BluePearl Pet Hospital
Spring, TX
Critical Care

24/7 Emergency and Specialty
Emergency:
24/7
Please call before visiting
Specialty:
By appointment

Pet critical care 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 critical care clinicians are prepared to take action to provide lifesaving care.

Dog peeks out of a oxygen kennel

Conditions we treat.

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.

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

Common cases that we see in the ICU include:  

  • Post-surgery recovery 
  • Trauma
  • Sepsis
  • Respiratory distress
  • Pneumonia
  • Shock

Services we offer.

Your pet will receive unparalleled medical care during their time at the hospital (and they’ll be spoiled with love and attention, too).

Advanced diagnostics

Your pet can’t tell us what’s wrong, so we use sophisticated diagnostics and imaging tools to uncover the source of the problem. 

  • Blood/urine testing 
  • Electrocardiography (ECG) 
  • Endoscopy
  • Ultrasound
  • Radiography (x-rays)

Treatment plans

Just as no two patients are the same, neither are their treatment plans. Our critical care team has experience with a range of advanced procedures and minimally invasive care options to get your pet on the path to wellness, including:

  • Blood transfusions
  • Electrolyte replenishment
  • Oxygen therapy
  • Breathing support
  • Catheterization
  • Nutritional support
  • IV fluid therapy

Our board certified specialists and critical care team.

Experience makes all the difference. 

Our critical care 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.

Courtney Gardner

DVM, DACVECC
Board Certified in Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care

Critical Care
Servicing locations

On the job

Dr. Courtney Gardner enjoys all aspects of emergency & critical care and is especially interested in sepsis/SIRS, transfusion medicine for coagulopathies and/or anemia, traumatic injuries and toxicities.

Education
  • Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
  • Residency, Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care, Texas A&M University, College Station
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, Guelph, Canada
  • Bachelor of Science, Animal Biology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Off duty

Outside of work, Dr. Gardner enjoys horseback riding, reading, cooking and crafting. Her family includes her husband, son and miniature schnauzer Ruby.

Megan Harris

DVM, DACVECC
Board Certified in Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care

Critical Care
Servicing locations

On the job

Dr. Megan Harris’ particular clinical interests include sepsis (a potentially life-threatening condition caused by a body’s response to infection), respiratory diseases and mechanical ventilation.

Education
  • Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
  • Residency, Emergency & Critical Care, Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, Las Vegas, NV
  • Internship, Emergency & Critical Care, Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center, PA
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital and Referral Center, Albuquerque, NM
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University, AL
  • Bachelor of Science, Biology, Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ
Off duty

Lucy Gweniveire is Dr. Harris’ feline fur baby.

Laurie Stephens

DVM, DACVECC
Board Certified in Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care

Critical Care
Servicing locations

On the job

Dr. Laurie Stephens’ particular clinical interests include sepsis, anaphylaxis, polytrauma, and severe gastrointestinal disease.

Education
  • Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care
  • Residency, Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care, Texas A&M University, College Station
  • Internship, Small Animal Medicine & Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station
  • Bachelor of Science, Animal Science, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX
Off duty

Dr. Stephens enjoys working out, cooking and spending time with her husband and daughter. The family has a standard poodle named Frederic and a Rhodesian ridgeback/black mouth cur mix named Dutch.

What to expect.

We want you to be prepared for your pet’s visit to the ICU, so you have one less thing to worry about. Our entire BluePearl team will be with you every step of the way.

How the ICU works

First, your pet will be triaged and cared for by our emergency medicine team. If they require hospitalization, your pet will be seamlessly transferred to the ICU, where our critical care team will stabilize and monitor them around the clock.

We know how difficult it is to be separated from your pet during this critical time, so we’ll keep you updated on their condition and continue to discuss testing and treatment options with you. Once your pet is stable, you’ll be able to give them more love and attention during visiting hours.

Our team will continue to partner with your primary veterinarian as part of 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 after being discharged from the hospital (such as giving medication or monitoring your pet’s symptoms), let us know – we’re here for you.