Teaching Parrots to Talk

In the wild, many types of birds learn to vocalize by repeating the sounds they hear around them. A young bird raised among its own kind will learn, of course, to make the same sounds and songs as its family …

Dog clothing is essential

If you walk into a room full of dog owners and you want to start some arguments, start talking about clothing for dogs. Everyone seems to have a strong opinion about people ‘dressing up their dogs’. Regardless, dog clothing does have its purpose.

Why do humans in Canada wear coats, gloves, scarves, and winter boots? It’s because for many months of the year, it is too cold to walk around in tank tops, shorts, and flip-flops. We are a species with very little hair, and therefore have very little protection against the cold. Anyone who has braved the snow in bare feet can attest to that fact!

Labrador Retrievers – Pet tip 162

The Labrador retriever is currently the most popular dog in Canada and the United States and it is easy to see why this is the case. Labs are generally gentle, friendly dogs that are great with kids. They tolerate all …

Taking your dog on vacation

You might treat your dog like part of the family, but sometimes you can’t bring it everywhere with you. For example, you don’t think twice about leaving it at home or in the car while you’re grocery shopping. But when …

Dogs – Cats and the Physical Exam – Pet tip 167

When we take our pets to the veterinarian, we all assume that our pet will be given a ‘check-up’, a physical exam. But what exactly does a physical exam include? Veterinarians do physical exams on every animal they see, and …

Tip 88 – My dog or cat is in pain – pets in pain

When our pets act in unusual fashions, it is often because they are sick or they are in pain. Our pets cannot verbally tell us when they are in pain, so unless they are crying or communicating in a loud …

First Aid for Cats and Dogs – Vital Signs

First aid for pets
By Chantale Robinson
Biologist Veterinary Technician

Vital Signs of Cats and Dogs

Recognizing the normal and abnormal vital signs of dogs and cats is the first step in evaluating if an animal is sick and requires …

Veterinary Homeopathy 2

What is Homeopathy ?

Homeopathy is not a new medicine of the millennium, it is medicine that dates back 250 years. Like other alternative medicines such as acupuncture, osteopathy, physiotherapy it is used along with conventional medicine to help heal …

Dogs Cats and Anesthesia – Pet tip 239

Most cats and dogs undergo some type of surgery that requires anesthesia during their lifetimes even if it is only the surgery done for spaying and neutering. Other common procedures that require anesthesia include dental cleaning or dental surgery as well as repairing broken bones. Whenever surgery is done on a pet the topic of anesthesia arises. For the purposes of this article we will be talking about general anesthesia where pets are completely unconscious. We’ve all heard about the potential risks and possible complications regarding anesthesia in our own lives, and so it makes good sense to wonder about anesthetic complications when it comes to our pets as well.

Luckily, veterinary medicine has made huge strides in reducing anesthetic complications. So long as the pet is properly monitored during the actual surgery and the pet has been carefully prescreened for possible problems, anesthesia on pets is quite safe and problems are few.

Cancer in Cats and Dogs – Pet tip 230

The word cancer scares the heck out of most people. Most of us know someone that has had cancer and many of us know of friends or family members that have died of cancer. In terms of a basic definition, …