BluePearl Pet Hospital
Christiana
Newark, DE
Emergency Medicine

24/7 Emergency and Specialty

Pet emergency medicine by BluePearl.

Pet emergencies can be scary – we’re here to help you handle them.

We understand that seeing your pet sick, hurt or in distress can be stressful – especially if you don’t know what’s wrong. Fortunately, our experienced ER clinicians are prepared to take action and help.

A vet specialist holds a small grey puppy wearing a cone on an exam table.

Common pet emergencies.

A BluePearl anesthesiology and pain management vet prepares to fix an anesthetic facemask on a yellow lab while a vet tech helps hold the dog on the exam table.

Acting quickly in an emergency may save your pet’s life.

If your pet is experiencing an emergency, you’ll have an entire veterinary team helping them so you can get back to what matters most – spending precious moments together.

  • Accidents, injuries and trauma (hit-by-car, animal attacks, etc.)
  • Bleeding 
  • Bloat (gastric dilatation volvulus, or GDV)
  • Collapse or unresponsiveness
  • Complications from chronic diseases 
  • Difficulty breathing 
  • Straining to urinate
  • Ingestion of medications, poisons or objects 
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting and diarrhea

Our emergency team.

Experience makes all the difference. 

Our emergency team is made up of veterinarians, vet technicians and assistants, and support staff with rigorous training and experience in specialty medicine. The team works hand in hand to provide the comprehensive, compassionate care your pet needs and deserves. Because we’re a multidisciplinary hospital, the team can consult the expertise of other specialty departments, too.

Bernadetta Bernatowicz

VMD

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Dr. Bernadetta Bernatowicz developed her passion for emergency medicine while treating urgent-care patients as a former general practitioner. She enjoys the challenges and rewards that come with emergency medicine cases.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Scranton, PA
Off duty

Dr. Bernatowicz enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, which includes her sidekick Panda, an adorable pit bull mix.

Natalie Dean

VMD

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Dr. Natalie Dean is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She finds cardiovascular and neurologic emergencies the most gratifying to treat.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Off duty

Dr. Dean enjoys reading, running, baking, traveling and spending time with her tabby cat, Doe.

Laura Guliani

VMD

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Passionate about providing high quality care to all patients, Dr. Laura Guliani finds treating minor traumas especially gratifying.

Education
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Angell Animal Medical Center, Boston MA
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill MA
Off duty

Dr. Guliani enjoys being outdoors and spending time with friends and family. She has two yellow Labrador retrievers.

Jenna Kahn

MBA, VMD

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Dr. Jenna Kahn is part of our emergency medicine training program for clinicians. She is passionate about pet care and is especially interested in treating kidney injuries and neurologic emergencies.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Master of Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Nova Southeastern University, Davie FL
  • Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, University of Florida, Gainesville
Off duty

A self-described foodie, Dr. Kahn also enjoys skiing, traveling, and binging TV shows at home with her two dogs and her cat.

Dora Kassel

VMD

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Dr. Dora Kassel is a highly experienced emergency clinician. Her professional interests include cardiovascular emergencies, sepsis and immune mediated conditions

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, Georgetown University, Washington DC
Off duty

Dr. Kassel enjoys group fitness classes, spending time with her husband, children and two dogs, a rescue border collie/Labrador mix and a cocker spaniel.

Taylor Robinson

DVM

Emergency Medicine
On the job

A dedicated emergency clinician, Dr. Taylor Robinson particularly enjoys treating conditions such as Addison’s disease, lameness and fractures.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, Delaware Valley University, Doylestown PA
Off duty

Dr. Robinson enjoys gardening and eventing with her horse. She is married and also has two dogs and two cats.

Laura Roy-Eitner

DVM

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Dr. Laura Roy-Eitner is the intern coordinator and ER team lead. She especially enjoys treating trauma and endocrine emergencies, and managing patients in shock.

Education
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus
  • Bachelor of Arts, Biology, Oberlin College, OH
Off duty

Dr. Roy-Eitner enjoys hiking with her dog, a pit bull named Fidget. She also has two litter-mate kittens named Chachi and Cha-Cha. One of her favorite pastimes is baking, but she admits to as many failures as successes.

Mary Joe Tyler

MS, DVM

Emergency Medicine
On the job

Dr. Mary Joe Tyler worked as a vet tech before becoming a veterinarian. She finds treating feline urinary obstructions particularly gratifying.

Education
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, Pittsburgh PA
  • Clinical Rotation, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
  • Master of Science, Biology, Chatham University, Pittsburgh PA
  • Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, University of Delaware, Newark
Off duty

Dr. Tyler has four cats and enjoys hiking, reading, baking and Netflix.

What to expect.

We know an unexpected trip to the emergency pet hospital can be stressful, and we want you to be prepared so you have one less thing to worry about. Our entire BluePearl team will be with you every step of the way.

Before your visit

  • If possible, call us before arriving so we can discuss your pet’s condition, help you with directions and prepare our team.
  • Collect your pet’s medical records, current medication or any historical information.
  • If your pet has eaten something potentially toxic, bring the substance with you if it’s safe to do so.

During your visit

  • When you arrive, let us know if you need help bringing your pet in from the car, and we’ll be ready to assist you.
  • Our team will perform an initial triage exam on your pet to assess their condition.
  • To stabilize your pet, we may need to administer IV fluids, pain medications, oxygen therapy and sometimes blood or plasma transfusions.
  • Before you leave, you’ll receive discharge instructions and a list of any recommended medications.

After your visit

  • We’ll let your family veterinarian know about your pet’s condition and the treatment they receive at BluePearl. This communication is key in the ongoing management of your pet’s care.
  • You know your pet better than anyone, and you play a crucial role in any follow-up treatment necessary. If you have any concerns about providing care at home (such as giving medication or monitoring your pet’s symptoms), let us know – we’re here for you.