Animal Care Clinics

I just read about a pet cat in BC that was euthanized after it was found playing with a bat.  The bat was caught, euthanized and sent for testing. It came back positive for rabies. The cat was not up-to-date on rabies vaccinations and the owners could not afford to board the cat for the 90 day quarantine that was required*. That only left government-mandated euthanasia - the government has no flexibility with these rules.  This is really sad - they had kids which makes this suck that much more - and illustrates one of the reasons why I encourage vaccination, including rabies vaccination. I won’t get into the over-vaccination debate here, as rabies vaccination is a whole other ... well ... animal. * This can be expensive: $40-$50 per day is not uncommon, so quarantine could have cost the owner $4,000 or more What Is Rabies? Rabies is a virus that is passed in the saliva of infected animals and enters the blood of its victim via any route it can (e.g. through a bite wound or muc...

A quick post today: The SpaceX Starlink hardware arrived at Animal Care Clinic, so I'll unbox it with you here. Exciting ... ! The Package The packaging is simple and very .. well ... SpaceX. It's a grey monolithic box with just the SpaceX and Starlink logos and an outline of the satellite receiver dish. The package measures about 82x66x23 cm (32x26x9 in) and weighs a little over 13kg (30lbs). And yes - it really did ship from SpaceX in Hawthorne California! Unboxing! Enough preamble - let's get to it! There is surprisingly little in the box. On top are the "detailed" instructions (you'll get the joke in a sec), and then the 4 (really - only 4) components, and the wiring that connects the components. Instructions These are the largest, simplest instructions I have ever seen. They are the size of the box (almost 3'x2'!) and yet contain only 3 steps in only pictures (like Ikea, but without the little people ... and confusion). Starlink Instructions 1) Go...

I had a comment come in through Google asking about the cost of spay/neuter at our clinic. A great question that is often followed by another great question, "what is the difference  between a spay and neuter?" Fear not! I will sort it out right here, right now. Note : At the end of this blog, we'll discuss cost and the differences in what's included between veterinary clinics (hint: price is not everything when it comes to surgery on your pet ). All About Spays and Neuters Overview Spays and neuters are sterilization  procedures. When we speak of animals, sterilization does not mean that we're cleaning them really well, but rather that we are removing their ability to have babies.  There are a few ways this can done (for example, surgically or with drugs), however spay  and neuter  have specific meanings, as well as additional benefits beyond preventing unwanted puppies and kittens. What are Spays and Neuters? Spays and neuters are surgical procedures that rem...

The humble stethoscope is synonymous with medical care. It's literally the first medical tool we get as doctors, and it's a part of our identity. But what do we actually learn  when we listen to your pet with a stethoscope? To find out, let's start by figuring out how a stethoscope works. How a Stethoscope Works Old-School Stethoscope A stethoscope works by simply amplifying the sounds of whatever it's pressed against. It's a really old-school medical instrument: It's literally just a hollow tube with one end enlarged to amplify sound (the end against your pet) and the other end narrowed to allow us to hear the sound (the end we poke in our ears). Sounds Good Firstly, it's important to understand that sound is simply waves of air. These waves of air push on our ear drums, causing them to wiggle and, through a series of complicated maneuvers in our middle and inner ears, gets turned into nerve impulses which our brain interprets as sound. The stethoscope turn...

 Pets Have Teeth Too! Brushing your pet's teeth is something I really believe in - I can usually tell whether an owner brushes their pet's teeth regularly - it makes that much of a difference. And you can bet your pet feels the difference (imagine not brushing your teeth for a few days ... a few weeks ... a few years  ... you get the idea).  What a Healthy and Unhealthy Mouth Looks Like The difference between healthy and unhealthy teeth and gums is easy to spot! This is something you can do at home easily. Just "flip a lip" and have a look! Healthy Teeth and Gums Healthy gums are pale pink, nearly flush with the teeth (they don't protrude out from the teeth) and aren't painful when touched. Healthy teeth are a bright white, solidly rooted and not cracked, chipped or broken. Note: Some pets have areas of pigment on their gums (often black vs. pale pink); this is not a problem 😅 Unhealthy Teeth and Gums Unhealthy gums are dark pink to red and can be swollen. Th...