Happy Hallowe'en

Cooper got super excited for Hallowe'en....its his favourite time of year.....any excuse to get dressed up.
Did you dress your pet up for Hallowe'en?
If so...share your photos on our facebook page.

Pumpkin Carving

Free to download at Better Homes and Gardens magazine - Pumpkin carving Stencils of some of your favourite dog breeds.

http://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-carving/pumpkin-carving-stencils-of-favorite-dogs/

Try them out and let us see your results by posting photos on our facebook page.
Good luck and happy Hallowe'en

Sending best wishes to Teya

Recently, our friend (and clinic mascot) Teya had an incident which caused injury to one of her back legs. The type of injury requires her to have a surgery to repair it and help her heal. Today she goes in for that surgery, and we - the staff at Royal City Animal Hospital, wish her all the best on her big day. You are in the best possible hands for this kind of surgery -Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency Hospital.

We hope you have a speedy recovery and can't wait to see you back here.

All the best to you - and your family.

Hallowe'en Safety Tips

With Hallowe'en coming up...and all the "trick-or-treaters" coming to your door......all the candy and decorations that are around....
There are a lot of dangers lurking about for your pets.
Here are some Hallowe'en Safety Tips for you to help keep your dogs and cats healthy and help reduce stress.

Do You Dress your Dog up for Hallowe'en?  Share your photos on our Facebook Page.

Are you reinforcing bad behaviours in your dog?

Dogs have a completely different language from people, which can contribute to misunderstandings and accidentally reinforce bad behaviour. If you are in a situation where your dog is acting extremely anxious, the instinct is to touch the dog gently and soothingly say "It's all right". This would be completely appropriate with a person. What a dog hears: this situation is not all right, and you are completelycorrect to be anxious." 
Dogs look to us for social cues. So, for instance, if you are at the vet, and your dog is whining and staring at you, the best reaction is no eye contact, no words and certainly no touch until they demonstrate calmer behaviour.



We recommend all dog owners attend classes with professional trainers in order to better learn how to communicate with your dog and teach them good manners using positive reinforcement techniques.

Good Adoption News

We are all very excited to share this wonderful news.....
Jan and Cindy - our little kittens from the blended family have finally found their forever homes.
A wonderful family has decided to adopt both of our little girls together.
Good Luck and Congratulations to everyone - you will al be very happy together.

Yay....we have a new family to share our love with.

It is not always what we think it is

Have you noticed that your cat is suddenly spending his time going into and out of his litter box? Or that he stays there for a long time without managing to relieve himself?
He may be constipated, but the more likely cause of this behaviour is a urinary tract obstruction, which requires an emergency visit.
Act quickly; if there is a complete obstruction, the animal could die in a very short period of time.

Hallowe'en Costume

Hallowe'en is almost here.
A day where it is okay to dress in silly or scary costumes.
Do you dress your pets in costumes as well?

If so.....share your photos of your pets in costumes on our Facebook page.

We look forward to seeing them.

Whatchu lookin at?

Autumn Cuteness

Cooper and Lucy wait for the Great Pumpkin

Pets And Vets Need Techs.

October 9th - 15th is Veterinary Technician Week.

A week to show appreciation for all that your Veterinary Technicians do for you and your pet.

Happy and Safe Thanksgiving

While you enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend with your family and friends, We would like to remind you that there are many hidden dangers that can seriously harm your dog or cat on this holiday.

Some of the biggest dangers that this holiday can pose to your pet are:

• FOOD: rich fatty foods from the turkey, gravy, skin, ham, desserts, etc can all contribute to a disease called Pancreatitis. This is a very serious condition which needs immediate medical care.
• BONES: the turkey itself is very tempting to dogs, but the bones from the bird pose a big threat as well. The bones can splinter and cause tears or obstruction in a pet's digestive tract.
• STRING: the string used to truss the turkey is full of the flavour of the cooked bird and your dog may want too eat it. It can cause problems if your dog decides to ingest it.
• TOXINS: Many food items we will have around (onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate, macadamia nuts, etc) are poisonous to our pets.
• BEVERAGES: Caffeine and alcohol are also very toxic to our pets as well.
• STRESS: with the Holiday comes guests, and this can be a big source of stress for your pet. There is a lot of commotion and your dog or cat may not be prepared to cope with it as well as you might think.

Some tips to help keep your pet healthy and safe:

• Keep all food out of reach from your pet.
• Keep a close eye on your pets and know what they are up to at all times, to ensure they do not 'sneak' something without your knowledge.
• Do not leave garbage, left-overs, unfinished meals, treats, and other items accessible to your pet.
• Help to reduce their stress by providing them with a safe haven and a favourite toy.
• Clean as you go, ridding your kitchen/dining room of as many potential hazards as possible.
• Do not Give your pet any of your meal as a 'treat'.
• Puppy & Kitty proof your house to ensure all potential dangers are eliminated.

Finally, just in case you have a problem, it never hurts to keep your emergency vet clinic or veterinary hospital number handy.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving for your entire family

Pet Nutrition Seminar: Saturday October 29th.

Come join us on Saturday October 29th for our next class in our "Pet Care University" series.

"Give a Dog a Bone: the Science of Nutrition"

Class is free to all who attend, however space is limited so please register to reserve your seat.

