WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre
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Study first step toward novel therapy
Cancer — it’s a diagnosis that no pet owner wants to hear and no veterinarian wants to make. What can be even tougher is coming up with a prognosis and an appropriate treatment plan for oncology patients. Dr. Kirsty Elliot hopes she can help to improve the odds for pets with cancer. As the oncology resident explains, her research may help …
June 26th, 2012 Full story »
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Specialist returns to WCVM roots
Thirty-one years after graduating from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM), Dr. Gregory Starrak is glad to be back as a new addition to the veterinary college’s faculty. “I always wanted to come back here,” says Starrak, who joined the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences as an associate professor of medical imaging in early April 2012. “The profession …
May 31st, 2012 Full story »
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Student takes closer look at blastomycosis
With a strong interest in internal medicine, Susan Mehain of North Vancouver, B.C., has been thoroughly enjoying her experience at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM). “It’s great to meet other students who share your interests,” says the veterinary student. “And the opportunity to be around some remarkable clinicians and researchers here is really amazing.” One of Mehain’s favourite …
May 29th, 2012 Full story »
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Visitors go behind the scenes at WCVM centre
More than 120 people gained a behind-the-scenes look at animal health care during an open house at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Medical Centre (VMC) on February 17. During the afternoon event, VMC staff and veterinary students led visitors through the facility’s Large Animal and Small Animal Clinics including stops in the centre’s veterinary dental suite, the medical …
March 01st, 2012 Full story »
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Pets get their groove back with rehabilitation
Meet Rose, a four-year-old, shepherd-border collie cross with alert, intelligent eyes. Judging by the way Rose tears around the dog park these days, you’d never guess that two years ago she was facing down a debilitating injury that made it painful to walk. Her owner, Jan Morris of Saskatoon, Sask., first noticed something was wrong when Rose showed an occasional …
March 01st, 2012 Full story »
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Blood pressure drops in dieting dogs
For years, Dr. Tony Carr has suspected that obese dogs have higher blood pressure than dogs with normal weights. It’s a logical theory since hypertension is a prevalent concern for most overweight humans, but still, no one had ever proven that link in spontaneously obese dogs. Based on findings from a canine weight loss study, Carr’s hunch appears to be …
December 29th, 2011 Full story »
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Fat cats and portly pups
Q. How prevalent is obesity in pets? There are tremendous variations among the few research studies that focus on pet obesity. One study estimates that about 40 per cent of dogs and 25 per cent of cats are overweight. Other studies report more conservative numbers. Pet obesity is a global problem that varies from area to area. Demographics, climate and …
December 29th, 2011 Full story »
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ICU technician earns prestigious certification
Melissa Underhill is the latest staff member at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine to successfully earn her certification as a veterinary technician specialist in emergency and critical care. Underhill, who has worked for two years in the small animal intensive care unit (ICU) at the veterinary college’s Veterinary Medical Centre, is the second WCVM staff member to be certified …
December 12th, 2011 Full story »
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Specialized success
Several WCVM residents and faculty members have recently achieved success in their respective specialties. Congratulations to the following veterinarians: • Dr. Fiona Tam, who completed her Master of Veterinary Science (MVetSc) degree and small animal internal medicine residency at the WCVM in 2011, passed the certifying examination of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Tam is now practising …
December 05th, 2011 Full story »
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A splash of prevention
My cat has terrible breath. I try to follow the veterinarian’s orders by brushing her teeth, but she’s pretty feisty – even at 17 years old. A few scratches later, and with me dripping in sweat, I usually have to give up. But there might be a simpler alternative: my pet may be able to get a healthier mouth from …
December 02nd, 2011 Full story »
