Bay State Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Services

11/19/2024

📣 Welcome, Dr. Lori Agulian, DVM, DACVS!

Dr. Lori Agulian has recently joined the BSVESS team as a surgeon, and we couldn’t be more thrilled! 🎉

Raised in Connecticut, Dr. Agulian earned her Bachelor’s degree in Biology-Psychology at Tufts University before attending Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She completed her residency in Small Animal Surgery at the Animal Medical Center in New York City and achieved board certification as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Her professional interests include laparoscopic procedures, surgical oncology, and emergency soft tissue surgeries. 🐾 In addition to her surgical expertise, Dr. Agulian has a passion for photography and enjoys capturing the beauty around her. 📸

Please join us in giving Dr. Agulian a warm welcome—she’s excited to be a part of the Bay State team and start this new chapter! 💙

11/14/2024

This is Us Thursday! 🌟

Meet one of our incredibly compassionate and dedicated ER clinicians, Dr. Taylor LaFountain. Dr. LaFountain has wanted to be a veterinarian since she was a child. Growing up in Massachusetts, she is grateful to still be close to home. She attended Ross University for veterinary school, completing her clinical year at North Carolina State, followed by an externship and an internship at our sister hospital Ocean State Veterinary Specialists. Something about OSVS just clicked, and she’s been with us for ten years and counting! Though she first envisioned herself as a general practitioner, she discovered her passion for emergency care, where she has since dedicated herself to helping the most critical cases. Recently, Dr. LaFountain took on a nearly full-time role at BSVESS while still working some shifts at OSVS, making each visit feel like a reunion. Both hospitals have become like family to her, and we’re so grateful to have her as part of our community!

Dr. LaFountain has been part of the growth of both hospitals for over a decade, working day, swing, and overnight shifts at both OSVS and BSVESS. She’s grateful for the opportunity to work alongside diverse team members, building a community across both hospitals. With BSVESS’s recent move and continued growth, she’s thrilled to be part of this exciting transition, even with the unique challenges it brings. Every shift, Dr. LaFountain advocates for her patients by providing clients with options to determine what’s best for their pets. She finds deep purpose in helping families make the best decisions for their animals, giving her a renewed enthusiasm every day. What truly sets OSVS and BSVESS apart, in her eyes, is our commitment to collaborative medicine. Working side-by-side with specialists and other ER clinicians allows her to offer the highest level of care to every patient.

Dr. LaFountain's world outside of work includes spending time her two beloved dogs, four cats, and her amazing husband. Dr. Taylor LaFountain treasures quality time with her close-knit family, which includes five siblings, and appreciates being near them while working at BSVESS. Many of her colleagues have grown in to close friends, with whom she enjoys traveling and listening to Taylor Swift. Thank you, Dr. LaFountain, for the passion and purpose you bring to our team every day!

11/13/2024

📢 Exciting News! We Now Offer Computed Tomography (CT) Scans!

We're thrilled to expand our diagnostic capabilities with CT scanning, an essential tool for detecting structural changes deep within the body. CT scans provide highly detailed images that enable us to identify tumors, abscesses, vascular abnormalities, occult fractures, and hematomas, helping us diagnose accurately, assess the extent of conditions, and create effective treatment plans.

In a CT scan, the x-ray tube rotates around the body, projecting a thin, fan-shaped x-ray beam through tissues. Detectors on the opposite side continuously record the number of x-rays passing through at various angles. As the beam moves through different tissues, it captures changes based on tissue density and composition, allowing the CT scanner to compile precise cross-sectional images of internal structures.

We look forward to using this advanced technology to provide even better care for our patients!

11/11/2024

11/06/2024

Our emergency department is expanding, and we're looking for dedicated professionals to join our team. If you're passionate about providing critical care and want to grow with us, we’d love to hear from you! 🌟

Did you know we offer:
🔹 Employer paid medical insurance premiums, AND paid deductible for employees!
🔹 Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options
🔹 401K with company match
🔹 Complimentary Life Insurance
🔹 Personal Pet Discounts
🔹 PTO and Holiday pay
🔹 Company Sponsored Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
🔹 Veterinary Social Worker on-site
🔹 Ample paid CE opportunities on-site, as well as CE stipend for Certified Technicians

If you are interested in learning more about our open positions: bsvess.com/open-positions/

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween from Bay State Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Services! 🎃 We hope your day is filled with ghosts, goblins, and ghouls!

Take a look at some of our team’s pets dressed up in their Halloween costumes! 👻👹🐾
If your pet is in costume, share a picture with us in the comments below!

And remember, our team is here 24/7 if your pet gets into Halloween candy or experiences an emergency. 🎃

10/30/2024

Thank you so much for entrusting us with Maddie's care! It’s wonderful to see this post and all the support in the comments from other clients. We love hearing about positive experiences and are honored to be on speed dial! 😍

We know no one wants to be in the emergency room, but we’re grateful to be here to support so many clients and their loved ones when they need us most.

10/28/2024

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Teiko Takedai, our newest surgeon, to the team! 🔪✂🪡💉

Dr. Takedai grew up moving around various states but considers Pittsburgh, PA, her hometown. She attended the University of Missouri for her undergraduate studies in veterinary medicine and earned her veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Following vet school, Dr. Takedai completed a rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center, as well as surgical internships at Long Island Veterinary Specialists and BluePearl in Maitland, FL, before completing her surgical residency.

Outside of work, Dr. Takedai enjoys exploring new restaurants, bakeries, and parks near the water. This is her first time in southern Massachusetts, and she’s excited to discover everything the region has to offer!

