VRCC - Veterinary Referral & Critical Care

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VRCC - Veterinary Referral & Critical Care

VRCC - Veterinary Referral & Critical Care Emergency and specialty veterinary care in Richmond's West End.
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If your pet has a chronic disease or life threatening injury, you can turn to a VRCC specialist who spends every day diagnosing and treating animals with your pet's specific illness. Our veterinary experts and advanced technology give your pet the best chance of a happy, healthy recovery.

02/17/2025

Caption this photo!

Write your caption in the comments below and like your favorite. The comment with the most likes by 4pm tomorrow wins!

02/14/2025

We hope everyone has a fun and safe Valentine's Day! 💖

We don't want your fun to be spoiled by a trip to the vet, so here are some things to be mindful of when it comes to pet safety.

02/13/2025

This sweet boy is Deuce.

Deuce is a 13-year-old yellow lab who was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis a few years ago. Recently, his symptoms became more troublesome, and he was brought to see Dr. Trevor in surgery for a consult.

Laryngeal paralysis is a condition in which the arytenoids become paralyzed causing the vocal folds to stay in the closed position, making breathing difficult. Dogs with this condition can become distressed if overexcited and overheat more easily.

Dr. Trevor performed tieback surgery to tie back Deuce's left arytenoid, opening up his airway and making it easier to breathe. The surgery went well and Deuce recovered in our ICU.

It's important to keep patients calm and quiet after tie-back surgery so that they don't go into respiratory distress. Fortunately, Deuce was able to get some good rest during his stay with us! He was later able to go home to continue recovery.

02/12/2025

Here is Finn rocking his shades in the underwater treadmill! 😎

Finn has been working with Karen in the underwater treadmill to help manage arthritis in his right elbow. During the colder winter months especially, pets with arthritis may experience more stiffness and discomfort. Walking in the underwater treadmill helps to ease discomfort and build strength around the joint without putting strain on it.

If you think your pet could benefit from rehabilitation with Karen, please call us at 804-784-8722!

02/11/2025

Here is the winner of this week's caption contest! Check back next week for another photo to caption.

02/08/2025

***ATTENTION***

We are currently unable to receive emergencies today (2/8). Please call 804-784-8722 with any questions.

02/06/2025

Intervertebral Disc Disease is something our Neurology department sees on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. It occurs when the discs in a pet's spine degenerate and rupture, causing spinal cord compression. Sometimes, it can be managed with pain medication and rest. Other times, it requires surgery to correct.

While it is a very common occurrence in dog breeds such as dachshunds or French bulldogs, any breed of dog can develop it (and, though rare, we recently saw it in a cat!).

It's important to know the signs so that you can seek care quickly if symptoms arise. Untreated, IVDD can lead to permanent paralysis.

The signs are:
- Neck or back pain (back pain can commonly be mistaken for abdominal pain)
- Hunched appearance
- Holding the head low or reluctance to move neck
- Limping
- Weakness in limbs
- Uncoordinated movement
- Paralysis
- Urinary or f***l incontinence

Have you had a pet with IVDD? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

02/05/2025

Here is Pet Poison Helpline's list of the Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2024. This list is made every year based on actual caller data.

Rat poison has moved up the list for dogs since last year. And so has Carprofen. Though this medication is safe when given as prescribed, it can be toxic if too much is ingested. Pets are known for getting into the chewables thinking that they're treats.

The list for cats is notably different, with lilies and other flowers being a major concern. Cat owners should check if a plant is safe before bringing it into the home. Pet Poison Helpline's toxin list is an excellent resource for this (https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poisons/)

Is there anything on the list that you are shocked to see or didn't realize was poisonous?

02/03/2025

Caption this photo!

Write your caption in the comments below and like your favorite. The comment with the most likes by 4pm tomorrow wins.

01/31/2025

We hope you will join us on Saturday, February 22nd for the 24th Annual Henrico Humane Society Pet Expo!

This event is always tons of fun for the whole family! And it's for a good cause!

The event will be held at the Richmond Raceway Complex from 10am-4pm. Get your tickets in advance here: https://www.henricohumane.org/pet-expo

01/30/2025

Finn came prepared for his spa day with our canine rehabilitation technician, Karen!

