AVCC’s Team Approach to Expert Veterinary Care Saves Kiara
When Kiara, a sweet 10-tear-old pothound mix was diagnosed with insulinoma (a rare tumor in the pancreas that produces too much insulin), her family took her to a local veterinary hospital for surgery. Afterwards, however, Kiara’s recovery did not go well. “She came home the next day and was acting weird and falling over,” said Kiara’s pet mom Lauren. “She got up and then collapsed and it was really scary.”
Kiara spent time in and out of a few local veterinary ER’s to try and resolve her issue. “But one day, I came home from work and Kiara had blood dripping out of her nose,” recalls Lauren. That’s when she decided to take Kiara to Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Davie (Broward County). “AVCC is a little further away from where I live,” says Lauren, who went to veterinary school with AVCC emergency veterinarian, Dr. Holly O’Hara. “Dr. O’Hara is one of the smartest people I know and she had a plan for us,” adds Lauren.
Kiara arrived at Advanced Veterinary Care Center and doctors discovered her platelet count was at 0. A normal platelet count for a dog is between 175,000 and 500,000 platelets per microliter of blood. She also had free fluid in her abdomen. That dangerously low blood count requires fast and aggressive care, before it becomes fatal. “She got two blood transfusions within the next three days,” says Lauren. They did a lot of testing, for tickborne disease, leptospirosis and more. That all came back negative.”
Kiara did well again for a couple days. But, after a few days home, she would not eat. “She was lethargic and started drooling and regurgitating. I ended up back at AVCC,” adds Lauren. An ultrasound revealed severe bloating as well as a 6cm mass around where the tumor was previously removed from the pancreas. “They also found that she started having blood clots, one in her splenic vein, that we assumed was a slow bleeder from her previous surgery.”
Kiara spent more than a week under 24/7 expert care in the ICU at AVCC. Lauren was impressed by the large team of emergency doctors and specialists that worked together to save her. “They talked about her in rounds. I think collaboration had a big play in it. They got input from their surgeons, oncologist, ER doctors and internal medicine specialists. It was not just one person looking at her. They are knowledgeable, compassionate and they really want what is best for your pet. They are a team and you can really tell.”
Today, Lauren says Kiara is, “thriving like a puppy and doing all of her favorite things.” But best of all, Kiara was able to get well just in time for a very special event. “She got to be at our wedding, thanks to AVCC,” says Lauren with excitement. “I had gone to three different veterinary hospitals within a month. I could feel the difference with Advanced Veterinary Care Center. They saved her life.”
About Advanced Veterinary Care Center –
South Florida’s Premier Veterinary Emergency Hospital
We Have a Fully Staffed Veterinary Emergency Hospital
We have the largest team of veterinary emergency doctors and nurses in South Florida. Our emergency doctors are internship trained and have years of experience in emergency medicine. Every person on our ER team is RECOVER certified (basic and advanced life support/CPR training).
A Collaborative Approach to Veterinary Care
Our emergency doctors are supported 24/7 by our team of board-certified veterinary specialists. We work as a team to provide the best possible outcomes for pets and their people. Great veterinary medical care is a team sport – our collaborative approach and the quality of our team give patients the best chances for the best possible outcomes. We have earned a reputation for handling the most challenging cases because of our team and our approach.
Board Certification. It Matters!
Board certification in an accredited veterinary specialty is the only accepted standard for expertise in veterinary medicine. Our experts are all board certified in their specialties and they have collectively published over 30 peer-reviewed publications in veterinary medical journals.
We Have a State-Of-The-Art Facility
Including a full in-house lab, canine and feline blood products, a brand new 32-slice Fuji CT unit, surgical suites, minimally invasive surgical equipment, flexible and rigid endoscopy, mechanical ventilator, blood products and all equipment and services necessary for state-of-the-art care.
Centrally Located, Easily Accessible, and Worth the Drive.
We are 20 minutes from most of Broward County and 45-60 minutes from much of Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties.
We are Privately Owned and Operated.
The owners of AVCC are full-time veterinarians and active members of our community.
Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Davie (Broward County) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. If you have any questions regarding our services, please feel free to call us anytime at 954-500-8387 or visit us online here