Level 1 care for animals

The UF Small Animal Hospital has been certified as a Level 1 veterinary emergency and critical care facility by the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, becoming the state’s only facility to hold the designation. A Level 1 emergency and critical care facility is a 24-hour acute care facility with the resources and specialty training necessary to provide sophisticated emergency and critical patient care. Facilities receiving the Level 1 designation are open to receive small animal emergency patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. In addition, Level 1 facilities must have at least one diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care — a board-certified specialist who is dedicated to treating life-threatening conditions — employed full time and available for consultation either on-site or by phone 24/7. The UF Small Animal Hospital’s emergency and critical care service employs six such specialists who manage everything from trauma and acute kidney disease to lacerations and exposure to toxins.

Positive outcomes for transplant

Outcomes for patient survival following stem cell transplant at the UF Health Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, which treats patients with leukemia and other blood cancers, were recently ranked among the top 2.5 percent nationwide. “Our program is one of only 15 centers nationwide with this distinction. It’s the only one in Florida and one of only four in the Southeast,” said John R. Wingard, M.D., director of the program and the UF Health Cancer Center deputy director for research. UF Health’s ranking is based on the center’s one-year survival rate for patients who receive allogeneic stem cell transplants, stem cells harvested from a donor who has immune system markers closely matching those of the patient. The Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research lists survival rates in its annual transplant center-specific survival report.

Veterinarian in waiting

AnnaRose Van Sciver dreams about becoming a veterinarian. On Jan. 23, the 10-year-old, who underwent a heart transplant at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in 2014, got to take a peek at what life would be like as a veterinarian when she visted the UF Small Animal Hospital. Members of UF’s Dance Marathon team accompanied AnnaRose to create a video for their Milestones Campaign. AnnaRose was able to meet many UF veterinarians, students and staff members as she brightened the hallways. Her visit culminated with a surprise: She was able to help Amy Stone, D.V.M., a clinical assistant professor of primary care and dentistry in the college, perform an “exam” on a cat. Stone designated AnnaRose as the cat’s “Student of the Day.”