graduating, Dr. Ireland found a job at Newtown Veterinary Hospital, and then purchased the practice from previous owner Fred Guenther, VMD in 1992. He is passionate about all aspects of veterinary care but finds soft tissue, orthopedic surgery and dentistry to be the most enjoyable. Dr. Ireland has served on the board of the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association, the largest organized group of veterinarians in PA: as VP in 2003, President-elect in 2004, and President in 2005.

Outside of the office, Dr. Ireland spends as much time as possible with his wife, Lynda, his son, Tim II, and his two daughters, Abby and Angelina. Like any family of animal lovers, the Irelands have opened their home to a variety of pets, including Annie the Great Pyrenees, Maverick and MacGyver the Golden Retriever service-dogs-in-training, Einstein the Maltese, Phoebe the parrot, three bearded dragons, a flock of chickens, and even two cows named Milkshake and Buttercup.

Lizzy Bairstow, VMD

Dr. Bairstow grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She discovered her passion for veterinary medicine through her work at an aquarium during college where she cared for all creatures great and small! After graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, she moved to Philadelphia to pursue her dream of becoming a Veterinarian. She attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Philadelphia has become her second home.

Dr. Bairstow joined us in 2018 after post doctorate training in emergency medicine. She loves the opportunity that Newtown Vet gives her to develop long-lasting relationships with her patients and clients as well as focus on preventative care. Her special interests in veterinary medicine include ophthalmology and internal medicine. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, traveling and a good cappuccino. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, Mike, and golden retriever, Cricket.

Catherine Cryer, VMD

Dr. Cryer grew up in Yardley, Pennsylvania and remembers bringing her pets to Newtown Veterinary Hospital as long ago as 1999, after her family adopted their first dog, Bonnie. She attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and during her summers she worked as a client care technician at Newtown Vet. In 2012 she graduated with a B.A. in history, and shortly thereafter began pursuing her veterinary degree at the University of Pennsylvania. Following graduation from veterinary school, Dr. Cryer completed a one-year rotating internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington, DC, where she developed special interests in neurology, emergency medicine, and dermatology. She currently lives in Philadelphia, PA, and in her free time she enjoys traveling, practicing the piano, writing sketch comedy, and playing fetch with her dog, Theodore. Dr. Cryer is thrilled to be back at Newtown Veterinary Hospital, her first veterinary family!

Jaaron Graham, DVM

Dr. Graham is from a small town in Western Pennsylvania just north of Pittsburgh. After high school, he attended Tufts University in Massachusetts, spent a year in the UK doing coursework in Biochemistry, and returned to Tufts to complete his undergraduate degree in Biology. He then spent some time doing research in molecular biology before starting at Tufts Veterinary School in 2001.

During veterinary school, Dr. Graham received a military scholarship and after graduating he immediately began military training and assumed the position of a Veterinary Corps Officer (VCO) for the US Army. After serving some time in Virginia and South Korea, Dr. Graham completed his contract with the military and became part of the Newtown Vet family.

Karen Kohler, DVM

Dr. Kohler grew up in suburban Philadelphia. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her DVM from Purdue University. Dr. Kohler enjoys all aspects of small animal practice, but she has an especially strong interest in soft tissue and orthopedic surgery.

Presently, Dr. Kohler resides in New Jersey, on a dairy farm with her family, their dog, and numerous cows, horses, and cats. In her free time she helps with the farm work and enjoys cooking and gardening.

Judith E. Palm, VMD

Dr. Palm was a New York City native who came to this region in 1986 after college. She is a 1990 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and a classmate of Dr. Ireland. A true cat lover, Dr. Palm has also practiced at cat-only hospitals in Philadelphia and New York before joining Newtown Vet. She is particularly interested in feline health and the challenges cat owners face when trying to provide consistent, stress-free veterinary care for their pets.

Julia Weeder, VMD

Dr. Weeder grew up in Doylestown, PA. She attended Purdue University in Indiana, where she earned a B.S. in Biochemistry and a minor in Classical Studies in 2018. She then returned to the Philadelphia area to attend the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Throughout her schooling, she was involved with various orientation and admission programs, and in vet school volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House for pet therapy with her german shepherd, Olay. She loves the collaborative nature of veterinary medicine, both with owners as well as other veterinarians and technicians. In school, she enjoyed learning about neurology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. In her free time, she loves to crochet and water ski, and she’s just started learning how to bake bread!

Ally Ramirez, DVM

Dr. Ramirez was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She has been a part of the Newtown Vet family since 2017 where she initially began her veterinary career as an outpatient assistant. She graduated from Delaware Valley University with her Bachelor of Science degree in Small Animal Science in 2018 and went on to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023.

Dr. Ramirez has a special interest in the human-animal bond and compassionate end of life care and will soon become certified in pet loss grief counseling. In her free time she enjoys singing, playing guitar and spending time with her husband, Patrick, and her family and friends. She has six furry family members: Bella, Bentley, Bodhi, Jaxon, Harley and Quila. She is so excited to be back at Newtown Vet and looks forward to seeing your furry family members soon!