Minimally Invasive Surgery in Veterinary Medicine at VETStoronto & Kingston Road Animal Hospital

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Nearly all surgical procedures that are performed inside your pet’s chest or abdomen can be done laparoscopically. Animals enjoy the same benefit as humans as far as proven reduced postoperative discomfort and hospitalization stays.

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Your Pet’s Oral and Dental Health Care and the Preventive Role You Can Play

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When Belle presented for an examination at VETSToronto & Kingston Road Animal Hospital, her owner commented on the state of her breath. “It could clear the room,” she said jokingly “She is bright and happy, eating comfortably, but sometimes I see her pawing at her muzzle”. Then we lifted Belle’s lips and examined her mouth. The tissue inside her cheeks that were touching her canine teeth were ulcerated and very painful, a condition called ulcerative periodontitis syndrome. “I had no idea it was that bad,” she recoiled, “I’ve never lifted her lips to look inside”.

The scene above is a common occurrence in veterinary practice. Pet owners innocently but unknowingly neglect their pets’ oral health because, as many clients explain to me, the structures inside are concealed out of sight, and they don’t think to look inside. The tides are changing thanks to ever increasing owner interest in their pet’s health, improved focus on client education inside the veterinary practice, and of course, resources on the internet.

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Recent cases show the importance of embracing change

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Three recent cases revealed to us how the veterinary world is changing.

Still a couple of hours from home, owners of an 11-year-old border collie searched Google for the nearest emergency animal hospital when their dog’s nose started to bleed. It was Boxing Day, their home clinic was closed, and they knew immediate medical intervention was necessary.

When her 18-month-old male cat was diagnosed with FUS (feline urologic syndrome), the pet owner wanted to explore all treatment options. She put the word out through her Facebook page and was recommended to us.

A young spaniel’s chronic diarrhea led his owner to do some on-line research. She discovered our clinic on Yelp, a review site, and called us to discuss diagnostics and treatment options.

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Senior pet needs in the frosty years

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One often hears an owner explain their senior pet’s behavioural changes or medical symptoms as part of growing old.

Since old age is not a disease, these changes need to be investigated and the pet’s owner needs to become one of the detectives.

As dogs and cats often hide pain and cannot tell us what hurts or feels bad, veterinarians rely on clues and observations that come from the owners.

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Preventative gastropexy can save a large dog’s life

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Would you consider having your dog undergo an elective surgical procedure if you knew it could prevent a life threatening emergency later in its life?

At VETSToronto we recently saw a sad outcome for a large breed dog that presented in the advanced stages of Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV). This is a condition where the stomach expands and subsequently twists on its axis.

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If only your pet could talk

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Taking a detailed and thorough history is the key to a veterinarian’s ability to make an accurate diagnosis and subsequent treatment plan for an ailing pet.

Unable to tell us what hurts, a pet relies on its human caretakers to speak for it. Behaviors, or more precisely changes in behaviors, provide a wealth of information to the case at hand.

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Ultrasound for the furry: Pro-active procedure can make a difference

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We all know someone, maybe even ourselves, who have benefited from having an ultrasound. In human medicine this non-invasive procedure is used as a diagnostic tool for detecting illness within the body. It is also routinely performed as a preventative method for screening against potential conditions and diseases. When it comes to our pets, many [...]

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When your guinea pig goes off her food

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We have had many guinea pigs over the years but none has ever chirped and squealed like our youngest one, Magenta.

Our family delights in her constant greetings, day or night, when she hears my voice, we enter the room or open the refrigerator door.

The day her squeals suddenly stopped, I knew something was wrong.

I had also noticed her food intake had been slowing down over the previous days but thought perhaps since she was still young, just under a year of age, this was due to her having reached adult size.

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In a pet emergency, every minute counts

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When Diva, a pug, was having trouble breathing, her owners rushed her to VETSToronto. She was suffering an acute allergic reaction and needed emergency treatment.

Cohen, a standard poodle, swallowed a stone. His owner saw him do this and immediately took the dog to their regular clinic. Radiographs revealed the rock’s location and the owner was advised of the treatment options.

The veterinarian referred the case to VETSToronto where the surgeons were able to remove the foreign body via endoscope.

These are the types of cases Dr. Morris Samson had in mind three years ago when he and his partner, Dr. Jonathan Mitelman, opened VETS (Veterinary Emergency Trauma Service), housed within the existing Kingston Road Animal Hospital.

It allows doctors to provide 24-hour veterinary care in one neighbourhood location.

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