For those of you who have been with us last year and the year before, you know what February brings. For those of you that have been with us a shorter amount of time, let me fill you in on what happens in February. February is dental month. What this means is that we offer a 10% discount on our dental cleaning services along with a 1.81 kg (or 4 lb bag) of t/d food for cats or a 2.6kg (or 5 lb) bag of t/d food for dogs. 

Many people think that their cat or dog don't need a dental cleaning because they eat dry food or because they are too young. The fact of the matter is that pets, after the age of two, need a yearly dental cleaning just like people do. Although brushing, chewing on dental bones, and eating hard food that is formulated to help with teeth cleaning do help, bacteria and tartar can still build up. Over time, bacteria can build up on your pet's teeth which can lead to gum disease like gingivitis or worse, parodontitis. The complications of such an infection can lead to kidney and heart disease along with bad breath, tooth decay and bleeding of the gums. Like I've always said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

To prevent these diseases and more expensive treatments later on, book your pet for a dental cleaning in the up coming month (February/2012) and save 10% plus a free bag of food. Appointment slots do fill up quickly so book early! 

**Medi Cal has also decided to join for the dental month! You can receive a free...

We have heard it many times, "but it is winter time, how can I have fleas?"

         We aren't buried in snow except on our glorious mountains and we don't get overly hot during the summer. We live in a temperament climate, and although that might save us from some of nature's more unpleasant extremes and give us beautiful, enjoyable weather in the summer, it also provides a perfect breeding ground for fleas. It gets neither cold enough or hot enough in the mainland or coastal areas of BC to completely kill off the fleas in any of the seasons.

Well just how do I get fleas? I didn't see any fleas on any of the animals my dog or cat came in contact with!  

        Fully formed adult fleas are usually smaller than two millimeters in length. Eggs and and larvae are even smaller. Unless an infestation is quite bad, the chances of actually being able to see fleas on a cat or a dog at first glance are miniscule. Not only that, but if your cat or dog are left outside unattended, you might not see every animal that they may come in contact with. Even wild animals can have fleas and deposit them in your yard and be spread to your pet from just being out in the yard or even on a hike.

Now I have fleas, what do I do?

          There are several things that we would recommend you to do. First, to...

I personally don't think dressing up should be considered awkward for our little furry babies. And time and again, Halloween has justified my thought accordingly! Look at our gorgeous queen and her fellow knight in their shining 'dress' and 'armour'. :) They brightened our clinic and was the highlight of October for our staff. Especially with us sneaking up on them trying to take pictures. Oh, Halloween!

The "Toy Story"

A big shout out and tonnes of thanks to a very very loyal customer of ours for spoiling our clinic kitties with a new tree-house-scratch-pole. 

Though we are really big on letting our kitties have whatever toy they want, we would like to take the opportunity to remind owners to be aware that there are risks to toys. Choking hazards and ingesting a foreign objects is always a concern for me when it comes to choosing the right toy for my furry friends. So do consider ones that are more durable with minimal to no small parts. Grab something that involves your animal working hard for the treat. There are now toys that is more like a puzzle for the animals with the treats hidden inside. Fun, food, and exercise all-in-ones. :)

And if by chance your furry bugger swallowed a toy (or any foreign objects), look for signs of vomiting, pain and discomfort, diarrhea or constipation. These are signs telling you to take your animal to a veterinarian. At Norgate Animal Hospital, we have our in-house X-ray machine which can help us find out what we should do next. In case your baby is choking on a foreign body, do not wait, get to a nearby hospital as soon as possible. These foreign objects can suffocate your animal by blocking the airway. Other complications such as the foreign object pressing on the trachea causing discomfort or tearing of the windpipe.

If in doubt, please contact us (604) 980-2222 to book and appointment if you think your...

I am sure a lot of pet owners out there are experience the same thing as I am right now. 

Is your pet not letting you work? 

Well, Oreo (our clinic cat/queen) is making herself very useful by telling me that I should stop working or at least stop looking at the screen. With her mighty paws and her soft white tummy, it was were persuasive that I should focus on her for the next little while. Which of course, I am very happy to oblige :).

It's about dressing up, trick-or-treating, and staying safe while having fun.

Hallowe'en's coming up and we have finally come to a consensus as to what our lovely Oreo and Hunk will be this year. Let's keep it a secret until the time comes :).

And while having lots of 'kodak moments' for ourselves, lets make sure our beloved companions also stay safe. If you're out trick-or-treating around the neighbourhood with your furry buddies, make sure they are well seen so there are no accidents.

Another pointer, I can't stress this enough: DO NOT PUT CHOCOLATES or CANDIES OUT lying around. Pets can choke on candies, leading to suffocation and possibly death. As for chocolates, kitties and doggies cannot process cocoa like humans. They can throw up, have heart problems and may result in death. "Death by Chocolate" is what we don't want to see.

