Gaby was suffering from a host of medical issues, and came in through the NorthStar VETS Critical Care service for hind-limb swelling, weakness, and an inability to urinate. A urinary catheter was placed to relieve that issue, but he had another problem with his blood. Normal packed cell volume (which is the percentage of red blood cells per unit volume,) is 35-55% and his was only 15%. An emergency blood transfusion was needed to save his life. Allison is a cat that donates to the NorthStar VETS blood bank, and recently gave blood that ended up saving Gaby by bringing his PCV back up to 26%, an exceptionally large jump! This was good enough for him to go home a couple days later while continuing to heal.

Gaby’s return home meant the world to his family because of the journey he took to get to this point. Gaby was born in Robbinsville with his brother, Buddha, in 2007. Three years later, he jumped through a screen on the second floor of his home, not to be seen again for the next ten years! About two years ago, his family received a call from a local animal hospital. A lovely woman took him in and noticed he stopped eating and was losing weight. That animal hospital scanned him for a chip, and discovered it was Gaby! He was finally reunited with his litter mate and his other pet siblings, and is catching back up with them! During his decade absence, he lost his tail, developed diabetes and heart/kidney diseases. He’s had numerous medical emergencies since his return, and NorthStar VETS has helped him manage some of those issues. His family is in gratitude for little Allison, the former stray cat who saved his life with her blood donation, and for the time they’ve had with Gaby (named after the Angel, Gabriel).

Click here to learn more about the NorthStar VETS Blood Bank and how you can get involved.

Steven Berkowitz, DVM, DACVECC

Dr. Steven Berkowitz attended St. Georges University and did his clinical year of training at University of Illinois. Dr. Berkowitz joined NorthStar VETS after service as the Chief of Emergency and Critical Care at another specialty hospital. Prior to that, he completed a three year residency in Emergency and Critical Care medicine at Oradell Animal Hospital in Paramus, NJ. His residency was completed at one of the first level one veterinary trauma centers in the United States. Prior to his residency, he was a staff emergency veterinarian at Animal Specialty Center in Yonkers, New York, as well as at Animal Emergency and Referral Center in Fairfield, NJ. Dr. Berkowitz can be seen on seasons 5 and 6 of “Animal Precinct” on Animal Planet, which was filmed at the Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital of the ASPCA wherein he did his rotating internship after completing veterinary school. Dr. Berkowitz’s professional interests include management of metabolic and endocrine emergencies, as well as management of septic patients. He is published as the primary author in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care with his article “Resolution of spontaneous hemoabdomen secondary to peliosis hepatis following surgery and azithromycin treatment in a Bartonella species infected dog.”