CUVS' Pet Talent Contest

Enter CUVS' Pet Talent Contest!

Every one of us thinks that our pet is the most amazing animal ever - On National Pet Week, let’s give them a chance to shine!

Does your pet have a special or unusual talent? Send us a video to prove it. If your entry receives the most votes, your talented pet will be featured on our homepage and blog. And you’ll win a CUVS fleece. This contest isn’t limited to just cats and dogs, so get out your video camera or smart phone and capture your cat, fish, dog, horse, hamster, guinea pig or ferret doing something extraordinary!

All entries will be posted in our Most Talented Pet album on our Facebook page. The video that gathers the most “likes” will be the winner! You can email entries to smueller@cuvs.org, or send us a facebook message with your video as an attachment. Make sure to include a brief description so that we know what we’re looking at! Once your video is up, feel free to share it with your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors and encourage them to vote for your pet! We will accept entries until 5pm on Thursday, May 23rd and will announce the winner the next week.

Get those cameras rolling and let’s see what your pet can do!

Wrap up: "The First 24 Hours" Continuing Education Lectures & Labs

Dr. Kleman leads her lecture on heart failure emergencies.

 On Sunday, October 23rd, many of CUVS's specialists lectured at a one day continuing education seminar for veterinarians titled The First 24 Hours: A Multifaceted Approach To The Emergency Patient. Over one hundred veterinarians attended the six lectures which were held at the Hyatt in Old Greenwich, CT.  The lectures, which covered a broad range of emergency topics, were led by veterinary specialists from Cornell University Veterinary Specialists as well as the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Following the lectures were two labs which allowed veterinarians to get hands-on experience with either CPR using a virtual model or emergency radiology of the thorax and abdomen using a computer-based laboratory.

Dr. Fletcher leads the CPR lab with a high-tech virtual dog model.

The feedback from the attending vets was very positive and we all enjoyed meeting up with local veterinarians face-to-face. Although the veterinary field is a small community, and we do refer cases back and forth, it is not often we can meet up as a group to get to know one another. It's nice to put faces to names so that we can forge stronger bonds with our referring veterinarians moving forward.

Dr. Forman lectures to a full house at his Endocrine Emergencies lecture.

Lectures presented at "The First 24 Hours" included:


• Critical Thinking in the Critical Patient: 30 Minutes to Save a Life (Dr. Sergi Serrano LV, DVM, DACVECC)

• Getting to the Heart of the Matter: The Emergency Heart Failure Patient (Dr. Mandi Kleman DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)

• Hematology in the Emergency Setting (Dr. Deanna Schaefer DVM, MS, MT(ASCP), DACVP)

• Endocrine Emergencies: A Case-based Presentation (Dr. Marnin Forman DVM, DACVIM (Internal Medicine)

• Making the Cut: The Fine Line Between Urgent and Emergent Surgery (Dr. Alon Kramer DVM, DACVS)

• Breaking Myths: Teaching Old Dogmas New Tricks (Panel Discussion- Dr. Daniel Fletcher, Dr. Susan Hackner, Dr. Alex Rousseau, Dr. Sergi Serrano)


Labs presented at "The First 24 Hours" included:


• Cardiopulmonarycerebral Resuscitation (CPR) Using a Virtual Model (Dr. Daniel Fletcher DVM, PhD, DACVECC)

• Emergency Radiology of the Thorax and Abdomen (Dr. Margaret S. Thompson DVM, DACVR)

A Better Lyme Disease Test Developed at Cornell University

Researchers at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center of Cornell University have developed a new test to better diagnose Lyme Disease in dogs.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection of dogs and humans, caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, and spread by ticks. According to data collected by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 30,000 humans were diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2009, a prevalence that is increasing in the US. The vast majority (95%) of Lyme Disease cases occurred in just 12 states, mostly in the Northeast. Although similar information is not available for dogs, we know that many dogs are exposed to the infection, and that the geographic prevalence is similar to that seen in humans.

Typical signs of Lyme Disease in dogs are lameness, joint pain and swelling, and fever. A smaller proportion of dogs develop Lyme nephritis, a serious kidney condition characterized by urinary protein loss and progressing to kidney failure. These disease signs are not specific for Lyme disease and can occur in myriad other conditions. Accurate diagnosis, therefore, is paramount. Unfortunately, traditional tests for Lyme disease have important shortcomings. These are largely overcome by the newly developed Lyme Disease Multiplex Test. The blood test measures antibodies produced by the dog in response to 3 parts of the Borrelia bacteria. Advantages of the Multiplex test over other tests include:

• The ability to distinguish natural infection from antibodies that occur in response to vaccination.
• Sensitivity to detect early infection. The Lyme Multiplex Test can detect antibodies within 2-3 weeks following infection, whereas other tests only detect antibodies 4-6 weeks post-infection.
• The ability to distinguish recent from chronic infection.

