We all know the adage that you can’t teach an old dog a new trick.  However, advances in treatment for canine knee injuries in recent years have shown that rethinking – and reshaping – how the knee works actually results in better outcomes than the older approach of trying to restore the same movements in […]

Pyothorax literally means an accumulation of pus in the chest around lungs. The fluid causes the lungs to partially collapse. These types of infections occur more often in cats.  We believe that their thin chest walls can easily be penetrated with a sharp claw; the hole closes over and we now have a moist, dark […]

While poisonings are typically seen either at the family veterinarian or local emergency clinics, if the pets deteriorate, they are often referred to us for intensive care, monitoring and follow up tests in our laboratory. I was struck in the past few weeks by how many toxicities we have seen recently. One of of them […]

Author: Dr Marilyn Dunn Bella, a 6 year old female Lhasa Apso had bladder stones in the past which had necessitated 2 surgeries in the previous 2 years.  The stones had been  analyzed and she had been on a diet to prevent stone formation with added water to keep her urine dilute.  Over the last […]

The recent article in the Vancouver Sun about the established presence of Amanita Phalloides (a.k.a. the “death cap”) in Vancouver made me think of the cases I have dealt with over the years where mushroom toxicity was suspected. Mushroom toxicity is a year round concern in the Lower Mainland due to our temperate climate. Cases […]

Authored by Nicole Jameson Fritz This is the story of Luna, a 3 year old female mixed breed husky, who was hit by a train. After being hit, Luna got up and ran away.  Fortunately for her, the other dog she was walking with quickly found her and her ‘Mom’ recognized that she was in […]