Taylor Holistic Vet

07/23/2025

So cute!

Cuteness alert! A baby black bear climbs a tree! 🐻🌲

This little cub on the west coast of Vancouver Island was likely born inside the hollow heart of an ancient redcedar, a favourite maternity den for mother bears in this region.

Newborn black bears are among the smallest mammals in proportion to their mothers. This cub likely weighed about 300 grams (just over half a pound) at birth, roughly one three-hundredth the size of its mother. These blind, nearly hairless little jellybeans stay in the den with their mother for 2–3 months before emerging as playful, fuzzy cubs.

Trees continue to provide safety as the cubs grow. At the first hint of concern, mother bears will send their babies scrambling up a tree trunk or use trees as a safe place for cubs while she forages nearby. In spring, black bears also visit hemlock trees like this one for a sugary treat, stripping away the outer bark of young hemlocks to feast on the sweet cambium when the sap starts to flow.

Thankfully, we got a surprise view of this little cutie from a distance without meeting its Mom and then carried on our way. You never know what you might stumble upon while exploring old-growth forests!

🐻 Help protect these incredible ecosystems by sending a message to decision makers today: https://ancientforestalliance.org/ways-to-take-action-for-forests/protect-old-growth-and-ecosystems/

📸 Like & follow our page for more old-growth and wildlife photos! https://www.facebook.com/ancientforestalliance/

06/30/2025

Beautiful footage. She doesn’t seem like she’s trying to help them stay on lol 

06/29/2025

Did you know that some of our most loyal companions are helping save whales? Through the University of Washington's Conservation Canines program, specially trained dogs are locating whale s**t—yes, whale poop!—to gather vital health data without disturbing these majestic creatures. This data helps researchers understand stress levels in whales, what they are eating, toxins in their bodies, and DNA analysis, which is crucial for conservation efforts.

With their exceptional sense of smell, these dogs can detect floating s**t from a distance, reducing the need for researchers to approach whales directly, minimizing stress on the animals.

These canine conservationists are more than just good boys and girls—they're heroes in the fight to protect endangered whales.

06/07/2025

I've now added this interview to my bio page on my website. This was such a great experience. Thanks for having me College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies!

www.taylorholisticvet.ca/bio

Our next podcast is live! Today's episode is with Dr Laura Taylor, an integrative veterinarian from Calgary, Canada. Please enjoy this conversation with Dr Taylor as we discuss her veterinary education, holistic training, and her practice evolution from chiropractic into osteopathic manipulation.

Listen here: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a491f245-2fd1-44ec-a4b5-8488744aa777/

04/23/2025

https://www.insighttoequus.com/event-details/horse-habitat-makeover ... This is going to be great! I highly recommend it.

Better spaces, healthier horses! A practical habitat makeover online workshop with Csenge Bakos. Let’s go beyond fences - horses need purpose, play, and the joy of natural movement.

04/22/2025

04/16/2025

Estimating Horse Body Weight

02/08/2025

I don’t think people realize just how many horses out there carry trauma with them.

With that, I don’t even mean severely abused horses that have been starved, or beaten heavily. There are plenty of those around, and those usually cause a lot of outrage (as they should).

What I am talking about though, is the horses whose trauma is never really recognized as such. The ones who tolerate humans and their requests, but never learned to trust them. Those who get extremely obsessive about food which are labelled as “bossy” or ”dominant”. Those who deal with severe Separation anxiety, which are said to be “dramatic”. Those who cannot self-regulate, or co-regulate and constantly carry tension. Those who try to express their pain, which get punished for it because “just a mare”.
Those who are “perfect” until they finally get a choice.

Between Unethical weaning practices, unsuitable welfare, constantly moving homes & and ownership, and aversive training/handling approaches, most horses at some point experience trauma. And this trauma can present itself in a variety of ways. Some are more subtle than others.
Trauma doesn’t have to be this huge explosive reaction. Just like people, horses can carry trauma and move on with their lives fairly normally. It can shape their personality just like it can shape ours.
However, that doesn’t mean doing so is healthy.

The horse that has been in 6+ homes before the age of 10, and thus can’t cope with changes. That is Trauma.
The horse that has never had consistent companionship and becomes obsessive with certain herd mates. That is Trauma
The horse that has only known corrections when they tried to express their confusion, fear, or dislike, and turns from “a perfect beginner’s horse” to “Don’t touch me” the moment you stop using corrections. That is Trauma.
The horse that never had a chance to learn from other horses or connect with people and thus can’t trust people to make good choices for them, can’t self-regulate or co-regulate, and can’t think their way through a situation. That is Trauma.
The horse who was only ever fed 2 times a day and was left without food for 6 hours each night, and has thus become food-aggressive. That is Trauma.
The horse who experienced highly aversive training techniques, and thus now gets frustrated, tense and severely stressed out anytime they are handled in a similar manner. That. Is. Trauma.

Sometimes, awareness of this can be a frustration and defeating realization. I think as equestrians we are often blind to this reality, because sadly, it’s just so common to see horses like that.
It’s not until you work with young, untraumatized horses, or rehabilitated horses, that you realize: “Oh! This is how it should be!”

01/25/2025

Very cool.

01/10/2025

Amazing photos!
Happy Friday everyone have a great weekend 

01/02/2025

They are so smart!

01/01/2025

These were too clever, not to share
Happy new year everyone