Paton and Martin Christmas Party 2024!
It was a night to enjoy a great dinner with workmates, friends and family, the requisite Christmas games and relaxing just for a bit with a little more sparkle than usual.
Apparently we clean up pretty good🙂
The office will be closed on Monday July 1 for Canada Day. If you have an emergency during this time, please call 604-856-3351 and our on-call veterinarian will be able to assist you.
We hope you all have a great long weekend!
Dr. Paton was recently asked to look at a staff member’s video of their mare who was experiencing an episode of sleep deprivation.
According to Dr. Paton, sleep deprivation may occur for several reasons:
• Your horse may be experiencing physical pain while attempting to lie down and avoid doing so; chronic arthritic joints are a common finding in this instance
• If your horse feels unsafe in their environment and can psychologically avoid sleep; this can happen when a horse is introduced to new herd mates or a new environment (this was the situation with the mare in the video)
• Monotony-induced excessive boredom may occur in a place where the horse is comfortable, such as standing in cross ties
• Some horses may avoid laying down on uncomfortable surfaces (increasing bedding can encourage a horse to lay down)
All horses require at least 30 minutes of deep REM sleep daily (this can only be achieved when they are lying down, not standing).
A common first sign of sleep deprivation are scrapes on the front of the fetlocks which occur as horses fall asleep and start to knuckle over.
A recent research study suggests that a deeper bed results in more recumbent behavior (i.e., lying down), which is very important for horses to be able to achieve REM sleep. One study found that horses tend to lie down more when the bedding is deeper, and a depth of just under 4 inches covering at least half of the floor of the stable or stall helps with this. When the bedding depth was increased from 4 to 6 inches in the study, horses spent more time in lateral recumbency. Other studies are looking into the effects of barn lighting and blanketing /core body temperature on how much sleep, and the quality of that sleep, that horses experience.
As we are learning, just like us, when our horses don’t get a good night’s sleep, this can affect their general mood and outlook.
#sleepdeprivationinhorses
World Veterinary Day is recognized on the last Saturday in April so today's the day!
This day marks the important work that veterinarians around the world do in improving the lives of their patients. Their dedication shows in the long hours they work, the complex cases they are required to manage and the compassion and support they offer to owners during the most difficult times.
Our team of vets truly love what they do and feel grateful and privileged to be a part of maintaining, and often restoring, your horse's health and happiness.
#WorldVeterinaryDay
Today is Administrative Professionals' Day so we want to thank our front office team for everything they do to help keep things running smoothly every day. (Not an easy task in a busy equine clinic!).
From left to right: Lisa Konishi, Susan Dahlstedt, Jenny Kennedy, Olivia Vachon and Jessica Kaczmarek.
#administrativeprofessionalsday
#equineclinicfrontoffice
#teamwork
💥Colic Surgery💥
Colic cases are among the most urgent issues we address at our clinic. While many horses respond well to medical intervention, some may require surgical treatment to alleviate their pain and resolve the condition.
Dr. Bonomelli and our amazing team bring you behind the scene of a colic surgery. This horse was diagnosed with displacement and entrapment of the colon within the nephrosplenic space (the area between the left kidney and spleen). The colon was decompressed and repositioned to its normal position.
Recovery from colic surgery typically spans around three months, assuming no complications arise. The prognosis varies depending on the specific diagnosis and the extent of surgical intervention required.
We are happy to report that this patient is back home and doing well!
Our office will be open today and on Saturday from 9 - 3. We will reopen on Wednesday December 27. If you have an emergency during this time please call 604-856-3351 and the on-call veterinarian will be paged to assist you.
We would like to take this moment to wish all of you a wonderful and happy Christmas holiday. This past year has gone by so quickly and we are grateful to all of our clients for allowing us to help care for the equine members of your family.
From the happy moments of greeting a newly arrived healthy foal, getting that new horse, success in the show ring after a surgery, helping an old friend ease into the golden years with comfort...to the harder days when we have helped you make a painful decision for your horse, we never take your trust in us for granted. We really do love what we do!
Merry Christmas from all of us at Paton and Martin!!
