Fortunately—for us and for our four-legged, furred and tailed companions—Maine has four emergency veterinary clinics: Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Brewer; the Animal Emergency Clinic of mid-Maine in Lewiston; the Maine Veterinary Referral Center Emergency and Specialty Hospital in Scarborough; and the Animal Emergency Clinic in Portland. In addition, dog owners in southernmost Maine are close to the Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
In general, emergency veterinary clinics do not offer regular veterinary services such as vaccines, wellness checkups, spays and neuters. Emergency veterinarians and their staff specialize in emergency medicine and surgery, as well as critical care monitoring and treatment.
“Bloat, porcupine quills, ingesting poisonous or foreign objects and getting hit by cars are some of the most prevalent emergencies we see,” said David Larkin, veterinarian at the Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic (EMEVC) in Brewer. “Fortunately, the smallest portions are life-threatening emergencies; the majority fall into being dangerous but not life-threatening. But lately we have seen a trend—an increase in the number of dogs running loose and more traffic, which is a recipe for disaster.”
EMEVC is a cooperative emergency clinic formed by local veterinarians in 2002 and supported by approximately 20 member, or part owner, veterinary hospitals. The clinic employs two full-time veterinarians in addition to Larkin, Dr. Bernie Bishop and Dr. Madeline McAvoy, as well as several licensed veterinary technicians, a receptionist and a business manager. As the northernmost clinic in the state, they see clients from as far away as Houlton, Machias, Calais, all of Downeast Maine and even Canada.
“On a busy overnight we’ll see 20 clients; on a weekend day it could be 50,” said Larkin, who began working relief shifts at the clinic in 2002 and joined the clinic fulltime in 2004. “I enjoy the diversity of emergency situations and the challenge of treating animals I’m meeting for the first time. All of us share a commitment and passion for emergency medicine. Veterinarians from our member clinics sign up for relief shifts and backup if we need them.
“In the case of a life-threatening emergency, it’s advisable to call the clinic first so that we can provide first-aid advice and prepare for your arrival. When it’s a non-life threatening situation, appointments can be scheduled, but, of course, many clients just walk in; it’s the nature of the business. We can also offer phone advice about a specific situation or concern.”
Do any unusual clients stick in Larkin’s memory? “A 40-pound snapping turtle that had been run over, had a crack in its shell and was bleeding. We were able to stop the bleeding and the turtle survived. In addition to cats and dogs, people bring in pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs. But we generally don’t see wildlife; we would refer them to an animal control officer or wildlife rehabilitator.”
Farther south in Lewiston, at the Animal Emergency Clinic of mid-Maine (AECM), veterinarian Erich Baumann concurs that “ingesting foreign objects, porcupine quills, vomiting and diarrhea, lacerations and being hit by cars” are the most common emergencies befalling dog owners. “A portion of our business would disappear if people did not let their dogs run loose and if everyone got their dogs vaccinated for parvo virus, which can cause critical gastrointestinal problems,” he added.
“As a triage facility where we do not take appointments, we see patients on a first-come-first-served basis. If animals arrive with life-threatening injuries, they are always seen immediately. As a result, non-critical animals sometimes might have to wait; it’s unavoidable. We appreciate our clients’ patience when this happens.”
Baumann moved from New Jersey to Maine in 2001 to join the staff at AECM and in 2004 he became chief of staff. Three other veterinarians are on staff at AECM, Dr. Pamela Scudder, Dr. Stephanie Kuietauskas and Dr. Alexander Munroe. The clinic also employs nine full-time veterinary technicians, part-time vet techs, a hospital manager and administrative staff.
Similar to the genesis of EMEVC, the Lewiston clinic was founded in 2000 by 14 area veterinary clinics in recognition of the need for after-hours care and treatment. Medical and surgical capabilities include x-ray, surgery, intensive care, laboratory testing, ECG and other monitoring equipment and ongoing monitoring of critical patients. AECM covers area veterinary practices and sees clients from as far away as Rumford, Farmington, Norway, Augusta, Brunswick and Topsham.
“I enjoy the environment, challenge and fast pace of emergency veterinary medicine,” said Baumann. Certain animals stand out in his memory, specifically in a category dear to the hearts and mouths of many canines—“What dogs swallow,” he mused. “Pantyhose, bras, action figures, plastic dinosaurs, super balls, you name it. I remember a Beagle that swallowed a six-inch metal shish kebab skewer. The dog was acting fine. Fortunately, the owners acted quickly and brought him in. The surgery was easy; the skewer slid right out.”
