Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care Center

08/05/2025

We here at Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care Center would love to give a shout out to our very own Dr. Michele Lentovich. She was given the opportunity to answer some questions for the bloggers at Rover.com. She gave some wonderful insight on elderly dogs and their behavior changes.

Read more in the link below to learn how to recognize and support the changes your dog experiences as they age so you can give them the best senior years possible.

Dogs become seniors at different ages. Learn how age, size, and breed affect senior status, plus tips to care for your aging dog.

08/04/2025

🚨 Toy Trouble Alert: Hershey’s ER Visit with Dr. Ormbsy🦴🐶 (last 2 pics show the culprit)

Meet Hershey, who came to our ER after getting a bone marrow ring chew toy stuck around her lower jaw. While we initially tried to gently slide it off, the area had become too swollen from being stuck too long.

To keep her safe and pain-free, our team sedated Hershey and carefully removed the toy — and we’re happy to report she’s doing great now! 💪

🛑 ⚠️ Viewer Discretion Warning:
We’ve included video footage from the procedure to educate and raise awareness — but please note:
🔊 The sound of the saw may be intense for some viewers.
👁️ The visual includes close-up images of Hershey under sedation during the procedure.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this type of toy cause a problem. While marrow bones and ring-shaped chews might seem harmless, they can easily slip around the lower jaw and get lodged behind the teeth, especially if your pet chews aggressively or plays unsupervised.

🛑 Pet Parent Tip: Always supervise your dog with new toys or chews, especially hard bones or anything with a circular opening. When in doubt, skip it — or ask your vet for safe alternatives.

Stay safe, fur fam — and give Hershey some extra love for being such a brave girl! 💙🐾

07/31/2025

Behold the doctor himself, Dr. Matt Oakes. He is one of our staple surgeons here at Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care Center. Looking for a board certified surgeon? He’s here to help.

Thank you Dr. Oakes for being here Tuesdays - Thursdays.

07/31/2025

🎉 Happy Birthday, Melissa! 🎉
One of our legendary surgery nurses and truly one of a kind!

(Featuring Dr. Oakes, who was definitely not forced into this photo 😅)

We appreciate you more than you know and love having you as part of the team. Wishing you the happiest, most amazing birthday! 💙🎂🧁

07/24/2025

Managing Epilepsy with Compassion and Care – Meet Apollo!

Apollo is an almost 4-year-old, ridiculously handsome Australian Shepherd and a beloved patient of our neurologist, Dr. Michelle Tensley. He also proudly holds the title of one of the goodest boys at TBVS! 🐾

Apollo first came to us in January 2025, through our emergency department, after experiencing cluster seizures. He was initially evaluated by Dr. Aaron Wiener, one of our ER doctors, and was quickly supported by Dr. Tensley and her neurology team, who jumped in to help manage Apollo’s case.

Since that day, Apollo has been under the continued care of Dr. Tensley. While epilepsy means he’ll face occasional challenges, we’re grateful to share that Apollo enjoys far more good days than bad.

He comes in regularly for lab work to monitor his phenobarbital levels and is being carefully managed with medication. At his most recent recheck, we were thrilled to see that his seizure activity is now well regulated — and we hope it stays that way! 💙

07/21/2025

Teamwork makes the dream work. Thank you to all hands on desk for this case.

On Wednesday morning, 7/16, our day was unfolding as usual with surgery drop-offs and scheduled appointments. That calm was broken when a distraught client rushed in carrying Ginny, a 10-week-old Dachshund puppy we had recently seen for her vaccine series. Ginny had been attacked by her much larger housemate and arrived with traumatic lacerations, presenting in shock and nearly comatose.

In a matter of seconds, Liz (our CSR/assistant) ushered the owner and Ginny into the treatment area, where Dr. Meredith, Dr. Simpson, and our surgical team—Becca and Miranda—rose to the challenge. Ginny was immediately placed on oxygen and intubated. Crystal, a skilled tech from TBVS, happened to be in the clinic that morning dropping off her pups, Potato and Roux, for dental procedures. Without hesitation, she jumped in and assisted our team with expert support.

