VCA Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals

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My grandmother passed away recently and left her beloved Parrot, Ceasar behind. I did not know the first thing about how to care for a bird, let alone a huge bird, like a Parrot. I was getting worried, because Ceasar was refusing to eat and I knew I was doing something wrong. I tried researching it myself, but nothing was working. I decided to take him to the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals's 24-hour pet hospital. I have heard great things about them and was hopeful they could help. That was a complete understatement! The entire staff and veterinary team were unbelievable! As it turned out, poor Ceasar was depressed about the passing of my grandmother and experiencing grief (I did not know birds were capable of experiencing emotional pain from death). In addition, I was not giving him the cover over his cage nightly, which apparently birds need OR feeding him the correct diet. They educated me and provided me with the information and tools to not only care for Ceasar the way my grandmother wanted him to be, but he has come through beautifully! Thank you Dr. Marla Lichtenberger and MECA!

The Milwaukee Emergency for Animals has a veterinary staff that is knowledgeable in every area you can imagine! My Golden Retriever Sabastian was having some behavior problems that I was unable to manage or overcome by myself. I am a flight attendant, and am therefore away from home regularly. While I am away on my trips, I leave Sabastian with my sister. He was not handling my absence well...he would scratch and chew to the point of nearly destroying whatever was the object he chose to fixate on. My sister recommended the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals in Wisconsin. We got an appointment with Dr. Manette Kohler who quickly diagnosed Sabastian's behavior problem as separation anxiety. Apparently, his behavior is common in Golden Retrievers, because they are so attached to their owners. Dr. Kohler knew exactly how to overcome his behavior problems that were nearly destroying my sister's home! She gave me so many tips and activities me and my sister can do to help alleviate the stress he was experiencing with my departure, from shorter departures, helping detach the cues of my departure, to extra activities out of the house while I am away. We ALL thank you MECA and Dr. Kohler! You are all amazing! I never knew the fix would be so easy!

I want to take the time to give a review for the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My beautiful cat Stuart suffered an accident when he was crossing the street when a truck hit him. I was devastated, to say the least. I scooped him up in my arms as quickly as I could and drove him to MECA straight away. My mom has taken her beloved poodle there for years and because of the care she has received by Dr. Marla Lichtengberger, I never would have considered taking Stuart anywhere else. I am happy to say that Stuart is doing fine and made it through his terrible ordeal with flying colors, thanks to the amazing, compassionate staff at MECA and most especially, Dr. Lichtenberger. I was completely in awe at the state-of-the-art equipment the hospital has, which made the care he received second to none in or around the Milwaukee area. From the x-ray equipment, cat scan, lab and the surgery required to mend his broken leg, the hospital and staff were nothing less than exceptional. Stuart is here today...happy and healthy thanks to Dr. Lichtenberger and MECA. Stuart and I thank you!

My 10-year-old, beloved German Shepherd King has suffered from extremely bad breath for some time. I tried biscuit-type bones and other treats specifically made for cleaning a dog's teeth...everything. Nothing seemed to work and I was worried that it was affecting his health, because his teeth were beginning to yellow and his age made me worry even more. I live outside of Milwaukee about an hour away, but heard great things about the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals, so decided to take him there. Dr. Dale Kressin, the veterinary dentist at MECAs pet hospital, examined King and found that he had the beginning of periodontal disease. It actually required that King be put under general anesthesia to have a deep cleaning, so that the disease did not affect his organs and most especially, his heart. I can never thank Dr. Kressin or the rest of the staff enough. What seemed to be such a general, every day problem, could have become something so much worse. Dr. Kressin explained to me the importance of regular teeth cleaning and they gave me all the tools and information I needed! THANK YOU MECA!

My beloved Bearded Dragon Tony seemed lethargic and sick. Normally, he was ready and waiting for his dinner, but he got to the point where he just seemed abnormally sleepy. When I picked him up and put him down, he just laid in the same place I left him. He was nearly unresponsive to touch at all and his shedding cycle seemed off, too. I took him to the Milwaukee Emergency for Animals pet hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A good friend of mine said they specialize in exotics, so I was hopeful they would be able to help. Boy did they exceed all my expectations! Upon Tony's exam, they knew exactly what was wrong. They gave him IV fluids, a special mixture of vitamins and minerals he was deficient in and with their advice, I have adjusted his diet and lighting in his aquarium. Tony is happy and healthy and I am a very happy customer! The staff at MECA is second to none -- from the reception staff, to the vets...they are kind and knowledgeable!

I had brought my dog in to Milwaukee Animal Center for Animals because he wasn't eating. I was greeted with kindness and concern. My dog was examined with X-rays in an half hour where we found stones (rock stones) which he ate. Yes he had surgery to have them removed. He stayed for a couple days with the best care I could ever ask for. MY BIGGEST THANKS TO THE STAFF AND ESPECIALLY DR. MARLA LICHTENBERGER!!! She not only saved my dog she saved me from a broken heart.

I came in a couple weeks ago with my dog who had a condition called Pancreatitis. After walking in to the clinic I was greeted by some very friendly receptionists and technicians who took my pet back to get an ultrasound. After about a half hour of waiting, Dr. Lichtenberger, DVM and Hospital owner, came out to talk with me about what she found. I hospitalized my pet there for a few nights and when I came back to get him, there was no more vomiting, he could eat, and we were sent home with some medications. I don't know what they did there those few nights, but it sure did work! I am very happy with the cleanliness of the hospital, how it's run, and how friendly and informative the staff is.



After my visit to this hospital, I can gladly say that I would take any pets that I have in the future to this clinic for treatment. I would recommend it to anyone, even close friends and family. I am glad there are such caring people in this world who are there to help animals for those who love their pets.

I've brought my dog into milwaukee emergency center for animals yesterday for falling over. They already knew what was wrong her which shocked me and they handled everything with kindness. I had to leave my pet thier which they required a nice size deposit to do so. I came to realize this is a emergency room and it will be expensive, but knowing that my pet will be getting the best care its all worth it. Having pet insurance and care credit made me prepared. I've looked at previous reviews comments and it seems that other owners all they complain about is money. I feel as a pet owner we have to be prepared for the worst and not blame other people of our finacial neglect of owning a pet! My pet came home today and doing a lot better then when I first brought her in. She came home with some medicine to help with the falling over and she should be felling better in another couple of days. Thank you staff at milwaukee emrgency center for animals!

The staff at MECA was very caring and compassionate to my dog and my entire family. My dog became very ill suddenly. He was very lethargic and vomiting. Dr. Gordon examined him and did some testing and x-rays. I turns out that my dog had eaten a piece of garbage at the dog park and it had created a blockage. Dr. Gordon did surgery to remove the blockage that evening. My dog made a full recovery in a few days. I can't say enough about the caring staff and doctors at MECA. They were very accommodating and let us spend time visiting while my dog was hospitalized. I would definately recommend them.

I brought my parakeet Baby into the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals about 3 weeks ago because my Amazon Parrot bit his beak off. We were convinced that he was going to die or at the very least a live a life that no bird would want to live. Not only did they keep Baby alive but they informed us that they have seen many birds in similar situations recover enough to live a long healthy life so we agreed to give Baby a chance and are we ever grateful we did. Baby is now almost fully recoverd and is a happy good looking bird. He is playing with his toys with enthusiasm and letting us know who the boss is when he is out of his cage. He is learning to use what is left of his beak to climb around the cage and eat all types of food. We are still grinding his pellet food to a small enough size for him to swallow and cutting his fruits and vegetables but he is learning to compensate and is gaining his weight back. We are now sure that we are going to have Baby around for a long time and know that we have MECA to thank. Dr. Lichtenberger and the staff showed a professional attitude when taking care of Babby but at the same time showed a lot of compassion and caring despite the amount of emergency animals that were there with us. I would most certainly recommend them for anyone with a pet emergency, and know if we need anything this is where we will go.

Recently I took my cat to MECA. He had been in and out of his litter box frequently with no results and was crying a lot. Dr. Lichtenberger examined him and found that he had a urinary blockage. The staff had the blockage cleared quickly and my cat could finally relax. We went home and as luck would have it my cat became blocked again. We went back to MECA during the night and the doctor recommended that my cat spend the night so they could monitor him for further blockages. After treatment and a change in cat food my cat is back to himself again and has not had any more urinary problems. I'm thankful that MECA was there for us when we needed them. The staff were all caring and compassionate from the front desk to the technicians.

This past Memorial Day I brought my dog Molly in after she suffered from heat stroke while on a routine walk. I was so happy about the warm weather that I took for granted that it was too warm out for my small cocker spaniel to handle the new crazy heat we had experienced this spring. I appreciate the outstanding care we received from Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals, the doctors, and the rest of the staff; she has been home for awhile now and is doing great. I was unaware of the sudden onset and seriousness of heat stroke in dogs. I felt a little less guilty after Dr. Lichtenberger informed me how many owners had brought in their pets for the very same thing but also a little foolish for not having realized it myself. I was very upset and the staff was wonderful in helping me and my dog through this potentially life-threatening situation. After a long two days in the hospital my Molly was returned to me healthy and cheerful as ever. Being able to visit with her during her stay helped to keep me at ease, as much as possible, and I was able to see firsthand what wonderful kind of care she was receiving in Icu. I feel I am better educated as a result of talking to everyone there and the reading materials I have been provided with from MECA. I am passing along all the information to everyone I know who has a pet in hopes that they never have to experience it for themselves, and this is also why I am writing here today. I feel that had Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals and Dr. Lichtenberger not been there for me on that very scary day I would have lost a very important part of my heart. I will be forever grateful to Dr. Lichtenberger and her staff that they were there for us on our day of need.

Everyone at MECA was so friendly and caring when our Shiba Inu Leo stayed with them. We took Leo to the Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals because he was having seizures. It was a very scary thing to see and we didn’t know how to react, so we rushed him in. The doctor determined that he needed medication to help control the seizures and needed to be admitted to the hospital. No matter what I called about or what kind of mood I was in, or what time of day I came, everyone was very nice. Dr. Lichtenberger always took the time out to talk with us when we visited, and was always friendly and informative. She always thought of us as people, not just the owners. The other female doctor that we worked with (can't remember the name unfortunately) also took the time to explain everything that was going on and never was annoyed to answer questions and never pushed us because she had other patients to deal with too. The ICU staff never got annoyed when we came to visit at odd hours and multiple times a day and they always let us know how Leo was doing since we'd seen him last. Thanks to Beth and Gayl for being the friendliest faces ever and never being annoyed when we stopped by and always talking with us and asking how we were. There was another person too who we got the name of whom took Leo to and from the ICU to visit with us and Leo really seemed to talk to him. I was truly impressed and am happy to say that Leo has made a full recovery and is back to his normal spunky self. I will always give Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals a call if any happen to Leo again or either of our other dogs.

On Aug. 2nd, 2012, I took my pet, a dachshund, to Lakeshore Veterinary Specialists in Glendale due to being down in the rear legs. After examining Oscar, the doctor gave me 2 options, I could either take Oscar to surgery right away or euthanize him. I was distraught because I did not have $3000-$5000 for surgery and did not want to lose my best friend. Oscar is only 6 years old.



I asked for pain control medication to keep him comfortable overnight while my family could decide what to do.



The next day I called about seven different veterinary clinics in hopes that I might find an alternative therapy for Oscar, and then I called Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals in Greenfield and spoke with their rehabilitation technician. They stated that we could try cold laser and TENS therapy on him but that it is not a guarantee. I agreed to try and was at MECA within 30 minutes.



After an exam by the DVM on staff, Oscar received his first laser treatment and he was kept over the weekend on pain control and cage rest. Monday, another laser treatment was performed on Oscar and he was sent home with a number of pain medications and urethral spasm medications to help him urinate.



Long story short, after 2 weeks of laser and TENS therapy, Oscar was walking on all 4 legs and urinating on his own. To think, I almost lost my best friend. Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals helped me keep my Oscar and he is living a healthy, happy life.

Very recently my Labrador Retriever was diagnosed with cancer at Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals and had to be euthanized. She was a great dog and was shown great care by the owner and her staff. When we walked in the lobby was full of people and very busy. Seeing the condition of my dog the staff took her immediately to find out what was wrong. Unfortunately, she had cancer and they discussed my possible options with me. We decided that it was time to put her downand let her move on. Although they were very busy, they moved efficiently and let my family and I sit in a nice room with a comfortable couch and spend as much time with our dog as we needed. I am very glad her last moments were in the presence of her family and the hard working and caring staff at Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals. I would definitely recommend taking your pets there if you want your pet to be treated how you would want to be treated.

I took my 12 year old lab into Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals for her leg swelling up and her not being able to walk, Dr. Gordon did a complete physical and xrays along with blood work. He found that there was a growth in her elbow, he took a sample of it and sent it out. He placed her on pain meds to keep her comfortable. Then 2 days later he called me to inform me my dog had spindle cell cancer and it was caught early enough that we could operate and try to remove it. My dog went to surgery 2 days later at Milwaukee Emergency Center for Animals, and they removed the tumor. And thanks to Dr. Gordon my dog can now walk again and she now has more time to live, if it wasnt for Dr. Gordon my dog would have had to be put to sleep. He is a very compassionate and wonderful doctor. MECA is a great facility, they treated my dog like she was one of their own, and it made the experience so much easier and reassuring. THANK YOU DR. GORDON AND MECA!!!!!!!!!

I attended the Vest a K-9 event that was held in July @ MECA and was extremely pleased with all the work that went into doing something so wonderful for these animals that unknowingly risk their lives daily. I wish we had more people in the world like Dr. Lichtenberger who devote themselves to the well being of our companions that are unable to help themselves. Thank-you "Dr.L"

when our African Grey became ill and refused to eat, we had no idea where to turn. We were so happy that we had MECA to turn to, upon our arrival the staff immediately took action, keeping us informed of the next step,unfortunately the outcome for our poor little companion was not as we had hoped,we still felt that we did everything in our power to help him. We will always be grateful. Thank-you MECA for being there in our time of need.

Our dog was in some sort of intestinal distress that got markedly worse late in the day. We had been here before and had good service so we decided to go again. The receptionist was very nice and all smiles. She checked us in and we were met by an equally nice vet tech that did the basics and then reported to the vet himself. A few minutes later the vet (Gordon) advised us of our options. He was very nice and very professional. Long story short, I think our companion will be just fine and MECA was a wonderful place to take him. It's not cheap, however, MECA isn't the kind of place you visit every day. You need to accept the fact that you're going to pay more for immediate care during the hours that your normal vet isn't open. My thanks to the fine folks at MECA. I wouldn't hesitate to go back if needed.