Not as easy was a large Bulldog with a penchant for eating everything, “even a plastic doghouse igloo,” Baumann said. “One night the owners brought him in knowing something was awry, but not sure what he had ingested. His stomach was extremely distended. During surgery he went into cardiac arrest—his heart stopped, but we were able to get him back and breathing. There’s a risk that a dog will crash again in recovery and die. But this Bulldog woke up after surgery and two days later walked out wagging his tail. He was amazing.”
Healthy dogs and cats can help their four-legged peers by becoming blood donors at the Lewiston clinic. “Originally we used staff members’ pets to donate blood, but the program has expanded to surrounding veterinary hospitals and the community. Now we have a solid donor base,” Baumann said. More information about the program requirements can be found on the clinic’s website (see sidebar).
In Scarborough, the Maine Veterinary Referral Center Emergency and Specialty Hospital was founded 18 years ago by chief of staff Dr. Alan Potthoff, who became the first board certified veterinary specialist in Maine. The center is a 24-hour veterinary referral practice specializing in canine and feline neurology, neurosurgery, soft tissue surgery, oncologic surgery, orthopedic surgery, CT scanning and MR imaging. In June, the center opened its emergency department, which is also open 24 hours a day.
“We have four full-time emergency veterinarians and 10 rotating relief emergency docs,” said Niel Nielsen, hospital manager. “Since we were founded as a specialty referral hospital, we also have three neurologists, an internal medicine veterinarian and a surgeon. All of our specialists are board certified. With the addition of our emergency department, we can ensure easy transfer of care and eliminate the need for transport from one veterinarian to another—it’s all under one state-of-the-art facility roof.”
In addition to veterinary specialists, the hospital employs nine licensed veterinary technicians and two technician assistants, as well as administrative support personnel.
“We’re able to offer different levels of treatment and care that are so vital to address emergency and critical situations,” said Jennifer Roberts, emergency veterinarian at the center. “We really strive to complement what the general veterinary practitioner can provide.”
Roberts joined the staff last June after working at an emergency practice in Boston. After veterinary medical school, she completed an internship at the University of Minnesota and three-year residency at the University of Illinois, specializing in emergency and critical care.
“I like the diversity and pace of emergency medicine,” said Roberts, echoing the other vets. “Emergencies are sometimes seasonal. In the summer, we see a lot of trauma cases like animals getting hit by cars, animals suffering due to being in hot cars, porcupine quills and this year, some mushroom toxicity cases due to the wet weather. Around the holidays, we see an increase in stomach problems due to pets getting into foods, such as chocolate toxicity. Each day is something different.”
In addition to critical and life-threatening scenarios, one of the most stressful realities of emergency veterinary work is communicating with clients about the cost of treatment. In general, once a veterinarian has assessed an animal’s medical issues and treatment needs, an estimate is provided to the client. Payment is required at the time of treatment and major credit cards are accepted. For those who need to arrange a payment plan, most clinics accept Care Credit, a pre-approved credit payment lender.
“It’s one of the most stressful parts of our work,” Larkin said. “While not all situations are extremely expensive, in some cases we could be talking about $1,000 for surgery or a specialized treatment, which is a lot of money for many people. Depending on the medical emergency and potential treatment options, sometimes we can offer a less expensive medical solution, but not always. Care Credit is often helpful, because in the middle of an emergency, we can pick up the phone and call. The client can apply by phone and have an answer within minutes.” (For more information about Care Credit, go online to www.carecredit.com.)
“There are also a number of nonprofit organizations that offer financial help,” Baumann said. “To benefit from one of these, however, you need to apply and receive authorization before you’re in the middle of an emergency situation.” (To learn more about financial assistance through nonprofit organizations, visit the Senior Dogs Project website, www.srdogs.com.)
Two more emergency veterinary clinics serve Maine dog owners. The Animal Emergency Clinic in Portland, founded in 1987 by 13 local veterinary practices, is open 24 hours a day and treats patients from southern, western and mid-coast Maine, as well as parts of New Hampshire. And, not far from the border in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the Emergency Veterinary Clinic provides emergency-based diagnostic and critical care support for trauma situations 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
When life happens, it’s comforting to know we have choices, options and specialized veterinary expertise right here in Maine and just over the border—the way a dog lover’s life should be.
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