All our thanks,

Amy Milich

We initially went to VERG after my 3 1/2 year old cat started having seizures. During this visit it was determined that she had fluid built up on her lungs and it needed to be drained immediately.

During that time our cat saw Dr. Arndt for monitoring of her heart, Dr. Nicole Shaw and Dr. Jennie Kim. No matter who we dealt with we always felt confident they wanted the best for our cat and did everything they could to make her comfortable. A little over a year ago, they determined that our cat had lymphoma. We started treatment with Dr. Michele Cohen, who was a blessing. She presented every option she could offer, called to check- up on her, and ultimately cared as much as we did. Unfortunately, our little girl lost the battle a few months ago. As much as it hurt to let her go, we know that the ENTIRE STAFF at VERG always did as much as they could for her and were confident it was her time. They were there for us until the end, and just as sad to see her go.

VERG was essentially a second home to her. We were lucky enough that we an extra 3 years with her thanks to the medical care at VERG. I have recommend VERG to everyone I know…because I know that they are the  best!

Randi

Dr. Levitzke and Dr. Prada’s expertise is incredible. Thanks to the extensive amount of love, knowledge and nurturing in which she was provided, her recovery was effortless. Words cannot express just how much they did for us and the consistent level of professionalism was outstanding. Their dedication and adoration for animals is so evident. We couldn’t have asked for better treatment and will always be extremely grateful.

The Roer Family

What is gastroenteritis?

Gastroenteritis, gastritis, enteritis, and colitis are all doctor words for inflammation of different parts of the digestive tract when animals have a “stomach flu” or “food poisoning” symptoms, i.e. vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, inappetance, etc.  Your veterinarian will ask you specific questions such as the duration, frequency, quantity, and contents of the vomit and diarrhea in an attempt to determine which part the intestinal tract is affected, and in theory, point to a list of potential causes.  This is not always straight forward, as the inflammation can start in one area of the digestive tract, and migrate to other regions.

What causes gastroenteritis?

Many times the exact cause will be unknown; however, dietary indiscretion (i.e. eating stale, rotting foods), rapid diet changes, toxins, stress (boarding, new pets in house), certain medications (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories), infections (bacteria, viruses, fungus, parasites), auto-immune diseases, and cancer are a few causes that can results in various signs of gastrointestinal upset.

When should I seek veterinary care?

Many times we forget that our pets are small and can quickly become very sick with a few episodes of vomiting, diarrhea, and not eating.  They can become dehydrated and lose electrolytes quickly, especially if they are puppies or kittens who cannot properly regulate the sugar levels in their blood.  Usually acute onset of mild, nonspecific gastroenteritis will be self-limiting, and show signs of improvement over 24-48 hours.  If you know your pet has eaten a foreign body (e.g.  piece of a toy, string, rocks) or a toxin, it is best to seek medical attention as soon as possible to begin treatment and prevent possible future complications, such as obstruction of the intestinal tract, or some toxins can permanently affect other important organs.  If you know your pet ingested a toxin/poison, you can call the ASPCA poison control (888-426-4435) on your way to your veterinarian and provide them with the toxin name, quantity, and pet’s weight to help expedite treatment.  If you note blood in the vomit or feces at any time, or your pet has not eaten/drank for the past 24 hours, it is important to have your pet examined.  It is also important to understand that medical tests like x-rays and bloodwork are necessary to eliminate underlying, more severe disease processes before conservative treatment can be attempted.

Treating gastroenteritis:

There are many levels of treatment for gastroenteritis, depending on the signs and status of the patient.  Short-term management revolves around preventing vomiting and/or diarrhea, while providing hydration and electrolytes lost from these signs.  Medications can be discussed with your veterinarian and will be prescribed if appropriate.  It may also be advised by your veterinarian to “rest” the digestive tract be removing food and water for a certain period of time and then slowly introducing a bland, easily digested diet.  There are several commercial diets you can obtain from your veterinarian or a lean, unseasoned poultry protein with cooked white rice can be fed on a short-term basis.  More serious symptoms may require aggressive treatment and hospitalization.

Prevention:

Throw away toys that can be swallowed or have been chewed into small pieces.  Keep thread, rubber bands, floss, etc. out of reach.  Keep food and water bowls clean and secure trash cans with strong lids.  If you are planning on changing your pet’s diet, gradually introduce the food by mixing it with the old food over 2-3 days.  Recurrence or worsening of symptoms should be addressed with your veterinarian to further investigate the underlying disease.

A few years ago, my dog started limping painfully and her ability to walk deteriorated until she couldn’t do it at all.  She was in so much pain she couldn’t eat and just stayed under my bed all day and night.  Pain meds didn’t seem to do anything at all.  I was terrified and took her to four different vets who all said they didn’t know what was wrong with her and would need to do at least $5,000 worth of testing to find out.  The last one, though, referred me to Dr. Prata at VERG.  It literally took him 30 seconds to diagnose my dog has having torn tendons in her hind legs.

The surgery was quite expensive, but so worth it.  After the surgery, Dr. Prata informed me that once he was in there, he could tell by the striations in her muscles, that she actually had lupus.  This is why the pain pills didn’t work, because it was actually an auto-immune problem.  He was very sweet in assuring me that the disease is not nearly as bad in animals in humans.  After she healed from the surgery and started on immuno suppressants and anti-inflamatory meds, she was like a puppy again!  This was three years ago and everyday I continue to be grateful that Dr. Prata saved my doggie.

Hilary C

Just two weeks ago, when she was mysteriously vomiting, Dr. Diaz gave us the absolute BEST care imaginable: she was compassionate, thoughtful, and incredibly thorough. Dr. Diaz is simply inimitable. She made the whole scary and traumatic experience as good as it could be. I am happy to say that Meimei is back to her normal, rambunctious self!

My thanks to VERG, though, are already overdue. Back in August, troublemaker Mei ate a needle, to my great horror! This was our first time at VERG, and Dr. Murphy was kind and helpful. I was very impressed that the technicians immediately came out to do triage. An X-ray revealed the needle, and a few hours later, Dr. Gavin performed a successful and complication-free endoscopy.

As you may imagine, I have been singing VERG’s praises to anyone who will listen.

Thank you, Dr. Diaz, Dr. Murhpy, Dr. Gavin, thank you VERG, you are such a blessing for Brooklyn.

Alexis Goldstein

Erin McMizzle