Topics include:

• What is the difference between grocery store, pet store and Veterinary exclusive diets?
• Quality of ingredients:  Nutrients vs. ingredients.
• If I can't compare food based on the label, how do I decide what is best for my pet?
• The Cost of pet food:  Cost per bag vs. Cost per Day feeding
• Raw food diets - are they good for your pet?
• Organic diets and all natural diets: are they better or safer to feed your pet?
• Should the first ingredient in the diet be meat?
• I have heard I should stay away from foods with corn....is this true?
• My Dog or Cat is a 'fussy eater' - he doesn't like anything else.
• What about people food - my dog loves eating my left overs
• I heard Dry food is good for their teeth - so I dont feed canned. Is this true?
• Bones - are they good for my dog's teeth?
• Should My cat (or dog) drink milk?
• What kind of Treats are good for my pet?
• How much is too much? - obesity prevention and treatment

If you have any other questions about pet nutrition, please bring them along with you.

Your veterinarian is always the best source for information on Your pet's Specific nutritional requirements.



Join us for our upcoming Seminars.



Unexpected Encounter?

If your pet runs into a PORCUPINE, it is preferable to have the porcupine quills removed under anesthesia. If they are removed without an analgesic, their removal causes pain for the animal, who might react aggressively. Furthermore, many quills are generally hidden underneath the skin or in the muzzle and any forgotten pieces can get in deeper and cause subsequent problems, such as limping or abscesses.
Do not delay - take your pet in to see your veterinarian immediately.

Toronto Bans Sale of Puppies and Kittens at Pet stores

This is excellent news.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-sets-new-rules-for-sale-of-dogs-and-cats/article2175317/

Toronto City Council has banned the sale of puppies and kittens at all city pet shops.
The majority of these pets come from Puppy and Kitten mills, where there is in-breeding, serious health problems, poor socialization, poor treatment and care and they are forced to live in very small cages.

If you are looking for a pet - Adopt from your local shelter or humane society. In most cases they will be fully vaccinated, dewormed and Spayed or Neutered.

Happy Birthday Martha

Today is a very special day at Royal City Animal Hospital.

It is Martha's Birthday.

If you are in the clinic, be certain to wish her a very happy birthday.

Looking good at "35"

The Incredible Shrinking "Zeus"

Have you ever been told that your pet is overweight?
Dont be discouraged....here is a success story that will hopefully inspire you in your weight loss goal for your own pet.

This is a tale of a cat who was overweight and his owner (who is a staff member here at the clinic by the way) recognized that Zeus had become less active, his ability to jump up was dwindling, and his overall health was in jeopardy.  She made the decision to get the excess weight off and he was put on our "Slim Fit Program".  He was brought in for blood work prior to starting the program, to ensure there was no underlying health concerns, and with the blood work indicating there were no other problems - Zeus' life was about to change.

His starting weight was 14.78 lb on May 28/2011 with a Body Condition Score of 4.5/5.

He was put on a  good quality low calorie diet which is high in protein and psyllium fibre to ensure Zeus was always well fed and satiated. His portions are carefully measured every day to esure he is never overfed, and his treats were restricted to very low calorie healthy snacks given in moderation as incentive to exercise.

Several weeks went by and his weight went down to 14.6, and then 14.4 lbs a few weeks after that. At that point Zeus' weight plateaued and he stayed at 14.4 lbs for the next 4 weeks with no change. Plateauing is something that happens to almost every animal on a weight loss program, and so do not dispair. Eventually the weight started to come off again, and by the end of July he was down to 13.8 lbs.

As of Today he is 13.0 lbs with a Body Condition Score of 3.5/5. He still has a little more weight to lose, but having already lost 1.78 lbs - his activity level has increased and he now runs around playing with balls and other toys and such. The increase in activity will increase his metabolism and he will continue to drop the weight at a nice slow and steady pace.

His suggested goal is to get to 12 lbs - but we will continue to assess him and see where he really needs to be. Its not just about the pounds as it is about how he 'wears' that number.

Weight loss in cats has to be a slow process - they should not lose weight too quickly as it can drastically affect their health. So...if you have an overweight cat....be patient and persistent. Weight loss for your cat can happen with proper nutrition, portion control, increased exercise and limited treats. Ask your veterinary staff how they can help you get the extra pounds off your pet.

Stitches

Some of you may have seen me recently with a lovely yellow Lab rather than with “Teya” my beautiful golden Retriever.  Both dogs are being trained intensively for hunt tests and field trials; Stitches will also be used as a hunting dog for bird conservation.  However, Miss Stitches (her name comes from the fact that she required “stitches” when she was a very young pup) has come into season at an inopportune time!  Since females are in heat for about 3 weeks her owner and I decided to trade:  I am looking after Stitches and Teya is at boot camp for some heavy duty training!

As you will see from her picture, Stitches is a beautiful dog, very trim and muscular and very high energy.  She’s not as “in your face” as Teya is (i.e. no jumping up to lick your face!) but is still very friendly and is probably the best behaved dog I have every looked after.  She contently stays in one of our kennels for the day, without making a peep but she’s ready to run like the wind when we leave!  If you have ever thought about owning a Lab, and would like to see a beautiful one close up, come in and say “Hi”; she’ll be here for another week or so. - Dr. Barbara Drewry