On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital honored three dogs and a bird who survived extraordinary medical conditions, following the world-class, specialty care of NYC’s only Level 1 Veterinary Trauma Center.

Press Release

New York, NY – May 18, 2026 – The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC), the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital and NYC’s only Level 1 Veterinary Trauma Center, hosted its 18^th Annual Living Legends Luncheon in New York City last week. This year’s honorees included Potato Chip Baker, a 10-year-old mixed-breed dog with an adrenal mass and tumor extension; Roxy Nissman, a 15-year-old female eclectus parrot with a chronic egg-laying condition; Snow Gally, a two-year-old mixed-breed dog with a severe bite wound to her left hind limb that resulted in septic shock; and Willow Schiavoni, a seven-year-old shepherd mix whose heart was impaired and unable to fill and pump effectively.

“Many of today’s honorees were referred to AMC due to severe complications or extremely rare medical conditions that they simply were unable to treat. From our Emergency Room to our Surgical Institute, our team of world-class veterinarians collaborate to save lives every single day,” said Helen M. Irving, RN, MBA, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. “In 2025, we facilitated nearly 60,000 patient visits, many supported by cross collaboration among our various departments. Living Legends is our opportunity to honor some of the most remarkable stories from the year and truly showcase the lifesaving work done by our dedicated veterinary teams.”

AMC Board Co-Chair Nicole Seligman welcomed guests to the luncheon, opening the event with remarks about the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center’s charitable programs. She highlighted how these Community Funds are a lifeline to pets whose families would otherwise be unable to afford care and encouraged continued support to ensure that the ability to pay is never the deciding factor when it comes to saving a beloved companion.

The Living Legends Event co-chairs include Donna Acquavella, Vanessa B. Eastman, Brooke Garden, Laura Garner, Michael Heaner, Nancy M. Kissinger, Sharon Amsterdam Koplin, Emilia Saint-Amand Krimendahl, Elaine Langone, Bobby Liberman, Marianne Mebane, Kane Nussbaum, Mrs. Katharine J. Rayner, Elizabeth Gore Ross, Nicole Seligman, Ann R. Tisch and Janet York.

The four Living Legends awards went to Potato Chip Baker, treated by Senior Veterinarian & Service Head of Surgical Service 2 Daniel Spector, DVM, DACVS-SA, and Resident Veterinarian in Surgery Chelsea Tyler, DVM; Roxy Nissman, treated by Daniel Spector, DVM, DACVS-SA and Katherine Quesenberry, DVM, MPH, DABVP (Avian); Snow Gally, treated by Senior Veterinarian and Specialist in Surgery Chanel Berns, DVM, DACVS-SA and Resident Veterinarian in Surgery Jordan Pieczynski, DVM; and Willow Schiavoni, treated by Senior Veterinarian and Specialist in Internal Medicine Douglas Palma, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM) and Senior Veterinarian and Specialist in Surgery Dr. Whitney Phipps, DVM, DACVS-SA.

Their individual stories are included below:

• Potato Chip Baker, a 10-year-old mixed-breed dog from Petersburgh, VA, came to AMC’s Surgical Service 2 with a right adrenal mass that had invaded the largest vein in the abdomen responsible for returning all blood from the abdomen and hind end to the heart. To remove both the mass and tumor extension, Drs. Daniel Spector and Chelsea Tyler performed a surgical incision through the breastbone to access the chest and temporarily halt all blood flow through the vena cava. This enabled a highly complex and high-risk procedure called a “cavotomy,” in which the vessel was incised to remove the tumor before being rapidly repaired to restore circulation. During surgery, Potato Chip also required removal of his right kidney. The procedure involved significant blood loss, necessitating multiple transfusions—including one generously donated by AMC anesthesiologist Dr. Nikki Dowgos’ dog, Lucy—as well as intensive anesthetic support, which proved critical to his survival. Despite these challenges, Potato Chip recovered remarkably well and was discharged just four days later without complications related to the removal of his kidney. Throughout his care, he remained exceptionally sweet, and his devoted family provided unwavering support.

