Are you Looking for a Dog Groomer in Guelph?

Pam Wilson -groom in progress

At Royal City Grooming Centre in Guelph, we have always prided ourselves on providing top quality grooming services to all of our clients - existing and new. If you are looking for a dog groomer in Guelph, with many years of professional experience, try us.



We offer full service grooming to all breeds of dog, as well as other services such as face and feet trims, nail trims, skunk baths, as well as 'do it yourself' grooming.

Jenny Treutlein shows off her handy work

Although Pam is here 5 days a week  and Jenny is here 2 days a week to meet your grooming needs; we find we are asking our clients to wait too long to get their pets in for their grooming. As of June 11th, 2012 Jenny will be increasing her time here to 3 days a week. We hope this will enable you to get your dog (or cat) in sooner and allow for more availability for those 'emergency' grooms.

 Pam and Jenny always welcome walk in nail trims as well.

Call today to book your grooming appointment for your dog:

 519-763-4992

Weight Loss Success Story

Lucy's Weight Loss Success Story:

Lucy - 95 lbs and BCS 3/5

 Lucy is a 5 year old female Newfoundland dog, and this is her story of how she managed to go from fat to fit with the help of proper diet, exercise, and support from her Veterinary professionals at Royal City Animal Hospital in Guelph. 

By the time Lucy was 18 months old she had already started to develop a weight problem. She was eating a commercial pet food from a pet store and allowed to eat as much as she wanted.  While some dogs are able to successfully regulate their own feeding amounts and only consume what their bodies require, Lucy was not one of them!  Between the high calorie content of her food and her love of eating Lucy grew to 130lbs - 30 lbs overweight.  At her annual health check she was diagnosed with a luxating patella, a condition in which the knee cap slides out of its normal position causing pain and lameness.  This condition is just one of the many medical problems often associated with obesity, along with diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease, and torn cruciate ligaments.

Lucy underwent orthopedic surgery to correct her knee, but her owner’s were given strict orders to get some of the excess weight off in order to help her heal and to prevent further problems. Her owner’s agreed to do a medically approved weight loss program with the support of her veterinary team to help monitor her progress.  

Her weight loss program consisted of an emphasis on proper diet, veterinary care, and increased exercise.

She was fed a veterinary exclusive diet which is lower in calories, high in protein and psyillium fiber. The increased fiber bulks up in the stomach causing a feeling of fullness or (satiety), and the increased protein takes longer for the body to digest, thereby helping to curb her appetite making her feel fuller – longer; with less food and calories.

Her family was careful to measure her meals precisely as directed by her veterinary technician, and made sure to bring her in for regular weigh-ins. Over the course of 13 months, Lucy’s weight began to drop. With this specially formulated diet, she never felt hungry and her owners were very good about not offering too many treats.

Lucy's weight loss progress report

In time, her weight slowly went from 130lbs in March, 2011 with a body condition score of 4.5/5 to 95lbs in the beginning of May 2012 with a body condition score of 3/5. A difference of 35 lbs. Body Condition Score is the way we accurately assess a dog or cats weight – are the ribs easily felt; is there a defined waistline; is there a nice abdominal tuck? In Lucy’s case – she is perfect – she has achieved her ideal weight and condition.

Congratulations Lucy – and your owners for caring enough to making your health their first priority. 

If you think your pet might have a weight issue, please let us help your pet reach their ideal weight just like we helped Lucy, Zeus, Nelly, and many others.  Call today: 519-763-4992

Parasite Profile: GIARDIA

Over the past few months, we at Royal City Animal Hospital have seen many pets in Guelph who have been infected with an intestinal parasite called Giardia. Some of these cases have been detected through routine fecal testing as done as part of the pets annual health examination. Other cases have come to us presenting with a complaint of diarrhea in the dog or cat. 


What is Giardia?

Giardia is a single celled parasitic organism (protozoan) that affects the gastro-intestinal tract of animals and people. It is not a worm, bacteria, or virus.

Giardiasis is the name of the diarrheal disease caused by this parasite.

Canada Geese in Guelph's Speed River

How did my pet get Giardia?

A dog or cat can become infected with Giardia when it swallows the cyst stage of the parasites through any of the following ways: 

Contaminated water such as ponds, puddles, standing water, and streams are the most common sources of Giardia infection. 

Geese, beavers, deer, cattle, and other wildlife are also carriers of this parasite and pass the cysts off into their stools

Giardiasis is also a common occurrence in environments that are densely populated such as kennels, pet stores, animal shelters, and puppy mills.

