Meet Our Staff

Eric Holtz, DVM

Dr. Holtz has been practicing veterinary medicine in the Triangle area since 2008. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2002 with a degree in marine science and from the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008. Dr. Holtz’s professional interests are soft tissue surgery, preventive medicine, behavioral medicine, and dentistry; he is also passionate about utilizing low stress methods for his patients’ care.

Dr. Holtz lives in Wake Forest with his wife, their three children, and their miniature labradoodles Minerva and Freya. Dr. Holtz is an avid music lover and a South Carolina Gamecock and Pittsburgh Steelers football fanatic!

Melanie Preston, DVM

Dr. Melanie Preston joined Knightdale Animal Hospital in November 2015. She developed a joy for animals at an early age growing up in rural Virginia where she helped her family work with their small cow-calf herd as well as a backyard chicken flock and the family dogs and cats. She moved to North Carolina to pursue her Bachelor of Science in Biology at Meredith College graduating in 2004. After working in RTP for several years, she returned to academics and earned her DVM from North Carolina State University in 2012. She has previously worked in rural mixed animal practice prior to moving back to the Triangle to be close to family and friends. Her special veterinary interests include preventative care and internal medicine.

In her spare time, Dr. Preston enjoys spending time with her husband, Brandon, their dog, Tsul, and their three cats, Hope, Sal, and Hitch. She enjoys walking the greenways, reading, visits to the lake (jet skiing is the best!) and will even sneak a trip in to Virginia every now and again to go fishing with her dad.

Melissa D’Annibale, DVM

Dr. D’Annibale is a 2016 graduate of the North Carolina State University – College of Veterinary Medicine, where she focused her studies in small animal medicine. Her particular interests include preventive medicine, surgery, and feline medicine.

Dr. D’Annibale has been practicing in the Triangle since graduation. Prior to attending veterinary school, she received a BS degree in Biology in 2003 from Penn State Erie – The Behrend College in Erie, Pennsylvania, and then went on to complete an MS degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology in 2005 from the University at Buffalo in Buffalo, NY. She moved to North Carolina in 2008 and still misses the snowy Pennsylvania winters.

When not at work, Dr. D’Annibale enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her husband, daughter, and their cat named Miles.

Claire Lineberger, DVM

Dr. Lineberger is originally from Winston-Salem, NC. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health in Nutrition and a minor in Chemistry. She then completed veterinary school at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine in May of 2022. Her areas of interest include surgery, animal nutrition, and behavior modification. She also finds joy in partnering with and getting to know clients and their pets.

In her spare time, “Dr. Claire” enjoys crafting, reading, working out, cooking, listening to true crime podcasts, hosting game nights, traveling and spending time with her partner, Aaron. She has three rescue dogs (Theodore, Tucker, and Eleanor) and just added a new feline member to the family (Dale).

Kary, Practice Manager

Kary is a mother of three wonderful children and three fantastic fur babies. She has a dog named “Leo” and two cats “Sophie” and “K.C.” Kary and her husband relocated our family to the Clayton, NC area in August 2015. In October 2015 she joined the Vets Pets team at Knightdale Animal Hospital where she really enjoys being able to work with animals and people. She is a big kid at heart so spending time outside hiking, biking, or playing in the water is a fun day to her. Kary loves relaxing and hanging out with her husband Justin and ALL six of her children. Her home is like a zoo and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Amanda, RVT

Amanda grew up in Wake Forest, NC and eventually moved to San Diego, CA when she joined the Marine Corps. Following her active enlistment, she attended Pima Medical Institute where she earned her Associates Degree in Veterinary Technology and became a Registered Veterinary Technician. She has since worked with large animals, small animals and as a teacher for future veterinary technicians. In her free time Amanda enjoys riding her horses, Angie and Scarlett and likes to do competitive endurance riding. She also spends a lot of time outdoors and being active with her German Shepherd, Audi, and German Shorthaired Pointer, Enzo.

Simon, Veterinary Assistant

Simon was born and grew up in Portsmouth, England. In England, Simon worked within the small animal field for 12 years and went on to study Animal Management at the University of Portsmouth, gaining a Bachelor of Science degree. Simon moved to the United States in 2013 after meeting his wife, Georgia, and shares a home with his two lovely cats, Steve and Lola. He enjoys watching football (soccer), his favorite team being Portsmouth FC, building Lego, reading and playing darts.

Casey, Veterinary Assistant

Casey was born and raised in Wendell, NC and came to work with Vets Pets in March 2016 . She lives in Corinth Holder with her husband Eric and two children, Megan and Eli. Her fur babies include Teagan, her mischievous Rottweiler, and a cluster of cats named Chloe, Paisley, Biskit, and Bagel. Her family enjoys spending a lot of their leisure time with their Corinth Community Recreation family, since the kids play almost every sport and Eric loves to coach! Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

Alex, Veterinary Assistant

Alex was born and raised in Knightdale with her family and 3 dogs- Shadow, Boone and Belle. She graduated from NC State University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with a concentration in Veterinary Bioscience. Alex worked with the Wake County Animal Center for just over 2 years before joining our team. Alex enjoys working with the youth at Knightdale Baptist Church throughout the week, and going hiking/camping whenever she can.

Allison, Veterinary Assistant

Amanda V., Veterinary Assistant

Lucero, Veterinary Assistant