Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Service

03/27/2026

🐻Feel Good Friday!🐻

Continuing with this week's puppy love, we have Winnie! This round little bear cub has had a whirlwind of a week!

A good Samaritan found a little black puppy lost in Bardstown, KY. He picked her up and took her into a nearby store to see if anyone knew her owner. After a quick evaluation and some puppy love, they discovered the puppy couldn't walk on her rear leg. The person who found the puppy wasn't interested in adopting her, so the store owners made the call: Winnie, as she is now named, was coming home with them and receiving vet care ASAP!

They took Winnie to their routine veterinarian who took radiographs and confirmed that Winnie had a broken femur causing her pain. With some pain management administered, Winnie was sent home to rest before coming to MVSES to evaluate how to fix a growth plate fracture on such a young puppy.

MVSES boarded surgeon Dr. Aric Applewhite successfully realigned the fracture and stabilized her leg. Winnie is recovering wonderfully—her incision looks great, she is eating well, and she has even mastered the art of resting upside down. We are happy to share that yesterday Winnie went home to start her new life with her new family.

Between the sweet story, the puppy love, and the successful surgery, we are all Feelin' Good!

03/25/2026

We interrupt your scrolling to show you this itty bitty perfect little CoCo puff!😍😍😍

CoCo is a little 0.5kg Chihuahua puppy who had a sudden collision with a pet in her new home, and ended up in the ER. CoCo presented with a traumatic brain injury and required hospitalization at MVSES. Emergency service veterinarian, Dr. Wagoner, took on Coco's case and gave her all the care (and cuddles!) that Coco needed to make a recovery!

This sweet little lady had us all swooning over her! We are happy to report that Miss CoCo was discharged and able to follow up care with her primary care veterinarian!

Watch your head little one! We hope you've learned to duck and roll ;)

03/23/2026

Happy National Puppy Day!

Show us all your puppy pictures!

This sweet momma is Nimh, and she was seen by our emergency service after experiencing a stall in labor about a week ago. Thankfully, Nimh just needed some medical management and support and was able to deliver the rest of her litter on her own without needing surgery!

What a sweet snuggle fest we got to enjoy!

03/20/2026

🐈🌸🌞Welcome, Spring! 😎🌺🐩

Spring is finally here, and we’re all excited to get outside more, including our dogs!

Not so fast, though! After a less active winter, it’s important to ease back into exercise gradually. Jumping straight into long runs, intense play, or weekend warrior activities can put dogs at risk for injuries! We see a big rise in CCL (cranial cruciate ligament) tears and limb injuries as people start becoming more active with their pets!

Just like us, dogs need time to rebuild strength, flexibility, and endurance. Start with shorter walks, controlled play, and slowly increase activity over a few weeks. Pay attention to signs of fatigue or stiffness, and don’t forget to include rest days!

Of course, we also need to keep an eye on that Kentucky weather as it could get Hot Hot Hot at any point !

A little patience now can help prevent painful injuries later and keep your pup happy, healthy, and active all season long. 🐾

03/17/2026

🍀Happy St. Patrick's Day🍀

Do you share your home with an Irish Dog or Cat? Or maybe they aren't Irish, but still got dressed up to avoid a pinch🤏? Let's see them!

There aren't many cat breeds that originated from Ireland, but we have a handful of dog breeds!
🐾Irish Setter
🐾Irish Red and White Setter
🐾Irish Terrier
🐾Irish Wolfhound
🐾Irish Water Spaniel
🐾Glen of Imaal Terrier
🐾Kerry Blue Terrier
🐾Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier

Wear green, celebrate responsibility, keep food and drink away from your pets, and have a great St. Patrick's Day!

Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Service
11800 Capital Way
Louisville, KY 40299
(502)266-7007
www.metrovetlouisville.com

03/12/2026

Welcome to Louisville! We are excited to have you in town for the Kentuckiana Cluster of Dog Shows !

Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Service (MVSES) is proud to be the designated 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital for animals requiring emergency care during the event. To ensure you are prepared, we recommend saving our contact information in your phone or GPS now:

Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Service
11800 Capital Way
Louisville, KY 40299
(502) 266-7007
www.metrovetlouisville.com

Please note that MVSES accepts CareCredit and ScratchPay should you require financial assistance.

Have a fun and safe show!

03/11/2026

Tell me that you're a pet owner, without telling me you're a pet owner.
I'll go first 🍽️

03/10/2026

Recently, a few clients have brought wild animals they found to MVSES. Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Service does not treat wild animals. To best protect our other patients and our staff, we limit our care to dogs and cats. Caring for wild animals requires specialized equipment, isolation protocols, and standards of care that differ from those used for domestic pets.

Many may have seen the recent news confirming that a skunk in Kentucky was infected with distemper virus. Local wildlife species may carry and transmit illnesses that can harm our domestic pets. If you encounter a wild animal, we advise leaving them undisturbed. Keeping your pets up to date with core vaccinations is also important.

If you find a wild animal in need, we recommend calling the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for assistance. You can also visit their rehabilitator list at https://app.fw.ky.gov/rehabilitatorNew/

Thank you for understanding!

03/09/2026

How is everyone handling the time change?

At least all the pets will be excited to get dinner "early" right? 😅

03/08/2026

A great memory of a few of the incredible women in leadership at MVSES!

Happy International Women's Day!

Metropolitan Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Service is proud to celebrate the remarkable women who have paved the way in veterinary medicine and much more! We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the talented and compassionate women of MVSES who make our hospital exceptional every day! Their strength and influence are felt in every aspect of our hospital, and we are deeply thankful for their contributions.

We are pleased to introduce some of the women in leadership at MVSES!
Thank you for all you do!

03/04/2026

❓What’s That? Wednesday: Blastomycosis❓

Blastomyces organisms live in soil or decaying organic matter, typically near water. See the image provided by the CDC of the most common areas of infection in the United States. These microscopic spores, too small to be seen by the naked eye, are easily inhaled if the ground is disturbed. People and pets will not know if they are infected until they show symptoms.

A primary challenge with diagnosing Blastomycosis is that it can affect many different parts of the body. While the infection usually begins in the lungs after inhalation, it can spread through the bloodstream to other organs. This widespread involvement often causes systemic illness, including fever, weight loss, lethargy, and loss of appetite.

Diagnosis
Diagnosing Blastomycosis may vary based on where the infection is present.
Chest radiographs often show a tell-tale "snowstorm" or diffuse, miliary, nodular interstitial pattern in the lungs, as the attached radiographs show.
Skin biopsies, tissue aspirates, and lab work can confirm the infection.

Treatment
Early diagnosis is critical. With prompt antifungal medication, many dogs recover well; however, advanced cases can be life-threatening and require hospitalization and oxygen support through treatment. Treatment typically involves oral antifungal medications, but some pets may also require steroids to manage inflammation during treatment.

If you live in the Ohio River Valley and your dog exhibits unexplained respiratory signs, eye issues, skin sores, or lameness, especially after outdoor exposure, please consult your veterinarian for care.

As always, MVSES is open 24/7 and is happy to help with any care your pet may need!