Emergency Pet Services
For emergencies at Metropolitan Akron, please call 330-666-2976
Get Directions to Akron Location
For emergencies at Metropolitan Highland Heights, please call 440-673-3483
Get Directions to Highland Heights Location
When an urgent situation arises, the Emergency Department at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital acts as an extension of your family veterinarian providing high quality care. Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital’s staff of emergency veterinarians and highly trained technical personnel offer state of the art diagnostic tests and treatments to accommodate any trauma or illness.
Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital offers a vast array of tools during the “golden hour” of therapy that are paramount to the survival of your pet:
- Immediate laboratory results (chemistry profiles, complete blood counts, urine tests)
- Diagnostic imaging (radiographs and ultrasound)
- Oxygen therapy
- Blood and plasma transfusions

Superior care does not end with diagnoses; your pet will also have available:
- 24-hour intensive care
- Dedicated fluid therapy equipment
- Blood pressure and EKG monitoring
- Respiratory function tests (blood gas analysis)
- Oxygen saturation measurement
- Multiple board-certified specialists on call if the need arises
Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital is proud of the Emergency Department’s combination of experience and advanced training in emergency and critical care. Since 1968, the emergency service has been available for you and your pet 24 hours a day, and will continue to be of service 365 days a year.
Meet Our Doctors



Dr. Matt Ehresman, Medical Director (Akron & Highland Heights)
Education and Accomplishments:
- BA Zoology Miami of Ohio
- DVM The Ohio State University
- Equine Medicine and Surgery Internship- University of Georgia
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship- Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
Professional organizations:
- OVMA
- AVMA
- VECCS
Professional Interest:
- Emergency medicine/Critical care
Personal Interests:
- Working on his house and being a crazy Buckeye Fan!

Dr. Laura Fox (Akron)
Education and Accomplishments:
- BA, Cum Laude in Preprofessional Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University
- DVM from The Ohio State University
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services, Rochester, NY
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- VECCS
- OVMA
Professional Interest:
- Emergency medicine with a special interest in polytrauma management and feline urinary disease
Personal Interests:
- Camping, biking, cooking, and playing the piano
- Cats: Hadron, Brenna, and The Grim

Dr. Keriann Hurst (Akron)
Education and Accomplishments:
- The Ohio State University- CVM: 2013- Summa Cum Laude- First in her Class
- Colorado State University- 2014- Small Animal Rotating Internship- Awarded “Outstanding Small Animal Intern Award for Invaluable Teaching and Clinical Support for CSU Veterinary Students”
Publications:
- Nucci DVM, D.J., Hurst DVM, K.C., and Monnet DVM, PhD, E. “Retrospective comparison of short-term outcomes following thoracoscopy versus thoracotomy for surgical correction of persistent right aortic arch in dogs.” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 253 (4), August 15, 2018, (444-451)
- —Hurst, K.C., Litwak, K.N. “Accelerative Forces Associated with Routine Inhouse Transportation of Rodent Cages.” Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Vol. 51(5), September 2012, (544-547)
Professional Interest:
- Dr. Keriann Hurst joined Metropolitan’s Emergency Service in 2014. Dr. Hurst has a special interest in feline medicine, along with emergency management of Polytrauma, shock, and complex wounds/surgical cases
Personal Interests:
- Dr. Hurst lives in Bath TWP with her husband, who is also a Veterinarian
- Dr. Hurst has three beautiful cats, a Boxer, a Frenchie, several chickens, and too many fish to count

Dr. Brittany L. Lambur (Akron)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Bachelor of Science from University of Tampa, Florida
- DVM- Ross University Veterinary School in St. Kitts, West Indies- Clinical year at the University of Wisconsin
- Master’s Degree in Forensic Veterinary Medicine- University of Florida
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship – Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
Professional Organizations
- AVMA
- OVMA
Professional Interest:
- Polytrauma
- Wound Management
- Septic Patient Management
- Seizure Management
- Animal Welfare
- Advocating for animals in need and seeing recovery after injury or ailment
Personal Interests:
- In her free time, Dr. Lambur likes to hike, read fictional novels, and spend time with her family and animals. She currently has three cats named Carmello, (aka Mello), Squish, and Poppy, and a hamster named Mabel.

