Elemental Pet Vets

06/01/2026

Is p**p good for the brain? It might be. This paper will be available online soon in JAVMA. It is becoming increasingly evident that disturbances in the microbiome (the gut organisms and their metabolites) are linked to various disorders in our pets. In addition to cognitive decline, dysbiosis (abnormal gut microbiome) has been associated with allergic skin disease, arthritis and seizure activity. At Elemental Pet Vets, we are always looking for new ways to help our patients and their parents.

06/01/2026

What is Arthramid? This is a joint injection for canine arthritis that acts as a cushion, alleviating the pain of osteoarthritis and improving function. In a recent study (Barnhard JA, et al, 2025), over 80% of dogs with osteoarthritis improved after injection, and over 40% were able to discontinue anti-inflammatory medications. At Elemental Pet Vets, we regularly treat arthritic dogs with Arthramid and have had great results. This is a sterile gel that is also compatible with other joint injections (that is, can be used in combination) such as PRP (platelet-rich plasma) and HA (hyaluronic acid-a joint lubricant). These injections require sedation and are done on an outpatient basis. This is a particularly good option for senior dogs with osteoarthritis on long-term non-steroidal drugs.

05/26/2026

At Elemental Pet Vets, we have board-certified surgeons with decades of experience. Dr. Dewey and Dr. Hayashi (world-renowned veterinary orthopedic surgeon and EPV consultant) work together to ensure the best outcomes for dogs receiving TPLO surgery. From meticulous pre-surgical planning to the final three-month recheck examination, we strive to ensure the best outcome for your four-legged family member. For those who need it (and many do), we offer underwater treadmill and pool therapy, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (don’t worry, its sound waves, not a shock), laser therapy and electroacupuncture. TPLO is the only orthopedic surgery we perform at EPV and we are focused on being the best.
What does TPLO stand for? Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy. This is a surgical technique that changes the direction of the tibial plateau (the flat top of the tibia) so that it is not pointing upwards but is more level. This is the most effective surgical treatment for canine cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCL tear). This is the same as an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury in a human. The cranial cruciate ligament keeps the tibia from moving too far forward and rotating too far inward. When it is injured, there is excessive joint motion as the dog moves, cartilage gets damaged and arthritis develops. The best hope for long-term pain relief and preventing/slowing down arthritis is surgery. Older surgical techniques focused on using heavy suture material outside of the joint capsule to re-create what the cranial cruciate used to do. These techniques are still in use, and many dogs benefit from them. However, the definitive repair is the connective tissue built around the suture. If the suture breaks before this happens, another surgery is likely necessary. The TPLO surgery does not try to recreate the action of the cranial cruciate ligament. It redirects forces downward, rather along the steep slope of the uncorrected tibial plateau. Here is a typical history of a dog with a CCL tear: sudden back leg lameness (often during or after exercise), gets somewhat better within a couple of weeks, then starts to get worse again. Sometimes, owners can hear a “click” when the dog is walking. That is most likely a torn medial meniscus, a fibrocartilage cushion between the femur and tibia. There is one on each side-medial (inside) and lateral (outside). This can be quite painful, even without a cruciate injury (but they usually occur concurrently).

05/26/2026

Elemental Pet Vets is thrilled to introduce you to our new veterinarian, Dr. Luz Itzel Romero Mandujano! Dr. Romero Mandujano is originally from Mexico City and earned her DVM degree at UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico). She has wide interests and experience in ultrasound, anesthesia, surgery, and urgent/emergency medicine. Dr. Romero Mandujano is committed to providing compassionate, detail-oriented veterinary care with a strong emphasis on client communication, education, and evidence-based medicine. She values collaborative relationships with pet owners and strives to deliver thorough diagnostics, effective treatment plans, and attentive care for every patient.
The youngest of five siblings, Dr. Romero Mandujano is from a close-knit family who enjoy spending time together whenever possible. Their constant support and encouragement have played a major role in both her personal and professional growth.
Her furry companions are Chewbacca and Meowricio. Chewbacca is a 13-year-old dog who came into Dr. Romero Mandujano’s life as an unexpected bonus after she adopted her mother (pregnant at the time) and has been a faithful companion ever since. Meowricio is a 2-year-old cat who came into Dr. Romero Mandujano’s life while she was working at a non-profit spay and neuter organization.
Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Romero Mandujano enjoys basketball, Muay Thai, roller skating, swimming, and hiking. She enjoys playing video games and reading with friends (she and her friends have a book club together). She is also involved in non-profit veterinary work.
Please welcome Dr. Romero Mandujano to Elemental Pet Vets!

05/18/2026

Coming soon! We are getting ready to launch a telemedicine service aimed at veterinary practices with limited access to a veterinary neurologist. Note that this is veterinarian (remote doctor requesting the consult) to veterinarian (Dr. Dewey). The veterinary practice requesting the consult either provides video footage of the patient's neurologic examination or schedules a live appointment at their clinic. This is not limited to New York, as most states allow specialists outside of the primary veterinarian's state to provide consultations. Call or email for details!

04/23/2026

Attention DVMs: We have openings left for Internal Medicine consults and outpatient ultrasounds with Dr. Koch this coming Tuesday, April 28th.
If you have a case that would benefit from specialist insight or advanced diagnostics, we’re happy to help support your patients’ care.

Reach out to book before the remaining slots are gone! We do require referrals for Dr. Koch, these forms can be found on our website!

04/22/2026

You have probably heard the phrase "measure twice, cut once" in reference to carpentry. For TPLO surgery, we measure a bunch of things before surgery, and we do it on a computer program that imports the radiographs so that we can measure everything and even make the TPLO cut and rotate the segment on the computer screen. The program has a bunch of different TPLO plate options (different companies) to place on the digital radiographs. The big ball you see on the preoperative radiographs is a calibration ball. We put that next to the patient's leg when the x-ray is taken, so that we can correct for any magnification errors in the computer program. Once we have all the measurements done, we are ready for surgery! The last image is a postoperative radiograph.

04/22/2026

Did you know that dysbiosis, or an abnormal gut microbial population, has been linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease? We think this may be the case for senior dogs as well. In addition to gastrointestinal disease, dysbiosis has been linked to skin disease, joint disease (osteoarthritis) and possibly poor seizure control. There are several companies that can check your dog's microbiome to see if a state of dysbiosis exists. At EPV, we have been working with Animal Biome (www.animalbiome.com) to see if senior dogs with cognitive decline exhibit dysbiosis. If you want to check your dog's microbiome, all that is needed is some p**p.

01/19/2026

If you have a senior dog with sudden onset of balance issues and/or recent onset of seizures, this may be of interest to you.

Abstract Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a vascular disorder involving deposition of toxic β-amyloid proteins in brain blood vessel walls. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy affects older people and dogs with similar histopathologic features. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is implicated in the pathogenesis of...

11/28/2025

Some of you may have noticed our website is down. We are working on restoring it. Thanks for your patience!