The Multiplex Test is now available at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists, and a growing number of veterinary practices. Additional information can be found here.

Marnin A. Forman DVM, DACVIM
Staff Internist

Zolty's Heart Surgery at CUVS

Zolty is an amazingly sweet 9-year-old Golden Retriever who was born on Valentine's Day in 2002. Zolty's owners recently noticed an acute onset of extreme weakness, prompting them to take Zolty to see Dr. Nolan Zeide, their regular vet at Bull's Head Pet Hospital. After a thorough examination, Dr. Zeide found that Zolty suffered from pericardial effusion and a condition called cardiac tamponade. In layman's terms, pericardial effusion is the accumulation of excess fluid around the heart. Cardiac tamponade is the compression of the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up between the heart and the outer covering of the heart. Dr. Zeide referred Zolty to Cornell University Veterinary Specialists for further evaluation and treatment.

When Zolty arrived at CUVS, he was extremely weak with a fast heart rate and weak pulses. His heart sounds were barely audible with a stethoscope. One of the first diagnostic tests run on Zolty at CUVS was an echocardiogram, which confirmed Dr. Zeide's findings of pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade. Additionally, a mass was located on the right side of Zolty's heart.

In order to alleviate the stress created by fluid buildup on the outside of Zolty's heart, criticalist Dr. Sergi Serrano, LV, DVM, DECC performed an ultrasound-guided pericardiocentesis. In other words, Dr. Serrano used ultrasound as a means of guidance to insert a needle into the sac surrounding Zolty's heart and remove the excess fluid that was trapped there. After Dr. Serrano removed 100mls of fluid, Zolty's tampanade resolved on its own and his heartrate returned to normal. While this remarkable turnaround sounds exciting, it was simply a temporary fix for the symptoms associated with a larger problem: the mass on Zolty's heart. It should be noted that Zolty still had arrhythmias, or abnormal electrical patterns within his heart, and that the fluid would have continued to fill up within the outer covering surrounding Zolty's heart if no further action was taken.

After a consultation with Dr. Serrano, Zolty's owners decided that they wanted to have the mass removed from Zolty's heart. A second consultation with Dr. Mandi Kleman, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) involved more detailed and extensive analysis of Zolty’s heart and the mass. Using echocardiogram, Dr. Kleman found that the pumping function of Zolty's heart was moderately depressed. Additionally, she described the location, size, and appearance of the mass within the edge of the right atrium. Based on these findings, she suspected to be a malignant type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma.

Zolty's large run allowed him to stretch out and relax post-surgery.

After the values of a full blood test were found to be favorable, and no metastatic disease was discovered on abdominal ultrasound, Dr. Alon Kramer, DVM , DACVS scrubbed in to perform Zolty's heart surgery. Zolty’s surgery involved a thoracotomy (open chest surgery) to allow exposure, and careful excision of his heart’s right atrial mass. Dr. Kramer also removed part of Zolty’s pericardial sac (the outer covering of the heart) to prevent any future fluid accumulation. The surgery went very well, despite being a technically difficult procedure. Zolty recovered recovered uneventfully and was comfortable in our ICU shortly afterwards. After the surgery, the mass was sent out to the lab for a histopathology and analysis.

Zolty relaxes in his run in ICU while we monitor his heart functions post-surgery.

Zolty stayed in the ICU for four days after surgery for close monitoring and pain and arrhythmia management, during which time he successfully won over every single employee that participated in his care.

Zolty and critical care technician Stephanie Phillips, BA, AAS, LVT

After his stay in ICU was over, Zolty was discharged to his owners with a Holter Monitor, which is an ambulatory device that measures heart rate and rhythm for 24 hours. The beauty of these devices is that they can be worn by the patient while resting in the comfort of their home. The dog can relax while the Holter monitor acts like a portable ECG, recording information about the heart that can be downloaded later for analysis. Heart rhythm abnormalities can vary from hour to hour, so without a portable device like the Holter monitor, the animal could experience abnormalities while away from the animal clinic that would otherwise be missed by the doctor. Zolty stayed at home resting for 24 hours while wearing the Holter monitor, and then he was brought back to CUVS to have the monitor removed. The data was then downloaded and analyzed. We were all pleased to find that the Holter monitor showed no evidence of concerning arrhythmias post-surgery.

