Callander Animal Hospital

08/28/2024

We are currently experiencing some technical difficulites with our messaging system and appointment reminders. Please call us at 705-752-4550 if you messaged us earlier this morning.

08/22/2024

Bird came to visit us at the clinic this week! She’s all grown up and pictured with her rescuer, Alyson, and new bestie, Jenna. Such a sweet cat 🐱 💜

08/18/2024

Most of the team made it out on the Chief Commanda cruise this weekend. It was a bit windy and wet out on deck, but the food, drink and service was fabulous inside. Meghan distributed some brand new swag to everyone and Dr Breanne drove all the way up from Guelph to meet us in person (after working for over a year virtually !!). I love working with this stellar team!

08/09/2024

Hwy closure on Hwy 11 both directions at Lake Nosbonsing Rd/Wasi

07/31/2024

Thunderstorm and Firework season is in full swing right now and we would like to recommend a few of our over-the-counter products that can help calm your loved one.

Adaptil Calm and Feliway Optimum Home Diffuser create a relaxing environment during stressful events. The diffuser releases a calming pheromone to help your cat or dog feel at peace. It will last up to 30 days and is recommended to keep the diffuser plugged in 24/7 to get the full effect.

Composure Pro chewable for both cats and dogs. This product can help promote calm behaviour and lasts up to 4 hours without causing drowsiness. This can be used daily or as needed.

07/25/2024

Update on entering the USA
You will be happy to hear that, thanks to a few phone calls and strategic conversations in Twiggs coffee shops, we have managed to arrange for a streamlined entry into US for patients of the Callander Animal Hospital.

… 😝… well, perhaps that’s not quite the truth, but I bet the CDC received a dog-pile of complaints and feedback about the onerous requirements for bringing dogs into the States. Thankfully they have dialed down the requirements immensely. Here‘s what you need to do after Aug 1:

- dogs must be healthy and over 6 months of age
- must be microchipped
- you need to fill out an online form (https://cdc-786687.workflowcloud.com/forms/090dc543-7b2f-4538-b2c7-2919d12ecc73 ) and have it available to show border officers when you enter the US
- That’s It!!

I’d strongly advise checking the CDC website before you travel just to make sure you are up to date with requirements. https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/rabies-free-low-risk-countries.html

There are four requirements for dogs that have ONLY been in countries that are dog-rabies free or lo

07/14/2024

Our summer newsletter

Happy Summer, Everyone! Adults, kids, cats, dogs, and fireflies — everyone is happy it’s summer weather and summer vacation! Perhaps the huskies and samoyeds would disagree with that statement, but they’ll have to just shed in protest until their season rolls around.

07/06/2024

We have a new addition to the Callander Animal Hospital team!

Introducing our Cat Manager, Sly.

Sly keeps an eye on the staff in the back and tries not to distract them (too much) with his lion-sized purr. You will see him from time to time napping next to Jenna G or distracting Haris by draping himself across the laptop. He’s the perfect addition to our team and brightens our day every chance he gets. Welcome Sly!

06/19/2024

Looks like our American friends are tightening up the border this summer. As of August 1st, your dog will need to be microchipped, have proof of a rabies vaccine, and be at least 6 months old in order to enter the U.S.

The impending requirements are distilled here, and I'll email this info out to our clients as well so that everyone is informed. Sorry, I know the US Centre for Disease Control website info is a bit intense, but scroll down to the bottom and read over Option 1. One necessary form still isn't available on their website but should be available after July 15.

“Requirements for dogs that have been ONLY in countries that are dog rabies-free or low-risk during the 6 months before entry”. This section is the one that will apply to Canadian residents in most cases. The “Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States” form will need to be completed at our clinic and then be endorsed by the CFIA North Bay office. It is valid for 30 days after being signed by licensed veterinarian. You will also see a requirement for another document called “CDC Dog Import Form”. This form will need to be completed by owners and includes a photograph of your dog. This form is completed with 2-10 days prior to entry into the US. This form will only become available on the CDC site as of July 15th."

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/required-forms-for-importing-dog-united-states.html

06/13/2024

Our Vet Tech Assistant, Alyson, had an interesting encounter while driving home. A group of crows was diving down at a small tuft of fur at the side of the road. When Alyson got closer, she was pretty sure the creature was alive, so she pulled over and challenged the flock of crows, rescuing a tiny kitten from her plight! The female kitten is probably only about 6 weeks of age and sustained a few injuries to her face. Luckily she is healing well and is showing a lot of pluck and personality! The affectionate and feisty kitten is claiming her fear, and goes by the name "Bird"!
Way to go, Alyson!

