Pet Health News
Pet boom increases vet demand
April 07th, 2022
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As the only 24-hour veterinary hospital in Saskatoon and area, the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s (WCVM) Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) is experiencing increased demand for its services. “The VMC emergency service has been busier, especially over the past year. This is not just a VMC problem but something we’re seeing across North America,” says Dr. Jen Loewen, a board-certified …
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Canine pathogens on the Prairies
A new research project at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) aims to identify disease-causing organisms among dogs — an overlooked population on the Canadian Prairies. “This is a group of animals we really should be more interested in,” says Dr. Erica Sims, a WCVM graduate student who is leading the canine portion of the Companion Animal Surveillance Initiative. “These …
August 13th, 2021 Full story »
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One lucky kitty
Eight months ago, luck had run out for a severely injured kitten found crawling outside a group home in Nipawin, Sask. When Lori Kott heard a meowing outside the group home’s window, she found a helpless and weak kitten with a badly injured hind leg. The local resident took the kitten to the town’s local veterinary clinic for help. Christened …
July 13th, 2020 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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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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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 »
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Prosthetic leg gives Sookie a second chance
During the week before Christmas in December 2016, Shannon Hamilton and John Kunard’s dog Sookie went missing from their acreage near Shellbrook, Sask. Things didn’t look good for the two-year-old Great Pyrenees, especially when temperatures dipped below -30 degrees Celsius. The couple began checking with neighbours to see if anyone had found Sookie’s body. Then, on Christmas Eve, Hamilton and …
July 06th, 2017 Full story »
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Ferret adrenal disease demystified
Adrenal disease causes ferrets to lose all of their fur, but despite their alarming appearance, these bald pets aren’t in any pain as long as their condition is properly managed. According to a 2003 study, 70 per cent of ferrets in the United States were affected by adrenal disease —which often is fatal if left untreated. “It is one of …
July 28th, 2016 Full story »
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Rabbit dental health ever-growing concern
Laura Driver knew something was wrong with her lionhead rabbit Twix, but what she didn’t know was that her pet was critically ill from a dental problem. “I noticed late one Saturday evening [that] Twix was hunched over, ears flat, drooling and wouldn’t eat. [She] wasn’t even interested in banana, the absolute favourite treat,” says Driver. Driver recognized the signs …
May 17th, 2016 Full story »
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Intensive care gives Angus a new life
It was an early morning in August when Tyrone Kennedy-Bush of Kindersley, Sask., let his three dogs out for the day. “We let the dogs out to go play, like we always do – we live on a big acreage,” explains Kennedy-Bush. “Someone came into our yard to turn around … and I guess they ran my dog over.” He …
March 07th, 2016 Full story »
