Carbon monoxide suspected of killing vet, dog in Queens animal care van

Carbon monoxide may have killed a New York City veterinarian and dog found dead inside an animal care van. 

The mobile vet clinic's owner, who is hospitalized, suspects the poison gas caused him, the doctor and dog to collapse, according to a friend Monday. 

Snow pile might have blocked exhaust

The white van, known as Low Cost Vet Mobile, and a generator remained parked next to mounds of snow Monday on 65th Avenue and Parsons Boulevard in Flushing, Queens.

It's where on Sunday police found 57-year-old Dr. Ashraf Hussein and a dog dead inside and the owner, 73-year-old Garo Alexanian, unconscious outside.

"Garo said he was unconscious for about four hours, four and a half hours. When he awakened, it was daylight already," Alexanian's longtime friend, Stephen LeBow, said.  

LeBow, visited his friend at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital. He said Alexanian believes he and Hussein collapsed after being poisoned with carbon monoxide while finishing their last surgery on a dog late Saturday evening.

"The neighbor and others were piling up the snow right next to the van and it had blocked the exhaust of the generator, and so the fumes were going back into the van," LeBow said.

LeBow said Alexanian was stable while recovering with a broken nose and pain on the left side of his body. 

Beloved Staten Island vet mourned

People at the Staten Island clinic where Hussein worked said he was loved by all. His heartbroken wife, Marwa Mansour, said he left behind three sons. 

"He was good at his job. He loved animals. He was a great father and husband," Mansour said. "A lot of people are devastated with what happened." 

Hussein worked at the clinic every day of the week except Tuesdays, when he would go to help with the mobile van. 

"He was doing it volunteer. That's how much he loves his job," Mansour said. "At times he'd be home around 4 or 5 o'clock. If Garo reached out to him to help him ... he would literally drive from Staten Island to Queens." 

Vet van owner appeared on CBS in 2009 

Back in 2009, Alexanian appeared on CBS to announce the launch of Low Cost Vet Mobile. He said he did not want families to put off treatment for a dog, no matter their income level. 

"Then the animal gets worse and now it gets so expensive, even at low cost we wouldn't be able to do it," he said on CBS. "It's important for us to intercept and prevent these kinds of issues from getting exasperated." 

LeBow said Monday he's thankful his friend survived. 

"Thank God he's alive, but terribly tragic incident," he said. "The two of them were just selfless and gave everything to the animals." 

Police said they were investigating the cause of the incident.

CBS News New York has not yet received a statement from the New York City Department of Health.