He's going for walks in the underwater treadmill to help with arthritis in his right elbow. Working in the treadmill will help to decrease pain and build muscle in the leg without putting stress on his joints.

Let him know how handsome he looks in the comments! 😍

01/29/2025

This little cutie is Lainey!

Lainey is a 4-month-old golden retriever puppy who was referred to Dr. Schneider in surgery after she broke her left hind leg. Dr. Schneider performed a physical exam and ordered X-rays, which revealed a tibia/fibula fracture.

After a discussion with Lainey's mom, the decision was made to pursue surgery to repair it.

Dr. Schneider performed surgery to repair the fracture, placing a locking plate to set the bones back in place. Lainey also received a splint to help stabilize the leg while she heals.

Lainey's surgery went well, she recovered in our ICU and was later able to go home! She had a recheck earlier this week and is reportedly doing well at home. Her mom will have the fun job of keeping a 4-month-old puppy still over the next few weeks while she heals. 😅

We wish this sweet girl well in her recovery!

01/28/2025

Here is the winner of this week's caption contest. Check back next week for another photo to caption.

01/27/2025

***ATTENTION***

From 7am-7pm on Tuesday (1/28) and Wednesday (1/29) of this week, we will not be receiving emergencies unless it is a surgical, internal medicine, or neurology emergency. If you have one of these emergencies, please call 804-784-8722 and press 1.

01/24/2025

This sweet girl is Roxy!

Roxy is a 7-year-old terrier mix who was referred to Dr. Clarke for progressive back pain and rear limb weakness. At the end of December, she began experiencing back pain and mobility problems. Her primary care veterinarian started her on some anti-inflammatories and pain medication which helped the discomfort, but her ability to get around worsened. She was then referred to Dr. Clarke in neurology.

Dr. Clarke performed a neurological exam and ordered an MRI which revealed that Roxy had a disc herniation at L4-L5 which was causing severe compression on her spinal cord. The decision was made with Roxy's owner to pursue surgery.

Dr. Clarke performed a hemilaminectomy to clear out the disc material and relieve the pressure on Roxy's spinal cord. The surgery went well and she was able to go home to recover.

She recently had a post-op recheck with Dr. Clarke and was reported to be doing very well at home! She will need to rest for the next several weeks and then start to slowly resume normal activity.

We're happy that we were able to help this sweet girl and wish her well on her recovery!

Address

1596 Hockett Road
Manakin, VA
23103

Telephone

(804) 784-8722

Website

http://www.vrccvet.com/

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Videos

This little cutie is Mylo! Mylo was referred to Dr. Clarke in Neurology for losing the ability to use all four limbs. His owner heard him yelp and found him at the bottom of the stairs, shaking and unable to move. They took him to their local ER who administered pain medications and took x-rays. They were concerned about spinal cord compression so they sent him to VRCC. Dr. Clarke performed a neurological exam and ordered an MRI which found that Mylo had suffered an ANNPE (Acute Non-compressive Nucleus Pulposus Extrusion) in his neck. An ANNPE occurs when a disc suddenly ruptures and hits the spinal cord, usually due to some form of trauma. Fortunately, surgery is not required for this condition and most dogs get better on their own or with the help of physical therapy over time. Mylo has been working with Karen in the underwater treadmill and has made great progress over a short amount of time! We hope that he continues to improve and is back to his old self in no time!

Congrats to Sampson who graduated from rehabilitation with Karen this week! Sampson suffered a fibrocartilaginous embolus (FCE) back in September and has been working with Karen to regain the use of his legs. We are thrilled with his progress! Help us congratulate him in the comments!

