Meet Our Team

VETERINARIANS

Brian Silvis, DVM

As Medical Director, Dr. Brian works at all three of our hospitals, (though primarily at our northern location, Pets in Harmony Veterinary Hospital). He offers house call services throughout the North Hills.

After completing his B.S. in Biology at Westminster College, Dr. Brian earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Ohio State University in 1999. He worked in Erie, PA after graduation and helped found an emergency clinic before moving to Pittsburgh.

Dr. Brian's family includes his wife, Kate (a professor at LaRoche College) and two beautiful children, Phillip and Clara. He enjoys spending time with his family, rooting for OSU, attending baseball games, and playing video games.

The Silvis family shares their home with 2 Pugs: Floyd and Forest, and 3 cats: 21-year-old Jasper, Tigger, and a Siamese rescue named Lilly.

Daniel Brugos, DVM

A 2012 graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Brugos has special interests in small animal internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, and veterinary dentistry. A lifelong love for animals led him to dedicate his career to keeping pets healthy and happy.

After graduating from veterinary school, Dr. Brugos returned home to Pittsburgh, where he now resides in New Brighton with his wife Andrea, their dog Opie, and two cats: Zelda and Motorboat. His free time is spent outdoors whenever possible: hiking, biking, fishing, golfing, and working on home improvements.

David Ruble, DVM

Dr. David Ruble has nearly 26 years of veterinary experience and is the newest member of the Tender Touch team. Dr. Dave has been treating small animals in a mobile setting for sixteen years, often caring for cats and dogs that would not have been able to receive traditional veterinary care.

Since graduating from Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine, as Magna Cum Laude, Dr. Dave has worked in clinical settings performing routine veterinary care and surgical procedures in Western PA and Ohio. For 10 years he was the only practicing animal behaviorist in the region.

For 5 years, Dr. Dave offered advice on small animal behavior and medicine, on national radio segments and is often referred to as “America’s Favorite Vet”.

At the early age of 7, Dr. Dave knew he wanted to practice veterinary medicine and has pursued that dream ever since! That dream included owning and operating his own popular and successful mobile veterinary practice, Vet to Pet.

In his free time, Dr. Dave can be found with his family. He is the proud father of identical twin daughters. All the driving involved in being a mobile vet comes natural to Dr. Dave as he is an avid motor sports enthusiast and participant in local race events.

VETERINARY SUPPORT STAFF

Ellen, Lead Veterinary Technician

A veteran staff member from our sister hospital, Allegheny North, Ellen transferred to Tender Touch in February 2018 as our Lead Veterinary Technician.

She graduated from the State University of New York Brockport in 2003 where she earned a dual Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology. She later attended the Vet Tech Institute and has worked in the veterinary field for the past 10 years. Ellen's favorite aspect of her job is surgery and pharmacology.

Ellen lives with her husband Seth, daughter Nina, and two sons, Sebastian and Beau. They also share their home with a German Shepherd named Attila and 2 cats: Neville and Hallow.

She enjoys spending time with her family, training dogs, and working out - especially cycling.

Samantha, CVT - Certified Veterinary Technician

A graduate of the Vet Tech Institute, Samm joined our team in 2013 as a Certified Veterinary Technician.

She wears many hats in the hospital, but especially enjoys being part of our surgical team. She carefully monitors our anesthetic patients, making sure their vital signs are normal and that they experience minimal discomfort during procedures.

Samm's hobbies include dirtbiking, Jeeping, bird hunting, and playing soccer.
She lives with her husband Drew, 2 German Shepherds (Saige & Harley), a Pug (Oswald) and 2 cats (Pauper & Cecelia).

Trisha, CVT - Certified Veterinary Technician

Trisha graduated from the Vet Tech Institute in 2012, and joined the Tender Touch family as a Certified Veterinary Technician in 2017. In addition to dogs and cats, she has extensive experience with pets of all kinds, including exotics and equine care. Trisha is driven by the desire to help pets during their time of need, and frequently assists in surgery and exam rooms.

She's an avid equestrian that grew up on a horse farm (what started as 7 horses turned into 35!) and developed a passion for barrel racing at an early age. Trisha began training her own green horses at just 13 years old. These days she enjoys trail rides & barrel races with her buckskin Quarter Horse mare, Alero (who despises early mornings but LOVES treats).

With so many horses, there were many visits from the vet through Trisha's childhood; that was the spark that lit her pursuit of veterinary medicine. She loves her job and knowing that at the end of each day, she's been able to help our patients through compassionate care, respect, and by treating every pet as if it were her own.

Trisha lives in Harmony, PA with her boyfriend Adam. In addition to Alero, she also has two cats: Sky, who loves to hide in plastic bags, and Precious, who runs up trees as high as she possibly can to show off her skills!

Meredith, CVT - Certified Veterinary Technician

Meredith joined the Tender Touch family in July 2018. She has pursued her childhood dream of working in the veterinary field since early volunteer work in high school.

After obtaining her Associate Degree and state license, Meredith continued her education further to earn her Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Technology from Morehead State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2017.

A strong background in surgical nursing and solid communication skills make her an excellent part of our care team.

Haley, CVT - Certified Veterinary Technician

Haley joined our staff as a certified vet tech after graduating from the Vet Tech Institute in 2020. Though she entered the world of veterinary medicine during a strange time as our practice was limited to curbside service, that didn't stop her from diving right in! She quickly came to love our amazing clients and enjoys continuing to learn from her colleagues every day.

Between working with patients, Haley maintains the equipment in our in-house laboratory, keeping our blood machines, centrifuges and microscopes cleaned, calibrated and ready for quick results. She also has a special interest in anesthesia and plans to continue her education to specialize in both anesthesiology and pain management.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Haley's family includes her grandparents, parents, and younger brother Dillon. Her furry family consists of Zeppelin the pitbull and three cats: Jasmine, Aladdin and Nightmare. In her spare time, you'll find her reading, crocheting, watching Penguins Hockey, and spending as much time as possible with her little brother.

Alana - Veterinary Assistant

Alana has aspirations to become a veterinarian, and she's well on her way! Like many in the veterinary field, she has had a lifelong interest in caring for animals, and we're happy to support her dream.

She graduated from the University of Findlay, where she studied Biology and Pre-Veterinary Medicine/Animal Science. Throughout her education and beyond, Alana gained hands-on experience working with a variety of animals, from dogs, cats, and other small mammals to horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats.

We appreciate Alana's dedication to our patients, and look forward to seeing her reach her goals!

Susan - Client Service Representative

Susan is our Client Service Representatives (CSR). She attended the Shear Ego School of Cosmetology and obtained her license in 1998. She has an extensive background in business management, and spa ownership.

She has been in the veterinary field for several years, first at our sister hospital, Allegheny North, before joining the Tender Touch staff in February 2018. Along with being in the front end of the hospital, Susan's favorite aspect of being a CSR is interacting with clients, patients, and the staff.

Susan lives with her husband Paul and their cat Scooter. In her free time she enjoys cooking, cleaning, spending time with her family, and mostly Sunday dinners with them.