Veterinary Critical Care | 24/7

“We know that the connection to your pets lasts a lifetime.”

Critical Care Team Members

Veterinarians

Cameron Henke, DVM, Diplomate ACVECC                                                                                                                                          Emily Cottam, DVM, Diplomate ACVECC                                                                                                                                                        Andrew Lukasiewicz, DVM, Diplomate ACVECC                                                                                                                                    Hyein Jung, DVM, Diplomate ACVECC                                                                                                                                                    Danielle Wharton, DVM, Lead Emergency Clinician & Hospitalist                                                                                                          Brooke Hutt, DVM, Hospitalist                                                                                                                                                                Board Certified Criticalist Consults Available 24/7 days a week!

Veterinary Technicians
Jennifer Larson, LVT; Gregory S. Carastro, LVT; Brianna Barker, LVT; Candice Cannone, LVT; Kaleen Corbett, LVT; Brianna Curcio, LVT;  Kristina Galley, LVT; Emily Kalle, LVT;  Crystal Nardelli, LVT; Kaitlyn Doyle, LVT; Kimberly Rollins, LVT;  Jackie O’Brien, LVT; Candice Cannone, LVT; Haily Conroy, LVT; Amber Scruggs, LVT; Felicia Gilbert, LVT; Jillian Alaggio, LVT; Alejandro Zogbi, LVT eligible; Amanda Reinie, LVT eligible

Veterinary Assistants
Taryn DeRenzo, Samantha Byrne, Ashley Chaves, Trina Clarke, Dan Epstein, Levonne Evans, Christina Fichera, Vanessa Figueroa, Dara Justiniano, Lauryn Kollmeier, Kelsey Lozier, Lori Mazzola, Breanna Murphy, Charles Ojeda, Stephanie Pappias, Grace Reamy, Amelia Taylor, Gerard Walters, Robyn DeMott,  Natalie DeSousa, Arianna Bonanno, Olivia Maggio, Samantha Mullen, Karolina Nowakowska, Bill Graffeo, Matthew DeFeis, Danielle Napoli, Carla Perez

Triage Assistants
Christina Fichera; Breanna Murphy

Veterinary Critical Care Services Overview
The Department of Critical Care provides initial stabilization and advanced life support of critically ill and injured patients.  In addition to providing state of the art emergency care, the Critical Care Service works in conjunction with each specialty service at VMCLI to provide peri-surgical and anesthetic support, as well as consultation for all hospitalized patients. Benefits include state-of-the-art continuous hemodynamic monitoring, blood pressure support, fluid therapy, transfusion medicine, and advanced pain management and relief. In addition to this, nutritional consultations and implementation of personalized nutritional plans will be available to support all critically ill patients to optimize their recovery.

There are many medical conditions that necessitate advanced Critical Care. If your pet is critically injured, ill or recovering from a serious surgical procedure, hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU) will be recommended. Our ICU is staffed by compassionate and knowledgeable Emergency Clinicians and Licensed Veterinary Technicians, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A criticalist is a specially trained veterinarian dedicated to treating life–threatening conditions. The critical care specialist has performed at least 3 years of intensive training in emergency and critical care medicine and has passed a rigorous test to become a Diplomate in the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (ACVECC).

The ‘residency training’ period includes instruction in surgery, internal medicine, anesthesia, pain relief, neurology, cardiology, radiology, mechanical ventilation, dialysis, and emergency procedures like CPR. This intense program focuses on innovative cutting edge techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of life–threatening diseases and for management during the critical time when your pet is recovering from severe illness, surgery or injury.

What does a criticalist do?

  • Provides primary case management, or supervision and guidance for the emergency doctors in the evaluation, specialized monitoring, and intensive treatment of your critically ill or injured pet.
  • Makes recommendations for, and administers advanced life support measures. Acts as your advocate in these endeavors.
  • Assists your decision–making process through coordination of the family veterinarian, the emergency doctor, and other specialty doctors’ consultations.
  • Identifies all available diagnostic and treatment options for your pet, and gains an accurate patient prognosis.

Critical Care Services Available at the VMCLI:

  • Consultation, diagnostic evaluation, & treatment of critically ill or injured patients
  • Pediatric and geriatric pet care
  • Advanced intravenous fluid and electrolyte treatments
  • Mechanical ventilation & supportive care
  • Cross–matching & blood transfusion medicine
  • Peritoneal and pleural dialysis for toxin removal or kidney failure
  • Total & partial parenteral (intravenous) nutrition for animals unable to eat
  • Feeding tube placement for enteral nutrition
  • Balanced analgesia for trauma patients
  • Advanced, telemetric monitoring of ECG, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, & capnography

How do I make an appointment for a consultation?
If your pet is admitted for hospitalization at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island by the Emergency Service, either you or your family doctor can request a Board Certified Criticalist consultation. If your pet is not currently hospitalized, your family veterinarian can give you a direct referral for evaluation and treatment by  the Critical Care Service. We know that in times of emergency, you don’t want to wait for an appointment & we are happy to accomodate emergency visits 24/7 days a week.

Make sure that copies of all your pet’s medical records, including any blood work, radiographs, Specialist’s Reports or other information, are available for review. The Critical Care Team will need this information to get a complete picture of your pet’s condition in order to formulate the best treatment options possible.

Fees & Payment

An examination fee is charged for all emergency visits. The costs of any additional testing and treatment cannot be fully determined prior to examination. Once an emergency doctor has examined your pet, you will be informed about your pet’s treatment options, plans and estimated costs. Please share your questions and concerns regarding costs with your doctor or technician before treatment starts. It’s important that our emergency medical team clearly understands your wishes before any course of treatment is undertaken.

Full payment for your visit is due when your pet is discharged. Cash, debit cards, Visa®, MasterCard®, America Express®, Discover®, and CareCredit® are all acceptable methods of payment. Personal checks are not accepted.