Are you having friends over for dinner? Make sure you don't give your pets and human food. It's not good for your animals and they often end up with an allergic reaction or diarrhea. If you give homeopathic recipes to your pets, that fine, but limit that to poaching or steaming the food.

Are you dressing up your little cutie pie? It's a great idea, especially during the Hallowe'en! But make sure you remove any dangling things or ornaments that your baby might want to swallow, bite or chew on. Remove all choking hazards just to be on the safe side.

Last but not least, have tonnes of fun and take lots of...

Keiko & Donas are two incredibly mild tempered doggies that really needed oral hygiene and extractions done. Their owner, J, has her hands full herself, though she would love to give the best to her beloved animals, it was very difficult for her with the situation at home. After consulting with her regular vet, it was deemed necessary and urgent for Keiko and Donas to have their dental work done.
As she was looking around for financial help to do the dental work for Keiko and Donas from various societies, Animal Advocates Society of BC came to Keiko and Donas' rescue. Judy from Animal Advocates hooked J up with us.

Donas, an 11 year old female presented to us with a case of terrible tartar and gingivitis, as well as teeth with exposed roots. Though J's regular vet considered it necessary to remove at least 6-8 teeth, Dr. Sidhu wanted to keep as much of Donas' teeth as possible and only removed 1 which he thought would require extraction.

As for Keiko, a 13 year old male, Dr. Sidhu first received the blood work and previous treatment history. After doing another thorough examination, Dr. Sidhu decided it was best that Judy spoke with the owners about a growth near the abdomen area. We extracted a total of 9 teeth from Keiko in the end.

By the evening Keiko and Donas were happy and their teeth were minty.

For more information regarding...

Healthy Pet Series: Vancouver Vets about Skin Diseases in Dogs

Skin disease is one of the most common reasons for which dog owners visit our Vancouver Animal Hospital. On average more than 20 per cent of all veterinary cases are dermatological and the majority of the patients are dogs.

Skin diseases are challenging yet frustrating for both dog owners and our Vancouver vets. The clinical manifestations of many different skin problems are very similar and may require a wide range of laboratory tests and trail therapy in order to reach a diagnosis. In some cases this may take several months. On rare occasions the underlying cause of an animal’s skin problems is never discovered and life-long symptomatic therapy is required. Dermatological therapy depends heavily on medicated shampoos and treatments applied directly to the skin itself and consequently involves considerable investment of time and effort by the owners of affected dogs.

Fleas are probably the most common cause of skin disease in dogs. The usual species of flea found on dogs is the ear flea. The life cycle of the flea varies between three weeks and two years depending on climatic conditions. The greater part of the life cycle (about 90 percent) is spent off the host animal in the environment, with adult fleas jumping on to the host to obtain a blood meal. They may also feed on humans. Typically skin disease is seasonal, coinciding with a peak in flea activity in late...

Meet Marley!

Marley is a black and white German Wirehaired Pointer rescued by Dogwood Rescue . She was diagnosed with parvovirus (a highly deadly and contagious disease that affects dogs in particular) shortly arriving at Norgate by Dr. Sidhu. Parvovirus can be contracted through direct or indirect contact with infected animals' feces. Since Marley's parents were never vaccinated and neither was she, contracting the parvovirus was a near-death experience for Marley. She was constantly having watery diarrhea and urination that gave off a treacherous smell. In addition, she was kept on intravenous (IV) fluids for a very long time to replenish the loss of water in her body until she finally recovered.

Dr. Sidhu and the staff members kept a close eye on Marley during her hospitalization at Norgate Animal Hospital. While Deanne, a very dedicated volunteer from Dogwood Rescue, came in everyday to visit her. Marley's severe condition slowly turned hopeful and bushy-tailed under our staff members' and Deanne's care and love. Marley is now a healthy and lovable puppy. She was recently adopted by a really nice family carefully selected by Deanne.

To learn more about canine or feline annual shots to keep you beloved pet healthy, please click...

Healthy Dog Series: Vancouver Veterinarians About Pancreatitis in Dogs

There are two major disorders of the pancreas, acute pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency that affect the secretion of insulin.
Acute pancreatitis: this condition, often, though not necessarily, follows the eating of a large, fatty meal. In its most severe form it may cause death very rapidly, often because of shock from the severe abdominal pain. Most animal are subject to recurrent attacks of lesser severity referred to as chronic relapsing pancreatitis. Several factors are believed to initiate the disorder, including obesity, infection and disturbances of immunity. During an attack dogs show a high body temperature, vomiting and diarrhoea, which is often blood-stained.

To relieve the abdominal pain many adopt a ‘praying’ position with the hind quarters in the normal standing position but the front legs and head lowered to lie along the ground. During such an attack nothing should be given by mouth because the stimulus of substances in the digestive tract only intensifies the signs. If such an attack happens, immediately call a Vancouver vet emergency clinic as all drugs and fluids should be injected. Early treatment obviously gives a much better chance of survival.

Exocrine pancreatic...