Together, the team stabilized Ginny and repaired her ear lacerations. Chest radiographs revealed pulmonary contusions, and she was quickly transferred to TBVS for continued care under the guidance of Dr. Weaner and their incredible team.

This seamless coordination across Saint Francis and TBVS saved Ginny’s life. The ultimate reward? Seeing a vibrant puppy wagging her tail—and witnessing the tears of joy in her mom’s eyes as she brought her beloved pup back home.

I’m deeply grateful to be part of such an exceptional network of compassionate, skilled professionals who show every day what it means to work with heart and purpose.

"Miracles happen every day in the hands of those who love what they do" - Dr. Adriana Odachowski 🐾🩺🩷

07/20/2025

🦴 Meet Evie, our brave beagle warrior! 🐶💪

One innocent misstep on the stairs turned into something much bigger for sweet Evie. After slipping on a step, she began limping the next day. Her loving mom didn’t waste a second—she took her to their primary veterinarian, who diagnosed an ACL injury and referred her to us at Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care Center for evaluation.

That’s when Evie met Dr. Matt Oakes, our skilled surgeon who recommended a TPLO (Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy) to help this lovely lady get back on her paws and strutting with confidence again.

Evie was an absolute rockstar throughout recovery, charming the entire surgical and overnight care teams with her sweetness. The best part? We expected to carry her out for discharge… but Evie had other plans. Tail wagging, paws strutting—she walked herself out the door into her mom’s arms. 💚

Her strength, resilience, and wagging spirit remind us why we do what we do. 💫

07/16/2025

We have a new doctor joining the TBVS & ECC family. Our Neurology team has grown; please welcome our neurology specialty intern, Dr. Erin Mullin-Garcia.

She graduated from UF College of Veterinary Medicine and recently completed a rotating internship in San Diego, California. Dr. Mullin-Garcia will be working alongside our neurologist, Dr. Michelle Tensley, DVM, MS, DACVIM.

07/11/2025

We have been jumping for joy to get the chance to announce our next new addition to Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Care Center.

Everyone, please welcome Dr. Emily Cutolo DVM, Practice Limited to Internal Medicine. 🥳

07/03/2025

We’re excited to share some big news! 🥳

Tampa Bay Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Care Center is growing! As part of our continued commitment to exceptional emergency and specialty care, we’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Tori Ormsby to our Emergency Care team starting July 21st.

Her addition strengthens our established Emergency Department and reflects our continued focus on collaboration with our referring veterinary community.

07/03/2025

🚨 DIP-STERIA STRIKES TBVS! 🚨
(But don’t worry—we dipped responsibly.)

The Great Dip-Off of 2025 went down in delicious history this week. From sweet to spicy, savory to "what is that and why is it amazing?!"—our team brought their A-game and a whole lot of chips.

Behold the dip-licious lineup:

🥜 Susan’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dip – dessert or breakfast? Who’s judging?
🐟 Dr. Oakes' World-Famous Fish Dip – he dipped, he conquered.
🌽 Kelly's Mexican Street Corn Dip – bold, cheesy, and just a little bit extra.
🍫 Lindsey doubled down with two creations: Chocolate Brownie Dip and a Birthday Confetti Cake Dip. Show-off.

🥇 And the coveted title of Dip Dynasty Champion? You guessed it… Dr. Oakes (of course) defending his fishy crown like a true dip legend.
🥈 2nd Place: Lindsey, proving two dips are better than one
🥉 3rd Place: A glorious tie between Lindsey (again), Kelly, and Christie — a triple-threat dip dream team.

Thanks to our whole TBVS crew for making lunch weird, wonderful, and wildly tasty. We love your weird dips, and we love you. 💙💚

07/02/2025

WE ARE OPEN THIS 4TH OF JULY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES!