Bowling Green Veterinary Emergency Clinic

10/24/2026

🐾HAPPY VETERINARY TECHNICIAN APPRECIATION WEEK! 🐾

This week, we’re celebrating the incredible veterinary technicians and veterinary assistants who work tirelessly to care for our patients and support their families!

From monitoring critical patients and assisting in emergencies to providing comfort, compassion, and a gentle touch when pets need it most, our team plays an essential role in every patient’s care. Veterinary medicine takes teamwork, dedication, and a whole lot of heart, and we are so grateful for the amazing people who show up every day ready to make a difference.

Emergency veterinary medicine isn’t always easy. There are long nights, difficult cases, emotional moments, and patients who need us at their very worst. Through it all, our team continues to show up, advocate for our patients, and give them the care they deserve.

To our veterinary technicians and assistants: Thank you for your hard work, your compassion, your dedication, and the love you pour into every patient. You are valued, appreciated, and an irreplaceable part of what we do!

Help us celebrate our amazing team this week!

With love and appreciation,
Your BGVEC Team 🐾

💙

10/21/2026

MEET THE TEAM: NATALIE!

Please help us welcome Natalie to the BGVEC team!

Natalie was born and raised in Bowling Green, KY, and earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Western Kentucky University. She spent four years working at Alpine Pet Care, where she was introduced to veterinary medicine and quickly fell in love with the field!

Although she is new to the emergency veterinary setting, Natalie is loving every minute of it and enjoys learning new things every day! We are so excited to have her as part of our team and can't wait to see her continue to grow in veterinary medicine.

Outside of work, Natalie enjoys life with her fiancé, Daris, and their three cats: Frankie, Rocket, and their sweet girl, Yuki! Rocket even has a special connection to BGVEC because Natalie adopted him after he was dropped off at our ER one night! Talk about a full-circle moment!

10/18/2026

HALLOWEEN DANGERS FOR YOUR PETS!

Halloween is full of fun, costumes, and treats, but some spooky surprises can be dangerous for our furry family members! Before you head out for trick-or-treating, keep these important safety tips in mind!

CANDY & CHOCOLATE: Chocolate, especially dark chocolate and baking chocolate, can be toxic to dogs. Sugar-free candy and gum containing xylitol can be life-threatening. Keep all candy, wrappers, and treat bags out of reach!

RAISINS & OTHER TREATS: Raisins can cause serious kidney damage in dogs. Keep snack bowls and Halloween goodies away from curious noses and paws.

PUMPKINS & DECORATIONS: While plain pumpkin can be safe for pets in small amounts, moldy pumpkins can make them sick. Keep candles, electrical cords, fake spiderwebs, plastic decorations, and small items away from pets to prevent burns, choking, or intestinal blockages.

COSTUMES: Make sure your pet's costume fits properly and doesn't restrict breathing, movement, or vision. Avoid loose pieces that can be chewed off or swallowed, and never leave a costumed pet unattended.

DOORBELLS & ESCAPES: Frequent visitors and open doors can make it easy for pets to slip outside. Keep dogs and cats in a secure, quiet room during trick-or-treating. Make sure their collars and microchip information are up to date!

KEEP CATS INDOORS: Halloween can be especially stressful and dangerous for outdoor cats. Keep cats safely inside, away from strangers, decorations, and open doors.

KNOW WHEN TO SEEK HELP: If your pet eats something potentially toxic or swallows a dangerous object, contact a veterinarian immediately. Do not wait for symptoms to appear, and never induce vomiting unless specifically instructed by a veterinary professional.

From all of us at Bowling Green Veterinary Emergency Clinic, we hope you and your furry family members have a safe, happy, and SPOOKTACULAR Halloween!

10/04/2026

10/02/2026

🚨 GDV: A LIFE-THREATENING EMERGENCY 🚨

Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV), also called bloat, is a true veterinary emergency. It occurs when the stomach fills with gas and/or food and then twists, cutting off blood flow to the stomach and potentially other organs.

🐾 Breeds at Higher Risk
GDV is more commonly seen in large, deep-chested breeds, including:

• Great Danes
• German Shepherds
• Doberman Pinschers
• Standard Poodles
• Weimaraners
BUT ANY DOG CAN DEVELOP GDV!

While certain breeds are at higher risk, GDV is not limited to large or deep-chested dogs. Any dog can experience bloat and stomach twisting, so knowing the warning signs is important for every pet parent.

Signs of GDV can include:
• Repeatedly trying to vomit but nothing comes up
• Excessive drooling
• Restlessness or pacing
• A swollen, tight, or painful abdomen
• Panting or difficulty breathing
• Looking at or licking the abdomen
• Weakness or collapse
• Pale gums

IF YOU SUSPECT GDV, DO NOT WAIT.
GDV can progress rapidly and can become fatal without emergency treatment. There is no safe way to treat a twisted stomach at home.

Emergency treatment typically involves stabilization, decompressing the stomach, and surgery to untwist the stomach and evaluate the tissue for damage.