• Roxy Nissman, a 15-year-old female eclectus parrot from Brooklyn Heights, came to AMC for a second opinion following chronic egg-laying and evaluation by multiple veterinarians. Prior assessments had identified two large soft tissue masses on either side of her neck, along with an elevated white blood cell count suggestive of infection or inflammation. At AMC, advanced diagnostics were performed to better characterize the masses and assess surgical risk. Ultrasound findings and a contrast-enhanced CT scan confirmed bilateral cervical masses closely associated with the jugular veins. Aspirates were submitted for next-generation DNA sequencing, which identified multiple bacterial species, supporting a diagnosis of chronic infection with granuloma formation (localized cluster of immune cells). Due to their proximity to critical vessels, surgery was high-risk. Dr. Daniel Spector successfully removed the larger left-sided mass despite marked vascularity and adhesions, while the smaller right-sided mass was left in place for long-term medical management. Over the following 18 months, Roxy responded exceptionally well to daily medication. The remaining mass regressed to a small nodule and the infection resolved. Today, Roxy continues to thrive without evidence of recurrence.

• Snow Gally, a two-year-old mixed-breed dog from Manhattan’s Upper East Side, was transferred to AMC after complications from abite wound to her left hind limb. Upon arrival, she was critically ill with septic shock and required intensive care from the Critical Care Service. She was transferred to the Surgery Service while still in critical condition and diagnosed with arterial bleeding from the femoral vessels—the primary blood supply to the limb—as well as necrotizing fasciitis, a rare, rapidly progressive, and life-threatening soft tissue bacterial infection. The Cardiology Service was also consulted to manage concurrent cardiac dysfunction. Given the guarded prognosis, Snow’s family elected to proceed with amputation of the affected limb in a life-saving effort. She survived surgery and following removal of the infected limb, her condition stabilized. However, extensive tissue damage left a large open wound. After a week of negative pressure wound therapy, Snow underwent successful closure with a complex skin flap procedure performed by Drs. Chanel Berns and Jordan Pieczynski. Over the following months, Snow made a remarkable recovery. Now thriving as a three-legged dog, she enjoys an active and joyful life and even ran along the beach in Maine during her parents’ vow renewal celebration.

• Willow Schiavoni, a seven-year-old shepherd mix from Sag Harbor, NY, came to AMC with recurrent fluid accumulation in the chest. She was diagnosed with coccidioidomycosis, a fungal infection, which had led to restrictive pericarditis—a rare condition in which inflammation and fibrosis of the tissues surrounding the heart impair its ability to fill and pump effectively. Willow was evaluated by Dr. Douglas Palma and underwent an extensive diagnostic workup, including CT imaging, echocardiography with the Cardiology Service, fluid analysis, and fungal testing. These findings confirmed that her condition had progressed, causing her to go into congestive heart failure and her chest to fill with fluid. Without surgical intervention, her prognosis was poor. She underwent a procedure performed by Dr. Whitney Phipps, DVM, DACVS-SA, involving chest surgery, removal of the heart’s lining, and an epicardial “waffle”—a rare technique in which small incisions are made in the surface of the heart to improve cardiac function. This procedure is extremely uncommon in veterinary medicine, and to our knowledge, Willow is among just a few dogs to have received this treatment. Following several days of intensive postoperative care, Willow made a remarkable recovery, and she has returned to an active, healthy life.

All proceeds from the Living Legends Luncheon support AMC’s mission to provide cutting-edge care to animals and lead the advancement of veterinary medicine through innovative clinical research and education.

In December 2025, the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center officially completed the hospital’s 83,000 square-foot, $125 million expansion and renovation. This marked the first renovation of this scale in 60 years. 

Download photos of AMC’s 2026 Living Legends Luncheon here. Photo credit goes to Joy Glenn.

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About the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Hospital of New York City

We are the world’s largest veterinary teaching hospital with NYC’s only level 1 trauma center. Our team of 140+ veterinarians work across over 20 specialties to provide world-class medical care, and we are here for pets and their families 24/7. We are proud to have served the people and pets of New York, and beyond, for 115 years. For more information, visit www.amcny.org. Follow AMC on Instagram @amcny, on X @amcny, Facebook at The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, LinkedIn, and YouTube @TheAnimalMedicalCenter.