News
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Cannabis: potential anti-vomiting therapy?
Cannabis products are rapidly increasing in popularity for treatment of every sort of ailment in people, and many dedicated users say they can help treat your pet, too. But are these claims valid? A research team headed by Dr. Al Chicoine, a board-certified veterinary pharmacologist and assistant professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), aims to find out …
October 02nd, 2019 Full story »
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Metabolic bone disease in reptiles
Today’s pet market offers more species of reptiles than ever before. But all too often, these popular pets are falling ill with completely preventable diseases such as metabolic bone disease (MBD) – a condition that often goes unnoticed until it’s too late. For owners, what’s challenging is that the disease’s clinical signs can look very different from one reptile species …
September 05th, 2019 Full story »
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A pet health legacy
In 1978, WCVM Dean Ole Nielsen and a group of faculty members met with pet owners to discuss creating a specific research fund supporting pet health research at the college. There was a need for money to answer important questions about companion animal health, and they saw opportunity in creating the Companion Animal Health Fund (CAHF). “Access to U.S.-based funding …
June 01st, 2019 Full story »
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Funds propel research for pets and horses
Have you ever wondered how veterinarians prepare tiny exotic pets for surgery or thought about how equine clinicians can help horses recover from a tendon injury? Researchers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are exploring these kinds of questions — thanks to the support of two research funds dedicated to the health of pets and horses. The Companion Animal …
May 27th, 2019 Full story »
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Learning on the sled dog trail
Three senior veterinary students at the University of Saskatchewan will gain hands-on experience as well as academic credit during this year’s Canadian Challenge Sled Dog Race, which takes place in northern Saskatchewan from Feb. 19 to 23. The Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) students are participating in an optional clinical rotation that builds on the long-term relationship between the …
February 19th, 2019 Full story »
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Marijuana and your pet
If you live with a pet, there is a good chance you consider it to be a member of your family. It is well established that companion animals, ranging from cats and dogs through to birds and rodents, can have a positive health benefit in our lives. When cannabis was legalized in the parts of the United States, there were …
February 08th, 2019 Full story »
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Ramp walking helps diagnose lameness
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) are taking tips from the field of human medicine and rehabilitation to develop a technique to help detect and diagnose injuries in dogs. Gait analysis, pressure walkways, and angled walking are popular techniques used in human medicine. Their use has improved prosthetics, rehabilitation, medicine and more. But, while …
January 20th, 2019 Full story »
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The animal side of critical care
One early Monday morning last October, the clinical team at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) was preparing for rounds when an emergency patient was brought in to the hospital. “Granny,” a wirehaired pointing griffon-cross dog, was lethargic, her gums were pale and her heart rate was elevated. The hospital’s emergency and critical care team …
January 15th, 2019 Full story »
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Retrieving a better parvovirus therapy
Taking your adorable new puppy to play at the dog park: priceless. Potential cost of not fully vaccinating your puppy first: several days in the veterinary hospital, thousands of dollars in intensive-care fees … and still no guarantee your puppy will survive. Many new pet owners face this shocking and unfortunate situation. Millions of puppies world-wide are at risk of …
January 08th, 2019 Full story »
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Keep pot away from pets
Sleepiness, lethargy, a “drunken” stupor – these signs are no laughing matter when it comes to marijuana and your pets. If you suspect your pet has ingested marijuana, whether in the form of an “edible” or the plant itself, it’s important to be upfront with your veterinarian about what has happened. This will allow them to avoid more extensive — …
April 03rd, 2018 Full story »
