Vet Clinic Edmonton

Your veterinarian can recommend the vaccination program that is best suited to your geographic area. No matter where you live, puppies and kittens need their initial series of vaccinations, called core vaccines, for diseases such as rabies, feline panleukopenia (distemper), feline viral rhinotracheitis rhinotracheitis, feline calicivirus infection, canine distemper, canine parvovirus, and canine hepatitis. After those core vaccinations, what your pet needs depends on where you live and what lifestyle you and your pet lead (i.e., do you take your pet on trips, stay in one geographic area, have busy play-dates, rarely leave your yard, etc.).

Spaying your dog or cat at an appropriate age, which can be determined by your veterinarian, can help prevent numerous health and behavioral concerns. Spayed females have a low to no risk of mammary gland tumors / cancer, pyometra, uterine/ovarian cancers, and uterine infections. It also costs less than caring for a litter. Neutering male dogs and cats reduces marking/spraying, aggression, and roaming. Your veterinarian can help you decide on the appropriate age for this procedure.

Your pet should have at least an annual checkup with your veterinarian. It's the equivalent of your annual physical. (Some pets may need more frequent checkups, due to on-going health problems, age-related diseases, etc.) Your pet's doctor will do a physical exam and feel the skin, muscles, bones, etc. for problems; check his teeth; and make sure his health appears to be good. Finding a potential problem sooner, rather than later, is always best for your pet’s health. (And often, it saves you money over the long run.) The older your pet gets, the more important this preventive care becomes.

Bad breath isn't an accident; our pets get it for the same reasons we do, and one of those reasons is poor oral health. However, the need for dental care goes far beyond the importance of treating “bad” teeth that are painful and thus can make pets reluctant to eat or drink. The bacteria involved in the infection can travel through the body, causing problems in other organs. You can help to prevent dental disease by brushing your pet's teeth regularly at home with a toothpaste made for pets, not humans, and by making sure your veterinarian checks your pet's teeth at every appointment. Your pet may need a dental cleaning under anesthesia for such concerns as gingivitis, periodontal disease, or tooth resorption.

Internal and external parasites can make your pet (and, in some cases, your family) sick, so using preventatives can keep your pet comfortable and save you a lot of money. It is important to control fleas, ticks, tapeworms, ascarids, other intestinal worms, and heartworms. An infestation of fleas can suck so much blood that your pet can become anemic. They also can cause skin problems. Ticks can transmit Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and Cytauxzoonosis. In ALBERTA we advise treatment for pets that frequent the outdoors between the months of March - October (When the temperatures are above 4 Degrees for the most part) An annual exam within the past 6-12 months is required for us to dispense these medications.

We are set up for emergencies at our hospital. If an emergency came in, we try to stabilize the patient and prepare for further procedure.