pet health
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Stray cat gets new outlook on life
Two years ago, a stray grey tabby cat showed up in a neighbourhood in south Regina, Sask. Since then, “George” has stolen the hearts of many people there — including Christine Holzer. “I feed birds and squirrels, so there’s a lot of food and fresh water out all the time. I’m sure the birds probably attracted him to my yard,” …
November 15th, 2022 Full story »
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Preventing canine parvovirus
Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2), more commonly known as “parvo,” is a highly contagious virus that attacks a dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Unvaccinated puppies younger than four months are in the “high risk” category for this often-fatal disease. The most common symptoms of parvo include vomiting, diarrhea, a loss of appetite and decreased energy. Continuous bouts of vomiting and diarrhea can lead …
October 18th, 2022 Full story »
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Good dog
You share more things in common with your dog than you think, and these similarities are the focus of research at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) that’s aimed at investigating osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer found in dogs and humans. A research team led by Dr. Behzad Toosi of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) is studying the …
May 07th, 2022 Full story »
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WCVM link to border collie research
University of Minnesota (U of M) scientists’ new findings about border collie collapse (BCC) have a direct link to previous studies conducted by Dr. Susan Taylor, a professor emerita of the WCVM’s Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences. The Companion Animal Health Fund (CAHF) supported some of these initial BCC research investigations. The U of M research team’s genetic work, …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
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Pet boom increases vet demand
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 …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
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Cracking a multi-species mystery
A team of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers have cracked a multi-species mystery, documenting the flow of a common canine pathogen from a dog to a human. This finding is the first documented, symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) in a human patient caused by transmission of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius bacteria from a dog. Led by Dr. Joseph Blondeau (PhD) of the USask College of …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
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Saving Ooma Girl
When Allan and Maureen Zaleski arrived at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) at 2 a.m. one morning in July 2021, they were ready to do whatever it took to save their dog. The couple, both in their late 70s, had driven all night from Winnipeg, Man., to seek surgery for Ooma Girl, their three-year-old French bulldog. During the …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
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The feline diabetes puzzle
Kevin the cat has faced a roller-coaster of health problems during his five years of life. First, dental surgery. Next came pancreatitis, followed by a diabetes diagnosis. Kevin’s most recent health scare led to a late-night emergency visit to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM)’s Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC). Kevin was with a cat sitter when he stopped eating …
April 07th, 2022 Full story »
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Vet Topics (Spring 2022) now online
The Spring 2022 issue of Vet Topics, news publication for the veterinary college’s Companion Animal Health Fund, is now available online. Click here to download the PDF. This issue includes the following stories: Saving Ooma Girl. After a Manitoba couple rushed their dog Ooma Giirl to the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC), the college’s surgical team was able to perform a …
March 22nd, 2022 Full story »
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Fine tuning ferrets’ pain control
There’s no room for assumptions in pain management — that principle has prompted a research team at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) to initiate a study investigating the efficacy of pain relief medications in ferrets. Ferrets are now considered the fourth most popular pet mammal, and veterinarians in the WCVM’s avian, exotic and wildlife medicine service regularly see …
November 10th, 2021 Full story »
