As the holiday season approaches, this is a bit of a cautionary tale and a reminder that dogs can be, at times, indiscriminate eaters…and that “dietary indiscretions” can sometimes result in a foreign body that gets lodged in the digestive tract and has to be removed by scoping or by surgery. In Millan’s case, our […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Our case reports series discusses actual cases treated at Canada West Veterinary Specialists to help pet owners better understand our work and some of the processes and stages involved.  This profile features Mija, an 8-month old terrier pup who recently underwent brain surgery at our hospital.  A Small Puppy Badly Injured By A Larger Dog […]

By Dr. Laurence Braun, ER + Critical Care Specialist [Editor’s Note: Earlier this year, Canada West Veterinary Specialists’ Dr. Laurence Braun experienced first-hand the range of emotions and considerations that our clients encounter as pet-owners of an animal in need of advanced care when her own dog was diagnosed with a fast-growing form of cancer. […]

By Dr. Laurence Braun, ER + Critical Care Specialist [Editor’s Note: Earlier this year, Canada West Veterinary Specialists’ Dr. Laurence Braun experienced first-hand the range of emotions and considerations that our clients encounter as pet-owners of an animal in need of advanced care when her own dog was diagnosed with a fast-growing form of cancer. […]

At Canada West Veterinary Specialists, we are always inspired whenever one of our patients recovers. However, the exuberant and determined efforts of the animals that are guided through long processes of rehabilitation, following the development of life-altering conditions, are always particularly uplifting.  Though the process of recovery can be arduous, the spirits of the animals […]