From our family to yours We hope you have a terrific weekend, whether your family members are human or furry! Holiday weekend hours
We hear it so often in the office when someone brings in an older cat or dog: “She was doing fine until the end of last week, but then over the weekend she just stopped eating and drinking, and I don’t think she’s moved from her bed in the corner for at least 24 hours now. What happened? What symptoms did I miss?” Even the best pet parents can end up feeling guilty because they think maybe they weren’t paying enough attention until their animal is seriously ill. But the truth is that cats and dogs are remarkably good at hiding pain and even serious illness. Most experts think this is a holdover from their days as wild animals, where exhibiting weakness would make them a target for predators, and it’s probably also that, unlike humans, pets don’t reflect on (or worry about) what a new pain or symptom means…
Most dogs don’t ‘naturally’ love the cold any more than you do If you live in Toronto, you’ve seen it at least once: A little dog, walking along beside its human, shivering or looking reluctant to cross an ice patch. And you wonder: Should that dog be out in this weather? The answer, generally speaking, is yes – as long as you take a few precautions.
The perfect excuse to put your pet in a costume We’re excited to announce the third annual Howl-o-ween costume contest. Dress up your dog or cat in their Halloween costume, take a picture and then post it on Instagram or Twitter using #LVAHhowloween or on our Facebook page before October 31. We’ll choose 4 winners: #1 dog, #1 cat, #2 overall and #3 overall. Winners will be announced the first week in November. Prizes will be our usual much-coveted prize packs! (Plus bragging rights, of course.) What’s Olive’s favourite costume this year? Her full-body alligator, of course!
Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you eat turkey or turnips, spend the day with family or friends, or look forward to dinner or the post-dinner nap, we hope you have a great Thanksgiving weekend. (And remember: While we’d never tell you not to give your pet a few extra turkey treats this weekend, please don’t give them any turkey or other meat bones. Bones can splinter when chewed, causing serious internal damage as they move through your pet’s system.) Holiday weekend hours Friday 11 October – 8am-6pm Saturday 12 October – closed Sunday 13 October – closed Monday 14 October – closed Tuesday 15 October – open at 8am and back to regular hours In the event of an emergency If you need a veterinarian outside of normal hours, please go to one of the following emergency clinics: Emergency Hospital of West Toronto 150 Norseman Street 416.239.3453 Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic…
Why we’re celebrating RVTs (all year round) You may already know that when you visit your veterinarian, there’s a whole team of people who help look after your pet, from ensuring your pet is comfortable after a surgery, to pedicures, to providing advice on pet care and exercise. Some of these people are Registered Veterinary Technologists/Technicians (RVTs) who work alongside veterinarians to provide patients with the highest quality of care to animals. RVTs are formally-educated professionals who meet rigorous standards of education and experience, including: Anesthesia Radiology Laboratory work Pharmacy technology Continuing education requirements Here at Liberty Village Animal Hospital, we rely on our vet tech, Jessica, to assist in surgical procedures and anesthesia, as well as radiography, prescribed treatment and nursing, and client education. RVTs are an essential part of any great veterinary clinic or animal hospital – thanks for all you do!
For the best-looking pets in town We’re doing a little redecorating around the office here at LVAH, and we realized: There’s no better ‘art’ for our walls than photographs of some of our favourite patients! Post your pic before September 30th If you’re a Liberty Village Animal Hospital client, post your best pet photo to Instagram (tag it with #LVAHpets) or to our Facebook page before September 30th, 2019. The top photos will win a prize pack and be featured on our treatment room walls. You know your pet is the best-looking in town – now everyone else will know it, too!
Don’t think of it as summer being over. Think of it as a long weekend. We hope you have a great Labour Day weekend, whether you’re getting a last weekend at the cottage or getting ready for the back-to-school rush next week. Holiday weekend hours Friday 30 August – 8am-6pm Saturday 31 August – closed Sunday 1 September – closed Monday 2 September – closed Tuesday 3 September – open at 8am and back to regular hours In the event of an emergency If you need a veterinarian outside of normal hours, please go to one of the following emergency clinics: Emergency Hospital of West Toronto 150 Norseman Street 416.239.3453 Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic 1051 Eglinton Avenue West 416.784.4444 Animal Health Partners 1 Scarsdale Rd. North York 416-380-7400
It’s the long weekend! We hope you have a terrific August Civic Holiday weekend, whether you’re getting up to the cottage or just spending some time soaking up the sun in the city. Holiday weekend hours Friday 2 August – 8am-6pm Saturday 3 August – closed Sunday 4 August – closed Monday 5 August – closed Tuesday 6 August – open at 8am and back to regular hours In the event of an emergency If you need a veterinarian outside of normal hours, please go to one of the following emergency clinics: Emergency Hospital of West Toronto 150 Norseman Street 416.239.3453 Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic 1051 Eglinton Avenue West 416.784.4444 Animal Health Partners 1 Scarsdale Rd. North York 416-380-7400 (And remember: The drinks in this photo are non-alcoholic. Don’t give your pets any alcoholic beverages this weekend!)
You may feel great when you stop eating grains. Your pet has different needs. In the past 10 years, the dog food marketplace has changed dramatically: According to the New York Times, almost half the dog food options on the shelf are grain-free. And many grain-free pet foods position themselves as being ‘healthier’, ‘more natural’, ‘higher in protein’ – making pet parents think they’re really doing their best for their animals when they switch them to these foods. However, last week, the FDA (the US Food & Drug Administration) issued an update on their investigation into grain-free pet foods, and the news continues to be the same: Grain-free diets are increasingly linked to dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM. In dogs, DCM is a disease of the heart muscle, which leads to congestive heart failure. As this article in The Atlantic notes, the FDA’s studies are still preliminary, and their sample size is…