Greeting Pet Parents,

We’d like to start by thanking you all for another wonderful year! Throughout 2023 as the number of patients we saw grew, so did our need for additional staff and a larger space. In May we made ourselves right at home on Greer St. and we are so happy to be here offering our clients this beautiful space! Shortly after the move we made some slight adjustments to our hours. We are now open 8:30 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday (still closed from 12-1pm and all statutory holidays).

We have a new staff member to introduce, but you won’t see her walking around any time soon! Imagene, or Immy for short, is our Vetscan Imagyst! Imagene is an innovative diagnostic tool that allows us to access multiple test types (AI blood smear, AI fecal, digital cytology etc.) in a single platform. We are thrilled to offer our clients and patients up-to-date technology that provides efficient and accurate results. 

On another lab note, you may have noticed we have changed our deworming protocol. There have been increasing reports of drug resistance to Praziquantel (a drug used to treat tapeworms) in large animal populations. It’s only a matter of time before we see this in our domestic pets. We now recommend screening for intestinal parasites and treating, when applicable, with a targeted approach to avoid the overuse of unnecessary drugs. Tapeworms can be contracted via ingesting wild or domestic livestock feces, but most commonly by ingesting rodents and fleas. When a pet is infected with tapeworms, the worm releases small rice-like segments that you may notice in your own pet's feces. For those cases where fecal samples are not possible (farm cats and dogs) if you choose to preventatively deworm we can absolutely still accommodate that. We’ve included a ‘Dewormer FAQ’ from a recent social media post below.

In an effort to increase clinic efficiency, we have begun to enforce our Late Cancellation and Missed Appointment Policy. If you are needing to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we require 24 hours notice for general appointments and 48 hours for surgery or dental appointments or you will be charged a late cancellation or missed appointment fee. We understand that life happens, but please plan for what is in your control as these slots of time are extremely valuable and if you aren’t there, someone else could be.

That’s all folks! Thanks for reading, Happy Winter Solstice, we hope you have a safe and happy holiday season and we will see you all in the New Year! 

Upcoming Clinic Closures & Important Dates 

Friday, December 22nd: Last Clinic Day until 2024! ORDER PICK UP by 5 PM

Monday, December 25th - Friday, December 29th: CLOSED this week for winter holidays

Monday, January 1st : CLOSED for New Year’s Day

Dr. Kaylee will be unavailable for after hour emergencies during this time. In the event of an emergency, please contact the 24 Hr Animal Care Centre in Regina (306)761-1449 or the U of S Small Animal Clinic in Saskatoon (306)966-7126. Below is a great infographic that breaks down what is considered an emergency, as well as how they are triaged.

👩‍🏫Deworming FAQs:

Do I still have to deworm my pets?🐈🐕

Yes! Parasite prevention and deworming is still an important part of your pet’s overall health. We strongly recommend treating your pet for internal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, tapeworms, heartworms) when applicable, as well as continuing your pet’s external parasite prevention (think fleas and ticks!). There are many different products available and we can help you find the right one to suit your pet’s specific needs.

⏰When should I bring in my pet’s fecal sample?💩

A great time to bring in a fecal sample is when your pet comes in for their Annual Wellness Exam, or if they are a puppy or kitten we recommend bringing a sample to their 3rd vaccination booster appointment.

You can also drop off a sample if you suspect your pet may have parasites (possible tapeworm segments, scooting, persistent diarrhea, etc.).

🤷What happens if I can’t get a sample (farm cats/dogs)? 👩‍🌾

We get it! While we highly recommend screening with a fecal sample, that isn’t always possible. If you choose to preventatively deworm, we will gladly accommodate that!

🦠How much poop do I need for a fecal sample?🧫

Not much! The little scooper on our these handy sample collection containers is only about the size of your pinky nail. These are available at the clinic, free of charge, but any clean, leak-proof container will do! Please try your best to keep the sample free of litter, dirt, gravel, grass or any other contaminants that may affect the quality of the sample.

💊I received a reminder for my pet’s dewormer (Milbemax, Profender, Interceptor Plus). What do I do?📨

Our software currently sends out an automated reminder every 6 months for deworming products. If you do not have any concerns, you can wait until your pet is due for their Annual Wellness Exam and bring a fecal sample at that time.

✨Fun Fecal Facts!:✨

Tapeworms can be contracted by ingesting coyote feces, as well as some other wild game and domestic livestock feces!🐺

Tapeworms are most commonly contracted by ingesting rodents and fleas! Yuck!

When a pet is infected with tapeworms, the worm releases small rice-like segments you may notice in their feces.

✨Pro tip: Products like Simparica Trio treat for external (fleas/ticks), as well as internal parasites (roundworms/hookworms)