Welcome to the Vets Pets Weekly Update!

We’re excited to bring you the latest news, updates, and stories from across our North Carolina veterinary practices. Each week, we’ll share important announcements, highlight achievements, and sprinkle some fun along the way.

Your work makes a difference every day, and we want to celebrate you. If you have news or stories to share, please let us know by responding to any of these emails or reaching out to marketing@thevetspets.com.

The Results Are In – Purrfect Pace Challenge Recap

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Purrfect Pace Challenge! Together, we logged miles, shared smiles, and celebrated the bond between pets and their people. From leisurely strolls to brisk jogs, every step made a difference. We are so grateful for your enthusiasm and participation. 

Vets Pets Day 2025 Recap

What a day! Despite the wet start last Saturday, Vets Pets Day dried up, warmed up and turned into a wonderful afternoon of fun, food, and friendship. Families, friends, and team members showed up with umbrellas in hand and left with sunshine and great memories. From testing their luck at our lively casino games to dancing along with the DJ’s great music, there was something for everyone to enjoy. Our community made the day a true success, and we are so grateful for the chance to celebrate pets, their people, and the teams who take care of them.

A recent Wake Veterinary Medical Center case highlights both the complexity of congenital conditions in young pets and the power of teamwork in veterinary medicine. Marcos Santos, DVM, MS, DACVS-LA, one of their talented surgeons, was joined in the operating room by Wake Vet Doctors Nolie Parnell, DVM, DACVIM-SAIM and Tyler Johnson, DVM, DACVECC. The patient was a young puppy born with a condition called Persistent Right Aortic Arch (PRAA).

PRAA is a congenital condition where the aorta forms on the wrong side of the heart, leaving behind a band of tissue that traps the esophagus. Puppies with PRAA often regurgitate food and struggle to gain weight compared to their littermates.

Surgery is the treatment of choice. In this case, Dr. Santos carefully approached the constricting band while Dr. Parnell used intraoperative endoscopy to help locate and confirm that the esophagus had been successfully freed. Endoscopy also allowed the team to visualize, in real time, that food would now pass normally into the stomach. Meanwhile, Dr. Johnson ensured the patient remained stable and safe throughout the procedure.

The surgery was a success. With the obstruction released, the puppy now has the chance to grow, gain weight, and thrive. Early intervention is critical for PRAA, as the longer food sits in the esophagus, the more it can stretch and weaken permanently. Thanks to the team’s quick and coordinated efforts, this patient is on track for a much brighter future.

This case is also a reminder of the value of collaboration across specialties—surgery, internal medicine, anesthesia, and support staff all coming together to provide the best possible outcome for patients.

And for a lighter note? They even managed to snag some photos with the star patient, affectionately nicknamed L’il Kim, after the successful procedure.

Nicky McNeely, BS, RVT
Training & Operations Specialist-ER/Referral Services

Vets Pets

Upcoming Vets Pets Events

• Vet Tech Week | October 12-16 | North Carolina
• NCVC Fall Conference | November 7-8 | Raleigh, NC
• Professionalization with the Pack Panel | November 11 | Raleigh, NC