The histopathology report on the heart mass did reveal cells consistent with hemangiosarcoma, confirming Dr. Serrano and Dr. Kleman’s pre-surgical suspicions. Hemangiosarcoma is a form of malignant cancer. Zolty is currently being seen by CUVS oncologist Dr. Edwin Brodsky, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) who has begun treating him with chemotherapy. Chemotherapy does not usually make animals feel ill like it can do to humans. The use of chemotherapy in animals is not meant to absolutely cure the cancer; rather, it is a way to prolong a good quality of life. As such, we are very happy that we were able to give this wonderful dog more time with his owners. Zolty is an amazing animal who deserves to live a comfortable life, and we all feel blessed to be able to help with that.

Inside Cornell: Cutting Balloon Valvuloplasty for Subaortic Stenosis

Our own Dr. Mandi Kleman, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) and Dr. Susan Hackner, BVSc, MRCVS, DACVIM (Internal Medicine), DACVECC (and CMO of Cornell University Veterinary Specialists) participated in the most recent Inside Cornell event in New York City. Dr. Kleman discussed treating subaortic stenosis (SAS) in pets utilizing novel balloon valvuloplasty with cutting balloons and high-pressure balloons. The video can also be viewed on Cornell's website, and the Inside Cornell event is discussed on the CU in the City blog.

Casey's Abdominal Surgery at CUVS

   Casey is a mixed-breed spayed female dog owned by Suzanne, who is the Senior Client Service Representative at Bull's Head Pet Hospital. Casey was referred to CUVS from Bull’s Head after Dr. Nolan Zeide diagnosed her with a large abdominal mass, hemo-abdomen and a fever.  Casey was admitted to CUVS for observation, supportive care and a further work up under the care of Dr. Rousseau, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC.

An ultrasound at CUVS revealed a large mass potentially originating from the liver, an abnormal spleen and a probable left adrenal mass. Casey underwent abdominal exploratory surgery with Dr. Alon Kramer, DVM, DACVS, during which a large, ruptured splenic mass and a ruptured liver mass were found. A splenectomy, a liver lobectomy and an adrenal biopsy were performed. (Her spleen and part of her liver were removed.) Casey also received a blood transfusion during surgery, a routine part of splenectomies as it combats anemia.

Post surgery, Casey stayed in our ICU for four days for pain relief and continuous monitoring. Attentive post-surgical monitoring is important for splenectomy patients to make sure that there are no complications. Lab results came back showing liposarcoma of the intermediate grade in the spleen, hepatoma in the liver and suspected pheochromocytoma in the adrenal gland.

Once Casey was stable enough for travel, she was sent back to Bull’s Head so her regular veterinarian could continue caring for her. Casey was a lovely patient for us and although we are happy she was discharged from CUVS, we were sad to see her go!

Cornell University Veterinary Specialists is open for business

We are proud to announce that Cornell University Veterinary Specialists is now open and currently treating patients at a brand-new facility in Stamford, CT.  CUVS opened its doors on January 14th! A crowded ribbon-cutting event was held during the final open house on January 12th, 2011. The ceremony was attended by the mayor of Stamford, Michael Packs, several K9 police officers, the media, animal lovers, and the friends and families of hospital staff.

From left to right: Carl Kuehner from BLT; Dr. Susan Hackner, CMO of CUVS; Dr. Michael Kotlikoff, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine of Cornell University; Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia; Daniel Gurvich, CFO of CUVS; and Paul Kuehner of BLT.

As the largest university-affiliated veterinary referral center in the country, CUVS is driven by the mission of bringing together the best of specialty private practice with the best of academia to benefit pets, the people who love them, and the veterinary profession. CUVS provides exceptional medical care by integrating the latest medical and scientific advances with personalized, collaborative and efficient service.

With a state-of-the-art facility and a convenient location close to I-95, downtown Stamford and the Stamford train station, CUVS promises to deliver the highest level of specialty care to animals in need. CUVS features an 24-hour emergency department serving walk-in animal emergencies all day and night. Referral-based appointments with specialty veterinarians are available in the following departments: Cardiology, Critical Care, Diagnostic Imaging, Internal Medicine, Interventional Radiology, Oncology, Orthopedic Surgery and Soft Tissue Surgery.

Driving directions to CUVS are available here or by calling (203) 595-2777. You may email Client Services at info@cuvs.org, follow CUVS on Twitter and "like" our page on Facebook.

Cornell University Veterinary Specialists

880 Canal Street

Stamford, CT 06902