Welcome Dr Jonathan Uyede to our Staff

Introducing our new Veterinarian

Dr Jonathan Uyede

Dr. Uyede graduated from the OVC in 2006 and spent a year in Ottawa doing general practice before returning to his hometown of Guelph.  For the past 4.5 years, Dr. Uyede has been practicing emergency medicine in Hamilton and Oakville while still doing some general practice work all over Southwestern Ontario.  He enjoys all aspects of veterinary medicine and loves getting to know client's and their beloved companions.  When not working, Dr. Uyede can be found competing in triathlons in the summer and playing hockey in the winter.  He currently lives in Cambridge with his wife, 2 cats and 2 dogs.

 

How much are you really feeding your pet?

When it comes to feeding our pets - what we use to measure the amount we feed can greatly affect our pets' waistline more than we realize.
The feeding guidelines on the bag or the amount suggested by your veterinary staff are based on a standard 8 oz  measuring cup. When you use a coffee mug, yogurt container, lid from another container or some other scooping device you alter the amount of nutrition and calories you are feeding fluffy or fido and affecting their health.
It is so easy to overfeed your pet and unwittingly contribute to excess weight and obesity.
Ask your veterinary team about how much food to feed your particular pet as all diets are not created equally.

What makes Cooper so special?

 A recent DNA test was conducted to uncover what this mixed breed dog is comprised of.

The results are in and there are 3 primary breeds, and 5 other less dominant breeds that make Cooper so unique.

Take your best guess at what makes our buddy Cooper the special boy that he is.

The winner will be announced at the end of the month and the results of his DNA Wisdom Panel test will be revealed.

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Is your dog or cat on Flea Prevention?

If your dog is coming into the grooming centre or for a stay in the boarding facility, for the concern of our other guests it is required that your pet be on an approved flea prevention medication.

Revolution, Sentinel, Program, Advantage and Advantage Multi are all accepted flea prevention medications.

If your pet is not getting a regular flea medication we will be dispensing medication at the time of the visit.
If you have any questions about flea control products, please do not hesitate to speak to your veterinarian or veterinary technician about appropriate products.

Be sure to check out this article for more information on Flea Control for your pets.

Running with your dog;

Spring and summer bring about great weather and we'll often see people running and biking with their canine companions.  Although exercise is very beneficial (for both owners and pets alike), there are some important considerations to be taken into account before hitting the pavement.  Due to body conformation with short legs and long bodies, certain breeds (Corgi's, Daschunds, basset hounds, etc) aren't designed for running long distances and are better off going for walks.  Others such as pugs, boston terriers and bulldogs can have difficulty breathing properly due to their short snouts and may have a more difficult time exchanging enough oxygen to keep up with a running pace.  Make sure to pay close attention to your pup and if you notice that they're lagging behind or seem out of breath, it's time to stop.  If your pet has been diagnosed with any sort of condition, make sure you check with the veterinarian to ensure it's still safe to go running or biking.  Enjoy the great weather.

CHARGE!! The Adventures of Toolie

Katherine is looking after our neighbour's Rhodesian Ridgeback dog for a few days.  Toolie is a sweet old girl with a very distinguished grey muzzle.  She's mostly content to lie out in the sun but unfortunately, she has not taken well to being transferred from our neighbour's house to ours and as a result she paces at night and whimpers in a most pathetic fashion.  Now I must explain, that although Ridgebacks don't often move quickly, they are BIG dogs - Toolie is around 100 pounds.  She may be elderly but she still packs a punch! She loves to lie in our back yard with Teya and soak up the rays; I check on them every few minutes but at one point yesterday couldn't see Toolie.  Now, our yard is not big and there are only so many hiding places.  No Toolie, but I did find she had scratched the lattice work (the weakest part of the fence) and had managed to make a hole big enough to crawl through.  OK, I thought, this isn't too bad because she'll be in our other neighbour's yard.  No Toolie there either, but I found 3 broken fence rails and some crushed bushes. (By the way, this particular neighbour is NOT fond of dogs!)  We are close to Edinburgh Road, so I was frantic (usually it is Teya who does this sort of thing!).  Checked the front porch of Toolie's own house, and there she was, patiently waiting to be let in.  Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. " HOME SWEET HOME" she whimpered!

Indoor Cats Need Attention too.....

Recently Dr Uyede was thinking about all the times he (and other veterinarians) have heard "my cat stays indoors and is very healthy"...and that inspired him to write this little post about indoor cats.

Although indoor cats are less likely to be exposed to the same risks that an outdoor cat would, this does not mean that they are exempt from developing any health problems. Often we will see a kitten for their initial vaccination series, but then not see them again until several years later when they become ill. To equate this in human terms, this would be similar to a child seeing their doctor when they are young, but not again until they are in their 60's or 70's and quite possibly having been sick for some time. Cats, as a prey species, are a master of disguise and often won't show any clinical signs until the disease is fairly advanced. Annual Health exams can help pick up these subtle clues leading to early disease detection saving you money in the long run, and allowing your furry companion to lead a long and healthy life.

If you have any concerns about your pets health care, or if your 'indoor' cat has not been to see a veterinarian in some time, please call to schedule an appointment so that we can help co-ordinate a plan for your cat.

Rita enjoying some rays.