I have learned a lot from my geriatric animal patients over the years. I’ve had that in my back pocket, and so when it came to looking after my own geriatric girl, Mini, I had the good fortune of having shared experience and knowledge from others in a similar situation of caring for an aging […]

‘Tis the season to fill your stockings with stories of holiday hazards. Most of us know to keep the chocolates and tinsel away from our pets; these safety tips serve as a friendly reminder and will also help you recognize some of the other things that might land your furry friend in the emergency room […]

In this blog, you may have noticed that there have been cases where a pet either received a blood transfusion or donated blood. Did you wonder where the blood comes from for a donation? You’re not alone. Not many people think about this until the need arises. So where do we get blood? While the […]

May 2017 saw a surge in cases of this type at our hospital with six animals presenting with symptoms of this condition. The signs are acute bloody malodorous diarrhea, sometimes associated with vomiting, and mentally dull patients with abdominal discomfort.  The onset can be very rapid and can be associated with severe fluid loss, which […]

Dr. Margiocco is taking a personal leave of absence in Italy with an anticipated return date of March 2018. As of April 13, 2017, all prescription refills and monitoring will need to be performed by the family veterinarians. During his leave, Dr. Margiocco will be doing telemedicine via Idexx. We appreciate all of your support […]

A few weeks ago Bluebell — a Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever — became our first dialysis patient when she suffered from acute kidney injury due to leptospirosis and arrived at our hospital less than 24 hours after our new dialysis machine was installed and became operational.     What is leptospirosis? It is a bacterial […]

The days of summer are (finally) upon us; the government has issued a heat advisory for the end of the week so now is the time to seriously consider the perils of warm weather. Dogs have a limited ability to sweat so even a short time in a hot environment can be deadly. I have seen many cases […]

Although it doesn’t quite feel like summer yet here in the Lower Mainland, we are still playing outside.  Today’s blog is a reminder of the potential harm the seemingly innocuous BBQ can pose to the dogs in your family. Corn cobs are very tasty yet poorly digestible and if eaten, will cause intestinal obstruction.  Over the […]

Cycads (aka sago palms or Cycas revoluta) are highly poisonous plants that look like palm trees. Because they reached the height of their diversity during the Jurassic Period, they are often described as living fossils. In fact, when Jurassic Park movies came out, potted cycads were often sold with the slogan “dinosaur food”. Their natural habitat […]

Soon to be the blade runner kitten, Cassidy is scheduled to become the first cat to be fitted with high tech prosthetic blade legs. Canada West Veterinary Hospital was happy to play a role in the recovery of the feral kitten, missing both hind legs. Found starving and with an infection in Langley, Cassidy was […]