Dr. Rebecca Schwarze (Akron)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Undergraduate coursework in Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University
- DVM, The Ohio State University
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship- Affiliated Veterinary Specialists in Maitland, Florida
- Large Animal Medicine, Surgery and Critical Care Internship- New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
Publications:
- Schwarze RA, Tano CT, Carroll VW. Glenoid dysplasia and osteochondritis dissecans in a cat. Can Med Assoc J 2015; 56(7): 749-52.
- Bertone AL, Ishihara A, Zekas LJ, Wellman ML, Lewis K, Schwarze RA, et al.: Evaluation of a single intra-articular injection of autologous protein solution for treatment of osteoarthritis in horses. Am J Vet Res 2014; 75(2): 141-51.
- Marino E, Threlfall WR, Schwarze RA: Early conception factor lateral flow assay for pregnancy in the mare. Theriogenology 2009; 71 (6): 877-883.
- Carleton CL, Threlfall WR, Schwarze RA: Iodine in milk and serum following intrauterine infusion of Lugol’s solution. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med 2008; 6 (2): 121-129.
- Schwarze RA, Threlfall WR: Theriogenology question of the month. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2008; 233 (2): 235-237.
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- OVMA
- VECCS
Professional Interest:
- Emergency Medicine and Critical Care with an emphasis on trauma and acute care
Personal Interests:
- Riding/showing her horse, competitive trail running, working out, traveling
- Spending time with friends, family, and her dog, Eloise

Dr. Symmantha M. Page (Akron)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Bachelor of Science in Biology, concentrations in Field Studies and Psychology – Bates College
- Publication in Ecology and Evolution – Eggshells as hosts of bacterial communities: An experimental test of the antimicrobial egg coloration hypothesis
- DVM – Midwestern University, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship – Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- OVMA
Professional Interest:
- Emergency medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Feline lower urinary tract disease
Personal Interests:
- Spending time with my boxer, Woody, my ball python, Apollo, and aquaculture
- Reading Stephen King novels and listening to true crime and horror podcasts
- Running

Dr. Alexandra (Ali) Beery (Akron)
Education and Accomplishments:
- BA Biology/Animal Science- University of Findlay
- DVM- The Ohio State University
- Small Animal Rotating Internship- Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
Professional organizations:
- IVECCS
- AVMA
Professional Interest:
- GI Issues in Small Animal Medicine
Personal Interests:
- Dr. Alexandra (Ali) Beery is a native to the Medina Area
- Dr. Beery did an internship at Metro after graduation and loved the environment so much that she decided to stay on as a full time emergency veterinarian
- When not at work, Dr. Beery enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her family
- When asked about her passions, Dr. Beery will quickly respond with her faith, family, and fur kids Flynn and Franklin

Dr. Patrick Pilon (Pi) (Akron & Highland Heights)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Bachelors of Science in Biology, magna cum laude – Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pa
- VMD – University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine – 4 Year Veterinary Class President
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship – Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- OVMA
- VECCS
- PVMA
- AAWV
- AVMLA
- AVI
Professional Interest:
- Ophthalmology
- Veterinary Informatics
- Emergency Medicine
Personal Interests:
- Road trips, camping, playing on and rebuilding personal computers, carpentry, weightlifting, hiking, playing frisbee.

