Honey Ferlin Foundation

Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists

April 30, 2008 * BrightHeart Veterinary Centers announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists (formerly, the Veterinary Referral Clinic.) the only full-scale specialty referral hospital in the immediate vicinity of Cleveland, located in Bedford Heights, OH. The practice offers internal medicine, oncology and radiation oncology, radioactive iodine treatment for feline hyperthyroidism (I-131), surgery, radiology, cardiology and emergency medicine services. Its professional staff includes 12 veterinarians, including seven who are board certified. Its after-hours emergency center is open from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. during the week and 24 hours during weekends and holidays.

Dr. Kelley Kilar, Medical Director of GLVS, said, "I am excited to have this opportunity to lead our outstanding group of specialists, doctors and support staff". We look forward to providing outstanding and compassionate veterinary care for pet owners and referral veterinarians.* BrightHeart also announced that Ronald L. Haffey is joining GLVS as Hospital Administrator. Mr. Haffey has over 25 years of veterinary hospital management experience, most recently as the hospital administrator for the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Currently located at 5035 Richmond Road in Bedford Hts., GLVS is planning to build a new 15,000 sq. ft.+ state-of-the-art facility. They hope to not only build on a site near their current home, but to be moved within 12-18 months. Once they are in the new facility they may add more specialists to the practice; these additions have to wait due to current space constraints explains Dr. Kilar.

www.greatlakesvetspec.com and www.brightheartvet.com

Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital

In 1968, Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital was created to provide advanced care options including 24-hour care and emergency care. Known as a Central Hospital, it was modeled after the human medical concept, allowing affiliated veterinarians the ability to offer a level of care not previously available on a local level. A Central Hospital provides a Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital affiliated veterinarian the ability to offer not only superior outpatient care in their clinic, but also the advantages of a modern hospital.

Take the case of Fluffy, a middle-aged dog, who is being evaluated by a Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital (MVH) affiliated veterinarian for vomiting. After a thorough physical exam at the office, one option for treatment could be conservative therapy at home. If more extensive testing or treatment were needed Fluffy would be sent to Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital. Her MVH-affiliated general veterinarian would oversee the case, possibly ordering hospitalization with intravenous fluids, laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging. When necessary, the MVH-affiliated veterinarian could call on the expertise of one of the many board-certified specialists in the hospital, either to consult on the case, or to assume primary care of Fluffy if needed.

Affiliated general practitioners have the benefit of having separate outpatient offices, as well as being able to utilize the best of Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital. This allows these general practitioners to offer, as part of their practice, the benefits of a large hospital such as:

Advanced surgical suites
24 hour intensive care
Superior diagnostic imaging (spiral CT scan, advanced ultrasound evaluation, fluoroscopy, and board-certified radiologist interpretations)
Consultation on cases with specialists for their patients.
In-house regional diagnostic laboratory.

The founders of the Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital had foresight that has allowed thousands of patients state-of-the-art care. Today, the hospital is comprised of a group of general practitioners and specialists striving for the common goal of superior medical care for their patients.

www.metropolitanvet.com