10/25/2024

Bay State Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Services is excited to welcome Dr. Amy Koterbay (she/her) to our team. Dr. Koterbay, a born-and-raised Rhode Islander, returns to us as a world-class veterinary medical oncologist. She most recently spent 8 years abroad at the University College Dublin, Ireland where she was an associate professor and head of oncology.

Dr. Koterbay studied at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, where she earned her Bachelors of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, and Auburn University where she received her Master of Science in Anatomy and Histology. Dr. Koterbay’s professional experience includes an internship at a private veterinary practice in Plymouth Meeting, PA, followed by a medical oncology residency at Michigan State University. After her residency she returned to private practice before starting a new adventure in academia overseas. Dr. Koterbay and is a boarded diplomate in medical oncology and a member of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, American Veterinary Medical Association, and Veterinary Cancer Society.

In her free time, you will likely find her on an airplane with her 3-year-old daughter. She has visited over 50 countries and looks forward to their next travel adventure.

10/22/2024

Brady was brought to BSVESS for evaluation due to straining while attempting to urinate. He had been experiencing urinary issues, including urinating and defecating outside of the litter box, and displaying signs of discomfort. Upon examination, Brady was diagnosed with a urethral obstruction (UO), a life-threatening condition that occurs when the urethra becomes blocked, preventing urination. Urethral obstructions are considered a medical emergency and require immediate treatment. Brady was admitted promptly and successfully unblocked by Dr. Miller. Once unblocked he was monitored and cared for by our team of nurses and emergency doctors.

We are so glad Brady is now home recovering with his family 😻😻😻

10/18/2024

Our team had an absolute blast during our Anesthesia Boot Camp!

This five-week intensive training is not for the faint of heart, but it's perfect for technicians getting their feet wet in surgery. Throughout the bootcamp, we covered essential topics like safe anesthesia protocols, effective pain management techniques, patient monitoring to ensure comfort, recognizing abnormalities, and smooth anesthesia recovery—so our patients go home feeling their best!

Check out a few behind-the-scenes snapshots from our Anesthesia Boot Camp. Our team worked hard over these five weeks—all to provide the best care for our furry patients! 💉💉💉

10/15/2024

🎉 Join us in celebrating Vet Tech Appreciation Week! 🎉

This week, we’ll be celebrating in style with food deliveries throughout the week to show our appreciation to our hardworking team. We are so grateful for our staff, whose dedication to veterinary medicine is truly unmatched. 🐾

Thank you for being the backbone of our hospital and for the compassion and expertise you bring to each patient. Let’s make this week all about you! ✨

10/10/2024

Pictured here is Dr. Rosenstein utilizing our ultrasound machine in the emergency room. 🩺

Ultrasound imaging is a non-invasive diagnostic tool that uses high-frequency sound waves to create detailed pictures of the inside of the body. Unlike other imaging techniques, ultrasound does not expose patients to ionizing radiation, making it a safe and effective option for real-time visualization of internal structures.

Veterinarians can use ultrasound to get clear images of key organs and systems, such as the:

- Kidneys
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Pancreas
- Spleen
- Vessels

Ultrasound is essential in diagnosing conditions like pancreatitis, enlarged organs, kidney or bladder stones, and portosystemic shunts. It’s also used to guide needles for precise tissue biopsies. This quick procedure typically requires minimal restraint or sedation, making it a low-stress, efficient option for most pets. 💙

10/09/2024

👀 Ever wonder what our operating room looks like behind the scenes?

Pictured here are two of our skilled surgeons, Dr. Besancon and Dr. Takedai, scrubbing in together to tackle a TECA-BO procedure. Total ear canal ablation and bulla osteotomy (TECA-BO) is a specialized surgical procedure for dogs that involves removing the ear canal and middle ear to treat chronic ear infections, tumors, or cancers.

We’re excited to share that we now have three operating rooms at Bay State Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Services, allowing us to save even more lives every day! 🐾

10/02/2024

📢 We are so excited about our new signage! Check it out! 📢

Amazing progress is happening behind the scenes at Bay State Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Services! We’re thrilled to announce that we will soon be able to offer CT scans and Radiation Oncology for pets in need. 🐾

Our Linear Accelerator has officially been installed and is currently being programmed. Plus, our team is undergoing specialized training to bring this advanced technology to our hospital. We couldn’t be more excited about these new offerings!

Stay tuned for more updates—we’re looking forward to providing even more comprehensive care for your pets!

10/01/2024

💔 Grief, loss, and heartbreak—three of the most difficult emotions to process. At Bay State Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Services and Ocean State Veterinary Specialists, we offer a Pet Loss Support Group where talking about grief is what we do.

Pet Loss Support Group dates for October:
Tuesday, October 1st
Tuesday, October 15th
Tuesday, October 29th
⏰ Time: 4:30 - 5:45 PM
📍 Virtual Zoom

Please join us. We heal in community, and it helps to know we are not alone. 🐾

Testimony from our Pet Loss Support Group:
"I cannot say enough good things about this Pet Loss Support Group. Dr. Hamin is incredibly patient and understanding and provides great resources to help you cope with your loss. The group is filled with others suffering the same loss as you. You never feel alone, and it’s helpful to hear how others think and feel. I recommend this group to anyone who is struggling with the loss of their beloved pet. My cat, Colby, was with me for 20 years and was extremely affectionate; although the pain and heartache will never completely go away, I have found peace within this group."
— Melissa D., Colby's owner