Dr. Emma Thomas (Highland Heights)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Bachelor of Science in Biology – Colorado State University
- Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences – Colorado State University
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine – Colorado State University
- Small Animal Rotating Internship – VCA Alameda East, Denver, CO
- Additional training in Emergency/Critical Care – Massachusetts Veterinary Referral Hospital, Woburn, MA
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- OVMA
Professional Interest:
- Emergency and Critical Care medicine in general, but especially acute abdominal conditions and polytrauma
- Neurology
Personal Interests:
- Trying new restaurants/gastronomy
- Traveling
- Spending time with friends and family
- Her 6 furry kids – Dog (Monkey) and 5 cats (Marla, Kitten, Puff, Judy, and DeeDee)

Dr. Ashley M. Ziegler, DVM, CVA, CVTP (Highland Heights)
Education and Accomplishments
- Arcadia University, BA Biology
- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship VCA Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists
- Chi Institute, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Veterinary Tuina Practitioner
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- VECCS
- WATCVM (AATCVM)
- Emergency medicine/Critical care
- Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
- Traveling, skiing, hiking with her dog Jethro

Dr. Alexander Estrin, DVM (Highland Heights)
Education:
- BA, Summa Cum Laude in Biology – Stony Brook University
- DVM – Cornell University
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship – University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
- Small Animal Surgical Internship – Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
Publications:
- Estrin A, Rodriguez-Diaz MJ, Hayes MG. Real time Analysis of Intraoperative Delays and Variations in Intraoperative Workflow with Level of Experience of the Primary Surgeon in Small Animal Surgery. Veterinary Surgery. 2021;50(8).
- Estrin A, Clark DL, Holt DE. Cystoscopic Abnormalities in Dogs Presented for Episioplasty. J Am Anim Hosp Asssoc. 2022;58(2)
Professional Organization:
- AVMA
- OVMA
Professional Interest:
- Surgery
- Wound Management
- Emergency Medicine
Personal Interest:
- Spending time with his wife, three kids, and pets.
- CrossFit, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, spending time outdoors.

Dr. Ashli Hirai, DVM (Highland Heights)
Education and accomplishments:
- University of Hawai’i at Hilo – B.S Animal Science
- Colorado State University- DVM
- VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center- Small Animal Rotating Internship
Professional organizations:
- AVMA
- OVMA
Professional Interests:
- Emergency and critical care
Personal Interests:
- Weightlifting, collecting Pokémon cards with my fiancé (soon be to husband in October 2022)
- Dog named Muffin and 3 cats Twitch, Loki and Bob

Dr. Jenna Epling, DVM (Highland Heights)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, Chemistry – The University of Findlay
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine- Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
- Clinical Year at The Ohio State University
- Chi University- Veterinary Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital
- AVMA
- VECCS
- OVMA
- All things Emergency and Critical Care
- Acute Abdomens
- Gardening & Houseplants
- Hiking & Camping
- Trail Running
- Traveling

Dr. Kaitlin Wilson, DVM (Highland Heights)
- BS Animal Nutritional Sciences – West Virginia University
- DVM – Mississippi State University
- OVMA
- AVMA
- Fear Free Certified
- Emergency surgery
- Client education
- Teaching
- My furry children, loving husband, traveling, beaches, and wildlife

Dr. Mary Elgin (Highland Heights)
Education and Accomplishments:
- Bachelor of Science in Biology, Pre-veterinary medicine, and Animal Sciences- University of Findlay 2011
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine- The Ohio State University 2015
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship- Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital 2016
- Certified Canine Acupuncturist- The Chi Institute 2019
- Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner- The University of Tennessee 2019
Professional Organizations
- OVMA
- AVMA
Professional Interests:
- Emergency Medicine and Critical Care
- Small Animal Rehabilitation
Personal Interests:
- Running, body building, and Buckeye Football!

Dr. Katie Kelley (Highland Heights)
Education:
- Bachelor of Science at the University of Findlay
- Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences
- Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at VCA Great Lakes Veterinary Specialists
Organizations
- AVMA
- OVMA
- VECCS
Professional interests:
- Emergency and critical care with special interest in polytrauma and bleeding disorders
Personal:
- When not at work or the gym, I am usually with my rescue dog Finnegan or shopping for my never ending obsession for home décor and redecorating.