05/29/2024

This is what I’ve been up to tonight while on-call. Two emergency calls for unfortunate dogs who had porcupine encounters this evening, one right on his back porch around 9pm! Both dogs had close to 50 quills in their snout, lips, mouth and feet.

I use a reversible sedative to render the patient unconscious within 10 minutes. After I pull all of the quills and triple check I haven’t missed any, I can administer a reversal injection and have the dog back up to wobble out of the clinic in a short time, wagging their tails in appreciation :)

05/27/2024

One of the marvels of nature, in this vet’s opinion, is the firefly. My family was super excited to see the fireflies sparking away in the backyard tonight. Earlier than usual?

05/19/2024

11 legs tethered together by their love for a toy. You can see that the 2 whippets were very intense whereas the bernadoodle was doing his best to be more civil !

Have a great long weekend, everyone!

03/25/2024

A beautiful time of year with some sunshine and warm weather, but please keep your pets on leash when near water. Our canine hiking companions don't always do the smart thing, and going out onto frozen rivers and lakes is risky right now. If your pet does fall through the ice, your job is to call 911 and wait for firefighters to arrive with the proper rescue gear to help your dog. Do not become a victim yourself -- stay off the ice and wait for help.

03/22/2024

Hello cat lovers (and you dog people who need to broaden your definition of love 🙀), we need your help to find a loving home for 2 lovely cats. Pip and Misty were surrendered to us because their human passed away. The cats are healthy and friendly. Please contact the clinic next week if you’d like to arrange a time to come by and meet them. Please share, I’ll post an update when they’ve found their forever home. Thank you!

03/18/2024

Buzz Buzz Buzz! The bees are waking up and it's time to reconnect with your local vet (Dr. Neil Lawrence) to update your veterinary relationship if you need a prescription for oxytet antibiotics. I'm thankful that our 2 hives survived the winter and will be ready to treat later this month. I'll be hosting a Zoom meeting next Tuesday, March 26th at 7pm. Cost for a prescription renewal will be $20, due after the Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://ca01web.zoom.us/j/4061369907?pwd=MTJsYzlkM1J2UVFveW5ieWIyM0NOUT09

Meeting ID: 406 136 9907
Passcode: bees

03/04/2024

Today was World Wildlife Day and I have to try hard to be optimistic. My Mom taught me to love and respect Nature, and growing up on Manitoulin Island provided ample opportunity to hike, camp, and get close to Nature. But wild spaces in our world are dwindling and are fragmented. Wildlife is under so much pressure from human activities. The Callander Animal Hospital is a proud supporter of the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy which is a private land trust with over 200 nature preserves in Ontario. One of those preserves encompasses an area of the LaCloche Mountains where I did a lot of solo hiking as a teenager and where I later proposed to my wife!

My hope is that my children can grow up in a country that still has wild spaces where the wild things can wander. I feel compelled to do a little something this week to celebrate and nurture Canadian wildlife. Our hospital will donate $5 of every exam fee this week to the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (https://escarpment.ca/).

02/12/2024

Halloooo Moosonee and Moose Factory! We’ve had a busy and productive remote vet clinic in the Community Centre this weekend. It’s been so great to see so many familiar faces again!

We were planning on driving out on the Wetum ice road tomorrow morning …. Mother Nature has other plans it seems. Northern College has kindly offered us their garage tomorrow so we will be available for vaccine appointments and wellness check ups on Monday, Feb 12th. Please text us at 705 752-4550 to request an appointment.

02/04/2024

We are excited to let the North Bay area know that we are taking new client applications for anyone who doesn't have a veterinarian in the area. We hear so many stories of pet owners who can't get a local veterinarian and end up driving hours to receive vet care. This isn't right. We have launched several new methods of delivering veterinary medicine, making our hospital and our veterinary team even more efficient. What this means is that we can now grow our client base and help more pets in our community!

Please visit our website and fill in our New Client Request form -- see link in the comment below.

New Client Request Due to the veterinary shortage in the area, we are doing our best to prioritize new clients. Once you have completed and submitted the form below, we will review against our criteria and, should you be eligible, we will contact you to book your first appointment and complete the r...