Giardia LifeCycle 

What are the Symptoms of Giardiasis?

Giardia infection can cause a variety of intestinal symptoms, such as 

• Diarrhea
• Stomach or abdominal cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flatulence (Gas)
• Greasy stool that can float
• Dehydration 
• These symptoms may also lead to weight loss

How is Giardia Diagnosed?

Giardia is diagnosed through routine fecal testing as done through your veterinary clinic. Giardia is a microscopic organism so will not be detected with the naked eye. Routine fecal testing may fail to detect tiny cysts which are shed inconsistently in the feces. If your veterinarian suspects Giardia to be the causative agent of your pet’s diarrhea, a specific test which tests for the presence of the Giardia antigen (cell protein) may be requested to help detect the presence of Giardia.

How Is Giardia Treated?

Your veterinarian has several treatment options for Giardia, and the prognosis is very good in most cases. 

Can My Dog or Cat Give Giardia to me or my family?

YES.

If your dog or cat is diagnosed with Giardia, good personal hand hygiene and environmental disinfection are very important to prevent the spread to humans. Immediately pick up and dispose of all fecal matter that your pet produces to help limit potential reinfection, or the spread to other pets. Any surfaces that can be safely treated with bleach, should be disinfected with a diluted bleach solution (approximately 1/4 cup bleach to 1 litre water), Lysol and other common household disinfectants may also be effective. 

Wipe your dog's or cat's hind end after a bowel movement to ensure any cysts that are shed do not get to stick to the fur. 

If you have any questions about Giardia or other intestinal parasites, please contact us at 519-763-4992 for more information. 

More than Just a Heartworm Test.

TICK - TALK

Ticks

Did you know that when you bring your dog to Royal City Animal Hospital in Guelph for their Heartworm test, your dog is now tested for 3 important tick-borne diseases in addition to Heartworm each spring?
These diseases are Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Anaplasmosis.

As the climate continues to change, the prevalence of many vector-borne diseases is rapidly increasing throughout Canada, not only in pets and wildlife, but in people as well. In 2011 the prevalence of positive tests have increased greatly with 49 dogs in Guelph testing positive for Lyme Disease.
Migratory birds and songbirds are helping to spread Lyme disease into areas further north than ever before.


Symptoms of lyme disease can range from mild joint stiffness to severe kidney disease and bleeding disorders.. Animals can  carry a low grade infection for years before they become ill. It is this sub-clinical stage that makes yearly screening so important.

Treatment is simple and effective as long as we catch it early. Speak with your veterinarian or Veterinary Technician today to learn more about Heartworm, Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Engorged Tick 

Many species of ticks

Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in the arteries of the lungs and occasionally in the right side of the heart of dogs, cats and other species of mammals, including wolves, foxes, ferrets, sea lions and (in rare instances) humans. Dogs and cats of any age or breed are susceptible to infection.

Despite increased awareness and yearly testing, heartworm infection rates remain unchanged over the past 10 years. 

This video explains how Heartworm disease is transmitted to your dog by mosquitoes. 

Have you had your Dog tested for Heartworm Disease yet this season? Call us today to book an appointment and we can discuss testing, prevention, and treatment or other parasites. 

Pet Food Recall - update

There have been more diets added to the list of Petfood recalls due to Salmonella contamination

This time, Solid Gold Pet food.

If you feed any of the affected diets, check into this website to learn more about the recall.

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/SafetyHealth/RecallsWithdrawals/default.htm

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm303371.htm

Pet Food Recall

Our goal here at Royal City Animal Hospital, is to keep you up to date on important pet related issues and topics. One such issue has come up in the past week, that we feel all pet owner's need to be aware of:
 a pet food recall.

Diamond Pet Foods, the manufacturers of many well-known brands of pet food have recently issued a voluntary recall of many of their products due to a potential Salmonella contamination. The recall does include many brands sold in Canada as well as the United states.

Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can severely affect pets fed the following foods, as well as potentially affecting their owners. Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

States and Provinces affected by the recall.

Brands affected include:

• Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul
• Taste of the Wild
• Kirkland Signature products - sold exclusively through Costco
• Diamond
• Canidae
• Natural Balance
• Apex 
• Diamond Naturals
• Premium Edge
• Professional
• 4Health
• Country Value

If you feed your pet any of these products, please check out the link below for further information.
http://diamondpetrecall.com/diamond-expands-voluntary-recall/