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.
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:
Your pet will receive unparalleled medical care during their time at the hospital (and they’ll be spoiled with love and attention, too).
Your pet can’t tell us what’s wrong, so we use sophisticated diagnostics and imaging tools to uncover the source of the problem.
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:
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.
Dr. Adriana Alfonso Castro is a resident in our critical care service.
Dr. John Gicking enjoys all aspects of critical care medicine and can often be found training others and presenting continuing education to the veterinary community.
Dr. Gicking enjoys K9 sports, including agility and obedience. He also spends time outdoors, scuba diving, and participating in competitive chili cooking.
Dr. Bradley Harris loves all aspects of emergency, critical care and cardiology — especially cardiopulmonary diseases and sepsis. His primary clinical interests lie where his training intersects, which includes coagulation disorders and the acute and chronic treatment of congestive heart failure. Dr. Harris is keenly interested in minimally invasive therapy of congenital and acquired heart disease and is excited to bring these new and innovative therapies to the Tampa Bay region.
Dr. Harris is an outdoor enthusiast who loves anything that has him outside, from running and hiking to camping and mountain climbing. In his free time, he enjoys playing sand volleyball, coaching his daughter’s softball team, and cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals as a die-hard fan.
Dr. Zachary Lembersky is a resident in our critical care service. His clinical interests include anesthesia, sedation and pain control.
Dr. Rachel Lucia is a resident in our critical care service. She loves building relationships with clients and considers them team players in the effort of determining the best outcome of their pets’ lives.
In her spare time, Dr. Rachel Lucia loves reading, kayaking, hiking, visiting the beach, playing board games, and spending time with family. She has two dogs and a cat, Kapu, who enjoys hogging the couch space, asking for food after he has already been fed, purring, bossing around the dogs, and playing with catnip.
Dr. Miryam Seems enjoys all aspects of emergency and critical care.
Dr. Reems’ family includes cats named Fat Bobby and Sagan as well as a dog named Emma.
Dr. Riley Shugg is a resident in our critical care service. She finds infectious diseases, toxicities and gastrointestinal diseases the most gratifying to treat.
Dr. Shugg enjoys biking, exploring local coffee shops and breweries, and reading. She has a dog named Karoo and two cats named Frodo and D’artagnan.
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.
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.
During an emergency, every second counts. If you think your pet is experiencing an emergency, call us so we can talk you through their situation and prepare for your arrival.
Our goal is always for your pet to have a complete recovery so they can return home with you, happy and healthy.