The Animal Cardiology Center

The Animal Cardiology Center is a cardiology practice in Brooklyn, NY, staffed by 4 DACVIM-credentialed specialists. Procedures include Minimally invasive procedures, Interventional cardiology, and Diagnostic techniques.

Get Directions View on Maps ↗ Call (212) 722-0449 Book Consultation

About

The Animal Cardiology Center is a specialty referral hospital in Brooklyn, NY, staffed by board-certified veterinary cardiologists. Their team utilizes leading-edge diagnostic techniques and equipment to diagnose and treat a wide range of cardiac conditions in cats and dogs. They are dedicated to developing personalized treatment plans for each patient.

The center specializes in managing complex heart diseases, including congenital defects like Patent Ductus Arteriosus and acquired conditions such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Their expertise also covers various arrhythmias, ensuring comprehensive cardiac care for their clientele.

Surgical team

Justin Carlson

VMD, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Dr. Justin Carlson, VMD, Diplomate ACVIM (Cardiology), is the founding medical director of The Animal Cardiology Center.
Kelly Flynn

PhD, DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Dr. Kelly Flynn is a board-certified veterinary cardiologist with a strong foundation in both clinical practice and biomedical research.
Emily Herrold

DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Dr. Herrold received her DVM from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine followed by a small animal rotating internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City, and then a specialty internship in emergency and critical care at North Carolina State University.
Sarifa Lakhdhir

DVM, MSc, DACVIM (Cardiology)

Dr. Lakhdhir received her DVM from the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
Joshua
Justin
Licy
Nicola
Shannon
Allie
Amelia
Araceli
Cynthia
Michelle
Riley
Claudia
Fytai

Procedures

Minimally invasive procedures
Interventional cardiology
Diagnostic techniques

Photos

Photos via Google · Nadine Bradley, Elsie Real Cibbarelli, The Animal Cardiology Center

Frequently asked questions

What types of cardiac conditions are treated at The Animal Cardiology Center?: The Animal Cardiology Center provides expert care for a range of cardiac conditions, including congenital heart diseases like Patent Ductus Arteriosus and Ventricular Septal Defect. They also treat acquired heart diseases such as Myxomatous Valvular Degeneration in dogs and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in cats, in addition to various arrhythmias like Ventricular Tachycardia and Atrial Fibrillation.
What are the clinical interests of Dr. Justin Carlson?: Dr. Justin Carlson's clinical interests include chronic and end-stage congestive heart failure. He focuses on improving quality of life, advancing long-term management strategies, and helping patients with advanced disease live more comfortably and fully. He also serves as an investigator in multiple ongoing clinical trials.
Does The Animal Cardiology Center offer care for feline heart conditions?: Yes, The Animal Cardiology Center provides care for feline heart conditions. Their specialists treat acquired feline heart diseases such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy (HOCM), Restrictive Cardiomyopathy (RCM), Unclassified Cardiomyopathy (UCM), Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Dr. Emily Herrold's clinical interests specifically include feline cardiomyopathies.
What procedures are of particular interest to Dr. Sarifa Lakhdhir?: Dr. Sarifa Lakhdhir's clinical interests include performing minimally invasive procedures, evaluating congenital heart disease, and managing chronic heart conditions. She emphasizes considering the well-being of both the patient and their family in her approach to care.
What is Dr. Kelly Flynn's approach to patient care?: Dr. Kelly Flynn is dedicated to delivering thoughtful, individualized care to pets with heart disease. She collaborates closely with families and referring veterinarians to develop practical monitoring and treatment plans tailored to each patient's specific needs, known for her clarity, compassion, and precision.

Contact & hours

Address

121 York St
Brooklyn

Phone

(212) 722-0449

Website

taccvets.com

4.9 · 218 Google reviews

Recent reviews

5 months ago

Tiffany Reavis

Dr. Carlson is absolutely exceptional! As a devoted fur baby mom, I couldn’t be more grateful for the care and expertise he provides for my beloved Chloe. His extensive knowledge in cardiology reassures me that my fur baby is in the best hands possible. His genuine kindness and understanding make every visit a positive experience. The entire staff is welcoming and professional, creating a wonderful atmosphere that puts both pets and their owners at ease. I wholeheartedly trust my dog’s cardiac health to Dr. Carlson and highly recommend his services to any pet parent!
4 months ago

