VERG Brooklyn

My family and I unexpectedly had to put our boy to sleep on Saturday morning. Having him put to sleep at a hospital or vet was never my ideal plan I always said I would want him put to sleep at home. Unfortunately we didn’t get to due to the state my baby boy tank was in. We went in Friday evening , they examined him and explained the options we ultimately seeing him in pain was unbearable so they brought him down to us in a private room and kept him comfortable. The staff at VERG made us feel as if we were home. They checked on us as we spent our final night with our boy. They never pushed us to get the process done faster. They even waited for the my siblings and significant others to be able to make it to the hospital which ended up being Saturday morning. They even brought our boy a slice of pizza to see if he’d have the stomach for it💔.We were ready to begin the process and our Dr walked us through the whole procedure before and during and after one of the hardest decisions of our lives with so much compassion as well as all the other staff members there. I would recommend anyone and everyone who has a pet to their establishment. Thank you all for helping us during such a difficult time and making tank feel so much love during his last moments.

My beloved cat, Keylie, was referred to VERG by Bond Vet on suspicion of heart failure. VERG confirmed the diagnosis, and Keylie was seen by their cardiologist, Dr. Graham Rossi several times from June through October 2025. The staff at VERG were consistently compassionate and it's clear everyone there cares about animals. However, I do want to warn you that this is an ER, and is potentially a much more stressful place to be than your normal vet's office. At half of our visits there, we had to walk by people who had very obviously just said goodbye to their own pets, which was a bit jarring - especially knowing I'd likely be one of those crying pet parents at some point soon. At our initial visit in June, VERG completed a number of tests, including x-rays and ultrasounds. After confirming Keylie had fluid in her lungs and the sac surrounding her heart, they recommended an invasive (and costly) procedure to drain the fluid and help ease her breathing. I consented to the procedure, and their notes show they removed 2 mL of fluid from her pleural space, and 1 mL from the pericardial space. In hindsight, had I known the amounts would have been this small, I would have instead asked if medical management with diuretics (such as furosemide) were an option instead of this more invasive approach that involved shaving her chest and placing a needle into her chest cavity. Dr. Rossi was a consistently friendly presence and thoughtfully explained everything throughout several visits/re-checks. He seemed to understand I've done quite a bit of research and tailored his explanations with that in mind. ⚠️ There is a specific reason I've opted to leave a 4-star instead of a 5-star review. Throughout Keylie's treatment, I consistently made it clear I was very concerned about one disastrous complication of severe heart disease/failure: Feline Aortic Thromboembolism (FATE or Saddle Thrombus). This is an EXCRUCIATINGLY painful complication that can strike with little-to-no warning. Dr. Rossi was confident that Keylie wasn't at very "high risk" of this complication, and would not recommend proactively dispensing pain killers for Keylie. Keep in mind that VERG is a 45-65 minute drive away for us, depending on traffic, and if Keylie was stricken by FATE we'd have an hourlong journey where she'd be in obvious distress, and I'd have nothing to help her... ... which is precisely what happened just after midnight on November 8, mere minutes after my own birthday, and just a couple of weeks since we were last at VERG. Keylie lost use of both of her hind legs within minutes of eating dinner, and was hyperventilating and in obvious distress. She was dragging herself with her front paws and couldn't get comfortable in any position. I raced her to VERG and made the decision to euthanize her the moment they confirmed it was FATE, because I no longer felt that continuing down this path was the best choice for Keylie. After doing quite a bit of research/reading clinical studies, I've discovered that: - some of the things they were looking for to classify Keylie as v. "high risk" (such as spontaneous echo contrast/"smoke" or swirls in her enlarged left atrium, or presence of a clot) often signal "IMMINENT" risk, AND ~20% of cats who suffer from FATE will not have SEC beforehand - she had a severely enlarged left atrium, arrythmia, gallop sounds: all of which either increase likelihood of FATE or worsen outcomes if FATE occurs - some cats are resistant to clopidogrel, the antiplatelet therapy Keylie was on. I administered this to her religiously for the duration of her illness, taking great care to ensure the pills were swallowed. She never missed a single dose. Given her "severely" dilated left atrium, it may have been helpful to add on additional therapies. I know some of those therapies are very pricey, but Keylie had insurance and I made it clear money's not a concern! I appreciate all the help over several months. But for me to witness Keylie go through that nightmare after I specifically asked about this at EVERY visit ... 4-stars. 💔

My first dog (rescue adoption) turned out to have severe untreated heartworm and related lung (PH) and heart (RCFH) complications that required extensive treatment over a full year, and ongoing monitoring. Everyone at VERG from intake to nursing to Dr Rossi's cardio team has been kind, patient, and thoughtful about explaining medical terms, treatment options, expected expenses, and potential outcomes. Our experience has been exceptional, and I only wish they could be her primary care vet. Thank you!

I had a deeply distressing experience at VERG Brooklyn with Dr. Elsa Nader, DVM during an emergency visit on November 7, 2025, for my dog, January. After arriving around 5:30 PM, I spent more than seven hours waiting while receiving unclear and inconsistent communication about my pet’s condition and care plan. Treatments and billing were initiated before I provided formal approval, and when I tried to set a clear financial limit of $3,504.18 for the first 24 hours of care, I was told that care could not continue unless I agreed in advance to 48 hours of treatment. This situation left me feeling pressured, misled, and powerless to make informed decisions for my own pet. I consider this experience unethical and emotionally traumatic, especially given the circumstances of an emergency visit. Pet owners deserve transparent communication, clear consent, and respect for financial boundaries in emergency situations. I hope VERG Brooklyn and Dr. Nader take steps to address this issue so that no other pet owner has to go through the same experience.

Our experience at VERG Brooklyn’s 24-hour emergency room was nothing short of incredible. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with kindness and professionalism. The staff was not only polite and welcoming, but they immediately made us feel seen and supported in a stressful moment. The facility itself was beautiful—spotlessly clean, well-organized, and thoughtfully equipped with snacks and water for pet parents who are anxiously waiting. It’s clear they care not just for the animals but for their humans, too. The waiting time wasn’t bad at all, especially considering we came in for an emergency. Everything moved smoothly, and we never felt forgotten or ignored. One of the hardest moments was when I had to leave my baby boy behind to have his open wound re-stitched. It was heartbreaking to walk away, but the doctor took the time to sit with me, explain the procedure, and reassure me that he was in the best hands. Their calm and compassionate demeanor helped me breathe a little easier. I was both excited and nervous to see him again the next day—but mostly relieved, knowing he had received the care he needed. A heartfelt thank you to VERG Brooklyn’s 24-hour emergency team for being there when we needed you most. You helped my baby boy get the treatment he needed, and I’ll always be grateful.