Veterinarians in the Pee Dee Region - Florence and Hartsville Animal Hospital

Two Locations · Florence & Hartsville

Meet the Veterinarians

Dr. Kenzo Tochiki

Dr. Tochiki was born in Lima, Peru but moved to Charlotte, NC when he was 8 months old. He attended High Point University where he captained the men’s soccer team and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He worked as a veterinary technician for Miller Animal Hospital in Matthews, NC before moving to St. Kitts, West Indies to attend Ross University for veterinary school. He spent a year of clinical training at The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine and then returned to Charlotte. Kenzo worked as a veterinarian at Miller Animal Hospital before joining Hartsville Animal Hospital in early 2014. Dr. Kenzo currently lives in Hartsville with his two dogs Irie and Marty. He is happily married to his wonderful wife, Caitlin. Dr. Kenzo enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking and gardening, and is an avid Carolina Panthers fan.

Dr. Ryan James

Dr. James was born and raised in neighboring Darlington, SC. He started working at Hartsville Animal Hospital in the summer of 2006 as a vet assistant. He attended college at Clemson University from 2004-2008 and remains an avid Tigers fan. He went to vet school at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, which is located on the tiny island nation of St. Kitts, from 2009-2011. He then attended Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine for a year of clinical training from 2011-2012. He enjoys spending time with his wonderful wife Kelsey. Dr. James has two Goldens named Teal and Juice. His favorite hobbies include running Teal in AKC hunt tests, fishing, and horseback riding. He also has two horses named Koozie and Rip, and a cat named Reba.

Dr. Kristen Sponseller

Dr. Kristen Sponseller was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She attended Bridgewater College where she received a B.S. in biology. She moved to St. Kitts to attend Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and attended Wisconsin University for her clinical year. She practiced veterinary medicine in Wisconsin for 4 years before moving to Hartsville with her husband, Dr. Kevin Sponseller. Kevin is a family practitioner at Carolina Pines Regional Medical Center. The Sponseller’s have two precious girls; Hunter and Brinley. They have three dogs Yeti, Sage, Rigby. Dr. Sponseller has special interests in dermatology, chronic disease management, and client education / preventative medicine.

Dr. Kim Riddle

Dr. Kim Riddle is from the neighboring town of Bennettsville. She had her start in the veterinary work force in 2012 as a veterinary assistant and later moved up to technician. After high school, she attended Clemson University from 2014 to 2017 earning a bachelors in Animal and Veterinary Sciences. From 2018 to 2021, Dr. Riddle attended the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine for both didactic and clinical training. She started her career at Hartsville Animal Hospital in the spring of 2021. Dr. Riddle now lives in Hartsville with her husband Rhett and a menagerie of dogs, horses, mules, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and peacocks. Her top hobby is camping and trail riding with her horses.

Dr. Erin Kelley

Dr. Erin Kelley grew up in Darlington, South Carolina. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Biology degree in 2018 and then attended Veterinary school at Ross University in St. Kitts. After leaving the island, she finished her clinical year at the University of Florida. She is excited about being back in her hometown and looks forward to starting her career! In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her pets, friends, and family.

Dr. Katie LoPresti

Originally from North Carolina, Dr. LoPresti has dedicated her life to caring for animals of all shapes and sizes. She earned her undergraduate degree from Averett University in Virginia, then went on to receive her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Ross University in 2018. Her clinical year was completed at the Virginia-Maryland School of Veterinary Medicine, followed by an intensive 18-month internship at the Equine Specialty Hospital in Burton, OH. While horses will always have a special place in her heart, Dr. LoPresti also loves caring for cats, dogs, and even the occasional goat or sheep. When she’s not in the clinic, she’s at home with her 4 rescue horses, 4 cats, and 2 dogs — still surrounded by the animals she loves most.

Dr. Alana Choate

Dr. Alana Choate was born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire. Seeking warmer weather and new opportunities, she attended Clemson University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from 2018 to 2022. Dr. Choate then moved to College Station, Texas, to pursue her veterinary education at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, graduating with her DVM in 2026. After completing her academic journey, Dr. Choate was excited to return to South Carolina and begin her veterinary career. Outside of work, she enjoys running, hiking, swimming, reading, and watching horror movies.