We posted about Sampson a few weeks ago at the start of his rehabilitation journey. Sampson suffered an ANNPE and lost the ability to walk. He has been working with Karen in the underwater treadmill to regain the use of his legs. We are happy to report that he is now able to support himself while walking! We're so happy to see this sweet boy making progress! . . . #annpe #annperecovery #caninerehab #caninerehabilitation #ccrp #petphysicaltherapy #petphysio #rvapets #goochlandpets #goochlandva #rva

Happy Friday! Please enjoy this video of Loki walking in the underwater treadmill. She is making great progress! . . . #rvapets #rvacats #catsofinstagram #vetmed #underwatertreadmill #hydrotherapy #catrehab

Loki is a 14-year-old kitty who recently had FHO surgery after sustaining a femoral fracture. The surgery went well, but she has experienced some strength and range of motion deficits in the leg. She is working with Karen in the underwater treadmill to help address this. Cats have a reputation for hating water, but Loki took to the underwater treadmill almost immediately! She is already seeing improvements after a couple of sessions. Keep up the great work, Loki! . . . #ccrp #animalrehab #underwatertreadmill #hydrotherapy #felinehydrotherapy #rvacats #goochlandcats #goochlandpets #rvapets

It's not every day you have a cat in the underwater treadmill! Reginald belongs to one of our ICU Technicians, Abigail. Back in January, Dr. Trevor performed a fracture repair on his left front leg. Though he healed nicely, he has still been experiencing some intermittent limping. Reginald recently started working with Karen in the underwater treadmill. The goal is to stretch out his ligaments and tendons in the hopes that he will begin to walk normally more consistently. He's doing great so far and doesn't seem to mind the water! . . . #rvacats #rvakittens #rva #rvapets #goochlandpets #ccrp #petrehabilitation #pethydrotherapy

Wolf is a working dog who was injured after falling into a ditch while herding sheep. He had surgery with Dr. Trevor to repair a ligament in his left front leg and has been working with Karen in the underwater treadmill for almost two months. We are happy to say that Wolf has healed nicely and is back to doing what he loves! . . . #caninerehab #sheepherding #herdingsheep #workingdog #rvadogs #goochlanddogs #goochlandpets #rvapets #ccrp

A few weeks ago we posted the amazing story of Miso, who was a victim of one of the worst dog attacks we've ever seen. (You can view that post here: https://bit.ly/4b6LoXP) After seeing Dr. Schneider and the surgery team over several months for serial wound care, Miso is feeling great again! Her parents sent us this awesome video showing how much Miso is loving life! We're so glad this sweet girl pulled through and is thriving again.

Sam came to our rehabilitation technician Karen with a lot of pain and stiffness in his hind end. During his first visit, it was so bad that he was putting the majority of his weight on his front legs and hopping with his hind end. After working with Karen for the last two months, Sam is feeling much better. His pain has decreased, his range of motion in his hind limbs has improved, and he is generally able to get around much easier! . . . #caninerehab #ccrp #caninerehabilitationt #physicaltherapy #petphysicaltherapy #hydrotherapyfordogs #rvadogs #rvapets #goochlandpets #goochlandva #rva

Brewski is an Internal Medicine VIP

Brewski is an Internal Medicine VIP. 😎 He's such a chill and relaxed dude that he gets to hang out and make biscuits while the IMED team gets their paperwork done. Brewski has been seeing Dr. Fallin for years to have his chronic Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia managed. Fortunately, he remains in remission. But, we make sure to get him in every so often to make sure that trend continues!

We posted about Sam the other week after he had his first day of rehabilitation with Karen. With Degenerative Joint Disease in his left hip and a torn CCL, Sam has had a hard time getting around lately. During his first visit with Karen, his hind end was very stiff and he hopped more than walked in the underwater treadmill, using his front end to compensate. Sam had his third visit yesterday and he's still stiff at the beginning of the session, but loosens up over time and has more flexibility in his hind legs. We love the progress that he has made so far and are hopeful that he will continue to improve! . . . #underwatertreadmill #caninerehab #caninerehabilitation #ccrp #rvapets #rvadogs #goochlandpets #goochlanddogs #caninearthritis #caninedjd

Hank has been making strides in physical therapy with Karen after having two surgeries last year with Dr. Trevor to address his bilateral elbow dysplasia. He has also been receiving injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into the joints to promote healing and decrease inflammation. He's made great progress and we hope he will be good as new in no time! . . . #elbowdysplasia #mastiffsofinstagram #mastiff #rvadogs #rvapets #goochlandpets #goochlandva #rva #vetmed #caninephysicaltherapy #physicaltherapy #plateletrichplasma