Honoring the dedication of veterinary teams and the remarkable success stories of their patients is central to an annual awards ceremony.
Hosted by the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC), the 16th Annual Living Legends Luncheon, held last May 15 at the University Club of New York, awarded Professor Pantalones, a great hornbill from the Bronx Zoo; Wednesday, a rescue cat; Mingming, a Shih Tzu; and Tammi Terrell, a Wire Fox Terrier.
“Our world-class veterinarians save lives every day in our multi-specialty hospital,” says Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA, president & chief executive officer of the Schwarzman AMC. “From wildlife conservation efforts through our partnership with local zoos, rescue animals who would otherwise not have a chance for survival, and beloved pets who recover from life-threatening illnesses, Living Legends is our opportunity to honor some of the most remarkable patient stories throughout the year. We want to thank the tireless dedication of our compassionate and talented veterinary team, our patients’ families, and ongoing support from our donors who make this lifesaving work a reality.”
Below are the honorees’ stories:
Professor Pantalones, a Great Hornbill at the Bronx Zoo, treated by Daniel Spector, DVM, DACVS-SA
Originally from Southeast Asia and now residing at the Bronx Zoo, Professor Pantalones underwent surgeries to remove a beak tumor—reportedly to be likely cancerous or precancerous—and receive x a custom, 3D-printed prosthetic casque.
The casque, a distinctive concave protrusion above the beak, plays an important role in the hornbill’s social structure and behavior, as well as in sound magnification.
Wednesday, a rescue cat treated by Django Martel, DVM, DAVDC
Wednesday was found on the street by the volunteer group, AdvoCat Rescue, suffering from an unknown trauma. The cat’s jaw was reported to have been broken and healed in such a way the jawbone fused to its cheekbone, preventing the cat from opening its mouth.
AdvoCat Rescue found a foster home for Wednesday, and then was applied for and received a grant from the Emma and Georgina Bloomberg AMC to the Rescue Fund to cover the cost of oral surgery. Dr. Django Martel operated successfully, surgically detaching the fused bone and allowing Wednesday to open and close its mouth normally.
Mingming, a shih tzu treated by Mariel Covo, VMD
Mingming first came to AMC with an ulcerated intestinal mass, causing it to be anemic. The AMC clinicians had hoped blood transfusions could stabilize Mingming for surgery to remove the mass. However, the team realized the dog’s blood was incompatible with what they had on-hand. Further, Dr. Mariel Covo diagnosed Mingming with a rare blood type called “Dal-negative.”
Despite not having any compatible blood available, Mingming’s owner elected to go ahead with the delicate surgery to remove the cancerous tumor. The surgery was successful, but just a few months later, Mingming developed an autoimmune condition called IMHA, or immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, which caused the dog to become anemic and sick again. Fortunately, Mingming responded well to immunosuppressive therapy.
Tammi Terrell, a wire fox terrier treated by Douglas Palma, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), and Richa Dheendsa, DVM
Tammi Terrell developed IMHA a few years ago and eventually went into remission. However, in January 2024, the terrier collapsed and returned to AMC, where it was hospitalized for 25 days. It was diagnosed precursor-targeted immune-mediated anemia (PIMA) and needed an emergency splenectomy.
The surgery, which only took 11 minutes—was overseen by Dr. Douglas Palma. The speedy procedure was critical given Tammi Terrel’s dangerously low red blood cell count. The dog also has Dal-negative blood type, like Mingming, that made it a poor candidate for a transfusion. Although Tammi Terrell was discharged days post-surgery, it was soon returned to the hospital with a urinary tract infection, which spread to its major organs.
In need of blood donors, that was when Mingming came to the rescue. With Mingming’s owner eager to help another dog in need, and despite the risk to Mingming’s own health, she was able to donate a small, but vital, amount of compatible blood, which kept Tammi Terrell alive until more donors could be found.
All proceeds from the luncheon will support AMC’s mission to deliver compassionate, collaborative care to animals and to advance veterinary medicine through innovative clinical research and education.
For more information, visit the AMC website.