Emergency and Critical Care
 The VSH Emergency & Critical Care department operates 24-hours a day, seven days a week, covering the emergency and urgent healthcare needs of clients and their pets. If you currently have a veterinary emergency, click here.
The department is led by Dr. Monica Clare and is staffed with veterinarians and technicians with experience in emergency medicine. The hospital has a state-of-the-art intensive care unit, equipped with a multi-patient telemetry system for remote monitoring of EKG, and advanced vital sign monitors, ventilator, colloid osmometer, and an advanced Nova blood gas/electrolyte monitor. Patients are supported by an on-site full service laboratory for rapid test results -- especially important when a patient is in critical condition.
Dogs and cats are separated to minimize stress. Runs are large and glass enclosed to allow continual observation. A team approach is used with all patients. In addition, hospitalized patients are overseen by a single specialist.
We also coordinate closely with the patient’s regular veterinarian to determine which cases are best handled by the regular veterinarian. Communications with the referring or regular veterinarian are enhanced with timely phone conversations and detailed faxed reports.
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Emergency and Critical Care Services
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- Full service diagnostic laboratory for immediate test results
- Emergency surgery
- Intravenous fluid therapy with constant-rate infusion pumps
- Blood, plasma, and Oxyglobin transfusion
- Oxygen cages and nasal oxygen therapy
- Abdominal and cardiac ultrasound
- Video endoscopy and laparoscopy
- Doppler and oscillometric blood pressure monitoring
- Blood gas analysis
- Telemetry cardiac monitoring
- Pulse oximetry
- Vital sign monitors, with invasive and non-invasive blood pressure, capnography, oximetry, and blood pressure
- Ventilator
- Colloid osmometer
- Advanced Nova blood gas/electrolyte monitor
- 24-hour monitoring by veterinary nurses trained in critical care, surgery, and internal medicine
- Consultation with specialists always available
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Emergency Forms
Emergency Services - General Information (printable)
Pet Emergency Information Booklet (printable)
Overnight Observation Services Form (printable) |
Monica Clare, DVM
Lynda Elliott, DVM
Brian Michell, DVM
Brian Allett, DVM
Monica Clare, VMD, DACVECC
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 Dr. Monica Clare received her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2000. She then completed an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York. Dr. Clare then pursued a residency in Emergency and Critical Care at the University of California, Davis and Advanced Critical Care and became boarded in 2005. Dr. Clare has spent the past two years working as critical care specialist in Los Angeles. Her interests include respiratory disease and mechanical ventilation. She has published journal articles and a textbook chapter on ventilation.
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 Dr. Lynda Cornelison graduated from Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 2003. She completed an internship here at Veterinary Specialty Hospital between 2003-2004. Dr. Cornelison has been practicing with Veterinary Specialty Hospital since September 2005.
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Brian Michell, DVM
North County Facility
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 Dr. Brian Michell graduated from the University of Georgia, School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. He completed his internship at Veterinary Specialty Hospital between 1999-2000 and has been practicing at VSH as an Emergency Services veterinarian since 2005.
Brian Allett, DVM
North County Facility
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 Dr. Brian Allett graduated from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and finished his clinical year at Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center in 2004. He then completed a small animal internship with emphasis in emergency and internal medicine at VetCare in Dublin, CA in 2005. Following the internship, he has been working as an emergency clinician at emergency and specialty practices in California.
Dr. Allett enjoys many aspects of emergency medicine but has a particular interest in imaging and internal medicine. He is known for his compassionate care and warm bedside manner. In his free time, Dr. Allett enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities, travel and baseball; he is an Oakland Athletics fan.
Dr. Allett shares his life with three dogs (D’Artagnon, Tulie and Hank), three cats (Sugar, Spice and Xena) and a handful of fish.
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