01/17/2024

We have a 10 year old female lab looking for a loving and patient home. Her owner has some health issues that is forcing her to change her living arrangements. Our hospital agreed to help out and foster the sweet dog until we can place her with a family. She’s blind (cataracts) and has some separation anxiety to overcome. Anyone who would like to come to the clinic and meet her, please text us at 705 752-4550. Thanks !

01/15/2024

Attention Moosonee and Moose Factory! We're excited to announce our dates for our remote spay, neuter, and vaccine clinic for 2024!

We'll be at the Moosonee Community Centre on Friday, Feb 9 until Sunday, Feb 11th. Our online booking for surgeries and appointments is now open through our PetCare App. Visit our website for info on booking. https://callanderanimalhospital.ca/moosonee-clinic-feb-2024/

If you're having any difficulties, please email us. We're looking forward to seeing you all again!

01/06/2024

https://us19.campaign-archive.com/?u=f523205477fa2dfa3d420bf6e&id=d31e867c08

12/18/2023

Wow, I love that I still am in awe of what animals are capable of, even after 21 years of being a vet. This video tugged at my heart strings very intensely. It makes me so happy for the owner of this service dog. The video also reminds me that this is the season for charity and looking after others. Happy Holidays!!

https://fb.watch/p0g5UyBcFs/?mibextid=cr9u03

12/15/2023

Please email the clinic if you know a young person who is interested in taking this exciting Vet School opportunity through the Ontario Veterinary College!

12/08/2023

Happy Friday!! The clinic is open Sat, Dec 9th for appointments. We’ve got lots of cute stocking stuffers for your pets 😺

11/20/2023

I‘ve escaped the Canadian chill to attend an intensive dentistry training course in Florida. The instructors are fantastic and it‘s been clear that they have the experience and enthusiasm to share! This course has really helped fine-tune my procedures surrounding extraction techniques for broken or diseased teeth. We also discussed safer and more effective anesthesia and pain control for our dental patients, be they dogs or cats.

08/01/2023

Unfortunately our phone lines are down again.... arrrgggghhhhh! Please call (705) 482-1479 if you have any urgent care questions this afternoon/overnight.

07/31/2023

Our phone lines are on the fritz!! Sorry to everyone who is having trouble getting through. Cogeco promises us they’ll have it fixed by the end of the day on Thursday. Until then, please have patience or email us : [email protected]

06/16/2023

Unfortunately there is quite a bit of Kennel Cough (infectious tracheobronchitis) going around in our canine friends. This is a pesky cough that spreads easily through aerosol secretions (in a room or nose to nose contact outside). The cough is extremely persistent, with many dogs coughing every few minutes for days on end.

Having a recent vaccine (Bordetella vaccine) will help protect your dog but they can still acquire mild symptoms for a few days. Kennel cough can be caused by a variety of organisms which is why the vaccine isn’t always 100% effective.

If your dog has a new cough, please try to avoid contact with other dogs. The disease takes 3 to 7 days to appear after exposure. Your dog shouldn’t be contagious about 3 weeks after the symptoms resolve.

Please call us to book an appointment if your dog becomes lethargic, isn’t eating well, or develops pus-containing nasal discharge. When you arrive at our hospital we ask that you call us from the parking lot. We will examine your pet outside in order to minimize risk to our other patients.

http://www.veterinarysecrets.com/newsIn this video you'll hear what Kennel Cough sounds like, the signs, the causes, and effective home remedies.Checkout the...

04/27/2023

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but with the spring peepers come the ticks... I love to hear the spring peepers in the swamps behind my house. They are the heralds of spring for me. Unfortunately we are seeing a fast rise in tick activity, which is called the "spring bloom." These little critters love this time of year and will be actively feeding for the next month or two, then they'll slow down in the summer months, only to rise again with their "fall bloom" of activity. So, you know what to do: get started on your tick preventions now. Simparica and Simparica TRIO are my go-to chewable tablets for my dogs and Revolution Plus for my cat patients. If we've seen your dog or cat in the past 18 months you won't have any problems calling or emailing to reserve your product. If it's been longer, please book a health check for your pet and we'll be able to get some preventative into your hands.

Happy Mud Puddles !! (my groomer made me say that)

https://ticktalkcanada.com/ for great resources.