VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – VETIGEL is advertised as a miracle gel, and it’s being used at the Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or SPCA, to allow veterinarians to stop bleeding quickly.

“It goes over whatever is bleeding and creates a kind of mechanical seal over it and when the blood contract the gel, it helps the body form a clot to make the bleeding stop,” said VBSPCA medical director Dr. Ann Marie Woyma.

The gel, made by Brooklyn-based Cresilon, helped save one of the VBSPCA cats named Apple Pie. She was a transfer from another shelter.

“She was missing part of her leg,” Woyma said. “At first, she seemed like any other nursing mom having her babies to take care of, but unfortunately, she developed what is called necrotizing mastitis.”

It’s a life-threatening infection of Apple Pie’s mammary glands.

“Her body was essentially being eaten away by her infection,” Woyma said. “The only way to cure a severe infection like that is to cut away all the infected tissue.”

Apple Pie was also in liver failure and she wasn’t eating, so the vets had to perform a major surgery to save her life.

“She was pretty anemic,” Woyma said. “So she didn’t have much blood to start with. It was incredibly important that any drop of blood we could save for her.”

That’s exactly what happened. The surgery saved Apple Pie, and Woyma said the plant-based gel helped.

She said the gel also shortens surgery time, which allows her to take care of more animals 

With so many animals in need, VBSCPA says it’s a welcomed addition to their tool belt.

“We’ve got so many pets that are needing help and so many homeless animals that need help, so when you have all these new things that are being brought in that can make it easier on our doctors and patients. It’s a win-win for everybody,” said VBSPCA marketing and communications director Mandi Kowaleski.

As far as Apple Pie is concerned, she is on the road to recovery. She has another surgery on her horizon to take care of her wounded leg. After that, she’ll be up for adoption like so many other pets.