Contact
New Bolton Center Kennett Square, PA
Emergencies & Appointments:
610-444-5800
Directions
Ryan Hospital Philadelphia, PA
Emergencies:
215-746-8911
Appointments:
215-746-8387
Directions
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Extracorporeal Therapies


Extracorporeal therapies, including hemodialysis and therapeutic plasma exchange, are lifesaving procedures that utilize advanced technologies to filter the blood to remove harmful substances from the body.

  • For Referring Veterinarians

    We are building our service towards 24/7 availability. While we will do our best to accommodate all patients, we may still need to refer them to another extracorporeal therapies service. So that we can best help you, for now, please contact us through the referral office or contact the Emergency Service to discuss potential extracorporeal therapies cases.  

  • For Clients

    If you believe your pet would benefit from extracorporeal therapies, please have your veterinarian contact us through the referral office or Emergency Service. Together, we will discuss your pet and make a plan for their management and referral if necessary.


Our Services

  • Hemodialysis

    The hemodialysis machine acts as an artificial kidney to process blood and remove toxins and excess water. Hemodialysis may be recommended for many diseases including treatment of acute kidney injury, toxin ingestion, or prior to surgical treatment for kidney disease.

    Hemodialysis and Kidneys

    • Hemodialysis helps remove the wastes and toxins that build up in the body when the kidneys are unable to do their job.
    • Hemodialysis does not treat an injury to the kidney. 
    • Hemodialysis helps patients to feel better while the kidneys rest and recover.

    Additional treatments will be recommended during hospitalization to treat the underlying kidney disease. These treatments will vary, but will include nutritional management, pain management, and disease specific recommendations.

  • Therapeutic Plasma Exchange

    Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) utilizes a machine that separates blood into red blood cells and plasma. TPE may be recommended for specific intoxications or to treat immune mediated diseases. During the treatment, the plasma containing toxins or antibodies is removed and replaced with fresh plasma.

  • Treatments

    The exact number of treatments required depend on the cause and severity of the underlying disease. For many intoxications, only a single treatment is necessary. These patients may even be able to go home the next day. In patients with acute kidney injury or immune mediated disease, multiple treatments are necessary over a period of days. During this time, animals stay with us in the hospital and additional therapies will be initiated to help treat the underlying disease. At the time of consultation, we will make a recommendation for the initial number of treatments to expect for your pet.

    What Happens During a Treatment

    Treatments are not painful and do not require anesthesia. Prior to the first treatment, a large catheter will be placed. This will require sedation or, in some cases, a short anesthesia. During the treatment, we provide a soft and warm bed. We keep the lights turned down in the room to make therapy as relaxing as possible. Many animals even take a nap during their treatment. We monitor heart rate, breathing rate, and temperature regularly. Each treatment lasts between 3-6 hours. Over time, our patients begin to associate the dialysis room with feeling better and look forward to coming in to see us!

  • Costs

    Costs vary, depending on the reason for treatment and duration of therapy. At the time of consultation, we will give you an estimate of the cost of care.


Meet the Team

We will work as a team with your regular veterinarian, the Penn Vet team of veterinarians, and our highly trained veterinary technicians.