Mark Zakariya

In response to my 1-star review questioning the care my cat (Keylie) received at TACC, their medical director/founder Dr. Carlson called a couple of days later to discuss Keylie's heart failure at length. During our 30+ minute call, we discussed her initial exam at TACC in March 2024 and her later visits to VERG in June-Oct 2025. It seems like Keylie had a form of heart disease that progressed extremely quickly, and it's unlikely it would have been caught prior to her displaying clinical signs, nor would she have been a candidate for the HALT clinical trial. I greatly appreciate that Dr. Carlson went out of his way to put my mind at ease and reassure me that I genuinely did everything I could for my best friend, and made the best decisions with the information available. It very was clear from our phone call that Dr. Carlson genuinely cared about Keylie's case and helping me understand how this unfolded. With this in mind, I've adjusted this review to 5 stars. The original review is below, although I've edited some sections for brevity because of character limits. ----------------------- My beloved cat, Keylie, was referred to TACC by Bond Vet after her NT-proBNP was measured at 1,188 pmol/L during a routine visit. This blood test measures the levels of a protein called BNP in blood; BNP is released by heart cells in response to increased stretching/stress. For reference, below 100 pmol/L is considered "normal," and values exceeding 270 pmol/L are very indicative of severe heart disease or heart failure. This was the veterinarian's assessment on March 28, 2024: [edited, but basically said she was fine, and no indication for another cardio follow-up in the next 1-2 years] This was GREAT news and I was happy to hear that Keylie's heart was fine! However, I was still concerned about the SKY HIGH BNP values; this was the Dr.'s input, paraphrased for brevity: NT-proBNP can potentially be elevated by non-cardiac factors (such as liver/kidney/thyroid issues, elevated cortisol, sample handling errors) and they don't believe Keylie's was elevated due to cardiac issues. ---------------------------------- Fast forward a little over a year, to June 8, 2025. Keylie's lifelong mild asthma is no longer mild. I brought her back to Bond Vet, where they re-tested her BNP and ran chest x-rays. Her BNP was now 1,500 pmol/L and she had clear signs of heart failure on the x-rays. This time, I brought her to VERG instead of TACC, where she was diagnosed with RCM. Specifically, a manifestation of RCM caused by end-stage HCM. One unchecked form of heart disease promoted development of another, even more serious form with a grim prognosis. Way too late to slow down disease progression at this point, it had already progressed to a very late stage. Although treatment with diuretics, antiplatelet therapy, pimobendan, Mirataz, etc. was able to largely restore Keylie's quality of life in her final months... ... Keylie died on November 8, 2025 after suffering from Feline Aortic Thromboembolism (FATE or Saddle Thrombus), a complication of severe heart disease/failure. She had been seen by VERG as recently as late October, where they didn't believe she was at "high risk" of developing a clot and refused to proactively dispense any pain relieving medications. So, that's precisely what happened - she had a clot, was in extreme discomfort/pain, and was euthanized at 1:30 a.m., just 90 minutes after my own birthday. I'm upset that VERG's cardiology team missed that she was at high risk of such a devastating complication, but my disappointment with them pales in comparison with how I feel towards TACC. I understand feline cardiology is ridiculously complex, but I also don't believe in coincidences: I think it's FAR more likely Keylie's heart disease was completely missed by TACC vs. she _happened_ to have off-the-charts high levels of NT-proBNP and _happened_ to independently develop and die from heart disease within 15 months.
8 months ago

Nadine Bradley

Had to get our puppy, Goose, checked out after an anomaly on his pre-neuter ekg with our primary vet. Cannot recommend TACC highly enough. We got good news, which was a big relief! Loved: Online scheduling, ease and promptness of communication, beautiful clean office, amazing staff, convenient location near transit. Thank you for taking such good care of our best little guy!

Show 2 more

4 months ago

Natasha Michalowsky

Dr. Carlson is an exceptional physician. My dog has lifelong heart disease, and TACC is by far the best cardiology team we have worked with. He is solutions-oriented, current on the latest medications and treatment protocols, and has an excellent rapport with both pets and their owners. His team is equally impressive—efficient, knowledgeable, and highly responsive. I would recommend Dr. Carlson without hesitation to anyone seeking the highest level of cardiac care and long-term outcomes for their pet.
4 months ago

Sundra Morrow

This place is Excellent. Dr. Carlson is professional, his staff is friendly, and the place is beautiful . Dr.Carlson is thorough and knowledgeable . If a Veterinary Cardiologist is what you need this is the place to go . You won't regret it .

Reviews via Google

View all on Google ↗