If your pet is repeatedly trying to vomit without producing anything, has a swollen abdomen, or suddenly becomes restless, painful, weak, or collapses, seek emergency veterinary care immediately.

09/30/2026

IVDD: WHAT PET PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) occurs when the discs between the vertebrae in your pet’s spine become damaged, bulge, or rupture. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, causing anything from mild pain to weakness or paralysis.

🚨 Signs to Watch For:
• Crying out or acting painful
• Reluctance to move, jump, or use stairs
• Stiff neck or back
• Shaking or trembling
• Wobbly or uncoordinated walking
• Dragging or knuckling the feet
• Weakness in the legs
• Difficulty standing or walking
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Sudden inability to walk or paralysis

⚠️ IVDD CAN BECOME AN EMERGENCY

Some pets can deteriorate from walking normally to being unable to walk in a very short period of time. Sudden weakness, inability to walk, or paralysis requires immediate veterinary evaluation.

Until Your Pet Can Be Seen:
Keep them as still and quiet as possible. Avoid stairs, jumping, running, and playing. If your pet cannot walk, carefully support their body during transportation and minimize movement of the spine.

Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and may include strict rest, pain control, anti-inflammatory medications, rehabilitation, or surgery. Advanced imaging such as an MRI may be needed to determine exactly where the spinal cord is being compressed.

❤️ If your pet suddenly becomes painful, weak, wobbly, or unable to walk, don't wait to see if they improve.

BGVEC is here for your pet when an emergency can't wait. 🐾🚨

09/27/2026

🐾 MEET TAYLOR! 🐾

Taylor grew up on a beef cattle and crop farm, where she developed her love for animals and knew she wanted to spend her life helping them. She has now been working in veterinary medicine for 3 years!

Taylor says her pets, Wrangler, Spooky, and Megan, are her children and we’re pretty sure they have her completely wrapped around their paws!

When she’s not at BGVEC, Taylor enjoys going to concerts, traveling, spending time with family, helping out on the family farm, and attending drag races and truck shows.

Taylor is currently working toward becoming a Licensed Veterinary Technician and hopes to eventually attend veterinary school at the University of Tennessee (UT)!

At just 20 years old, Taylor is passionate about creating a positive work environment and being someone her coworkers can count on. She also has two younger brothers who keep life interesting!

We’re so happy to have Taylor as part of the BGVEC team! 🐾💙

09/24/2026

🐾 Meet Keely! 🐾

Keely has been part of our ER team for the past year. She graduated from the Veterinary Technology program at Owensboro Community and Technical College in 2022 and has been working as a licensed technician ever since.

Keely’s favorite things about working in the ER are learning something new every shift, being there for people during some of the scariest moments with their pets, and getting to work alongside people who have become some of her closest friends. She loves that no two shifts are ever the same and that there is always something new to learn.

Keely grew up in a small farming community in Kentucky, so animals have always been a big part of her life. At home, she has two very spoiled blind cats and a geriatric (nearly blind) German Shepherd who pretty much run the house.

Outside of work, Keely enjoys reading, thrifting, embroidery, trying new crafts, spending time with her family, and being on the family farm. She’s happiest when she’s surrounded by animals, learning something new, or starting another project she probably didn’t need. ❤️

09/21/2026

🐾 Meet Grant & Simba! 🐾

Grant and Simba are two of the cutest members of the BGVEC family! While these little ones are busy being adorable, puppies and kittens are also especially vulnerable to a number of serious illnesses and emergencies.

🚨 Puppy & Kitten Hazards to Watch For:

🦠 Parvovirus (Parvo) – Highly contagious and potentially life-threatening, especially in young, unvaccinated puppies. Signs can include severe vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), lethargy, loss of appetite, dehydration, and weakness.

🦠 Feline Panleukopenia – Often called “feline parvo,” this highly contagious virus can cause vomiting, diarrhea, severe dehydration, fever, and dangerously low white blood cell counts in kittens.

🍫 Toxic foods & substances – Chocolate, xylitol, grapes/raisins, medications, cleaning products, and many household items can be dangerous to curious puppies and kittens.

🧸 Foreign bodies – Puppies and kittens love to chew and explore! Toys, socks, string, rocks, bones, and other objects can cause intestinal obstructions or become choking hazards.

🪱 Parasites – Intestinal parasites, fleas, ticks, and other parasites can be especially harmful to young pets and may cause anemia, diarrhea, poor growth, and weakness.

💉 Incomplete vaccinations – Young pets aren't fully protected until they have completed their appropriate vaccine series. Avoiding areas with unknown or unvaccinated animals can help reduce their risk of serious infectious diseases.

💡 Remember: Puppies and kittens can become seriously ill quickly. If your young pet develops persistent vomiting or diarrhea, becomes very lethargic, stops eating or drinking, has difficulty breathing, or just isn't acting like themselves, don't wait to have them evaluated.

🐾 Grant & Simba remind everyone: prevention, vaccines, and early veterinary care can make a huge difference!

BGVEC is here when your newest family member needs emergency care. ❤️