The COVE is dedicated to providing each patient that walks through our emergency room with life-saving care. One of the unique benefits of The COVE is that our departments often work hand in hand to provide the most progressive care for our most ill or critically injured pet patients. 

In this case, Reeves, an 11-year-old feline, received care from three of our departments – all led by board-certified veterinary specialists in emergency and critical care, cardiology, and surgery.

Reeves was brought into our emergency room due to rapid breathing with limited movement, and the physical exam revealed hypothermia and hypotension. Therefore, our emergency and critical care team performed several diagnostics, including TFAST (a quick ultrasound exam to direct patient stabilization), lab work, and blood pressure measurement.

Due to her symptoms and the lab results, our board-certified veterinary cardiologist, Merrilee T. Small, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), also performed an echocardiogram (ultrasound image of the heart) and an abdominal ultrasound to see if there were any underlying cardiac or other internal issues. These essential diagnostics played a huge role in the diagnosis and treatment of this kitty.

Reeves was gravely ill, as she was diagnosed with gallstones, inflammation of the liver, gallbladder and bile ducts, liver cysts, liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, heart disease, high blood pressure. Due to the number of ailments, she was immediately hospitalized and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

In ICU, she received around the clock monitoring by our experienced team led by Jacqueline Nobles, DVM, DACVECC, a board-certified specialist in emergency and critical care. Additionally, our board-certified veterinary surgeon, Jeff T. Stallings, DVM, DACVS, performed liver and GI biopsies via exploratory laparoscopic surgery (inserting a flexible tube with a camera and light on the end and surgical tools through a small incision). A feeding tube was then surgically placed to ensure she was receiving the proper nutrients.

Over the next four months, Reeves was admitted to our ICU multiples times for her complex and chronic diseases. Since July 2019, she has made incredible progress and has had a remarkable recovery. She is now stable, on her medical regimen, and has continued follow-up care with her primary care veterinarian at Nansemond Veterinary Hospital, Suffolk.

And, we are grateful to have received this wonderful note from Reeves’ family.

 “Thank you can never fully express how we feel about your care and skill. Our “children” are extremely important to us and it makes us feel good to know that you all are here in an emergency. Little Reeves is eating and almost acting like herself again – some days more than others, but she seems happy and comfortable.”

– The Osborn Family

Our entire team is immensely proud of this courageous feline, and we wish her and her family lots of years of happiness and health.


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About Us

The COVE’s veterinarians and staff wholeheartedly embrace the core values of community, collaboration, commitment, compassion, and integrity. This focus ensures that pets, the people who love them, and their primary care veterinarians have as positive and affirming a healthcare experience as possible, regardless of the circumstances that bring us all together.