Cornell Univeristy Veterinary Specialists Honor Courageous Companions

One patient needed most of his skin reattached after a car accident. Another
had a pacemaker implanted to regulate heartbeat, and a third underwent
chemotherapy to treat cancer.  All three are standard medical procedures
frequently performed to save human lives.  However, at this first-of-its-kind hospital in Connecticut, lifesavers use the latest medical advances and emergency treatments to save lives -- but the lives they are saving have four-legs and a tail.

Cornell University Veterinary Specialists (CUVS), the first of its kind, university-
affiliated, specialty and emergency veterinary hospital in the tri-state area,
recently held a special reunion.  Dozens of “Courageous Companions,” along
with their families and caregivers, gathered to honor the remarkable bravery
these animals showed and to learn more about the high tech medical advancements that helped each overcome their life-threatening challenges.  Most of today’s honorees were on the verge of death and beat the odds due to the
specialized care and sophisticated procedures provided by CUVS.  The
facility offers some remarkable advanced treatments to improve the quality of
animals’ lives. 

“We take the latest advances in veterinary medicine and direct them toward
delivering the best possible outcomes for pets,” said Dr. Susan Hackner, Chief
Medical Officer at CUVS, and a board-certified specialist in both Internal Medicine
and in Emergency-Critical Care.  “We bring together the expertise of top
clinical specialists from a variety of disciplines together with a highly
trained and incredibly caring nursing staff to ensure patients are optimally
cared for.. We then develop a collaborative pathway to diagnosis and treatment
by working closely with the pet’s family and primary care veterinarian. “Our
collaborative approach has already saved thousands of pets, and this model of
care will continue to provide hope for animals will serious illnesses or
conditions,” she added. 

The surgery performed by CUVS for Mr. Blue Powell, a 135-pound Newfoundland,
enables him to continue his special job serving some very special
youngsters.  Mr. Blue is back working as a therapy dog helping young
children with psychological challenges. In fact, he recently helped with trauma
therapy for children affected by the Sandy Hook school tragedy. When Mr. Blue
was first brought into CUVS, he was in incredible pain and virtually unable to
walk due to ligament tears in both his knees. A CUVS surgeon performed a
corrective surgery known as a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy). This
orthopedic surgeon realigned the bone and fused sections with a plate and
screws in such a way to bypass the torn ligaments..  Mr. Blue has regained
all mobility and now is pain free.  

“He’s my bionic boy.  My husband had two knee replacements to keep
walking.  Now he and Mr. Blue are back walking due to some futuristic
medical procedures to get each of them moving again.  It is remarkable,”
said Addie Powell of New Canaan and Mr. Blue’s owner.  “Mr. Blue is a most
treasured member of our family and the caring staff at CUVS has given him a new lease on life,” she added.

CUVS has redefined how the sickest and most medically challenged dogs and cats are helped using an innovative approach to veterinary medicine.  Some call the facility the “Mayo Clinic for pets” because it integrates the latest medical
advances, care and knowledge for the best possible outcomes.  The facility
has been recognized for its “concierge” level of client service, with a
personalized, collaborative and compassionate commitment to the best care along with providing the best methods of communicating with pets’ families to
navigate during this stressful time. This type of consistent and clear
communication also helps steer the case to a successful outcome, according to
CUVS staff.

“Communication and collaboration are vital aspects of positive medical outcomes. Together with our focus on outstanding and individualized medicine, we are dedicated to open communication with everyone – the patient’s family, their primary care veterinarian, and all the specialists and staff at CUVS. In this way, we ensure that everyone is working together seamlessly, that the pet’s family is an educated and informed member of the medical team, and that the patient has the best possible chance for success,” added Dr. Hackner.

CUVS was founded in 2011 after Dean Michael Kotlikoff of the top-rated Cornell
University College of Veterinary Medicine saw a need to expand the College’s
role in helping pets with serious injuries and illnesses in the Tri-State area.
Kotlikoff’s vision was to develop a model of care that combined the
cutting-edge technology and medical expertise of academic veterinary medicine
with the efficiency and client-orientation of the private sector. At CUVS,
numerous specialists confer on the best course of treatment using the latest
technology and medicine.  Since its inception in 2011, CUVS has employed
the latest high-tech procedures in orthopedics, cardiology, critical care,
internal medicine, ophthalmology, oncology and even minimally invasive surgery
for repairing anything from bladder stones to a heart valve, and helping
thousands of animals.

CUVS is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and is continuously staffed by a highly trained team of specialists, emergency veterinarians, and technicians. Visit www.cuvs.org.