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Boundary Diamond Pets

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Grand Forks, BC
Boundary Diamond Pets

Message me for availability and pricing I absolutely love my job as a technician and wish to spread knowledge and guidance to all of my clients.
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Pet-sitting, house-sitting, farm-sitting, nail trims, grooming, training and behaviour aid, assistance with administrating medications - no matter your pet needs, I can help! I have been working in the veterinary field since 2015, and in that time I have become a certified technician working in general practice and emergency care. I treat every animal as if they were my own, and am very good at lo

w-stress handling and care. I am proficient in many areas and if there is a service you require that isn't listed please feel free to reach out to me.

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween!

From chocolate to fireworks, costumes and strangers, your pets have a lot to deal with during spooky season! Keep your pets safe this Halloween by considering the following:

-Make sure any costumes or makeup that you use on your pets are animal safe. Candy isn't the only thing that pets like to eat!
-If you are bringing your dog trick or treating with you, get them used to masks, gloves, costumes, and strangers ahead of time.
-Just like with kids, make sure your pet is visible in their costume.
-Cats, especially black cats, should be kept indoors during spooky season. Unfortunately violence against cats increases exponentially during this time.
-Keep your treats away from your pets. Remember chocolate, raisins, and macadamia nuts are highly toxic to dogs. For more information on each of these toxicities please see our posts from last year.
-Fireworks are very common. If your pets are sensitive to loud noises please take extra precautions such as having a dedicated person stay with the animals, having high value treats as a distraction, or use calming items such as thunder shirts or pheromone sprays and diffusers.
-If you are handing out candy, ensure your pets won't be able to sneak out the door if they get spooked. Setting up a tranquil space away from the door such as a bedroom or bathroom can help pets feel less anxious.

Stay safe and have a very happy Halloween!

10/30/2024

"Why Won't You Just Hold Them Down?" - Let's talk about "Fear Free" and why it's the most valuable approach in medicine.

Why do we care so much if pets experience stress during veterinary visits?
1. Improved Physical Health: Stress and fear can have physiological effects on animals, such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and compromised immune function. By minimizing these stress responses, pets are more likely to maintain a healthier physical state.
2. Accurate Diagnosis: When animals are stressed, it can be difficult to perform accurate examinations and assessments. Fear and anxiety may cause pets to exhibit defensive or aggressive behaviors, making it challenging to conduct thorough examinations. By creating a fear-free environment, we can more effectively evaluate your pet.
3. Enhanced Trust and Bonding: Veterinary visits can be stressful for pets, which may
lead to a breakdown in trust and a negative association with medical care. Fear-free
practices prioritize creating positive experiences. Reducing stress helps maintain trust
between the pet, owner, and veterinary team, fostering stronger bonds and facilitating future visits.

Implementing behavioral modifications is a key aspect of the fear-free approach. These modifications help address fear and anxiety in animals, allowing them to navigate veterinary experiences more comfortably. Some common strategies include:
1. Gentle Handling: Using gentle and non-restraint-based handling techniques, such as positive reinforcement and desensitization, helps alleviate fear and stress during
examinations and procedures.
2. Environmental Enrichment: Providing a calming environment with appropriate stimuli, such as soothing music, pheromone diffusers, and comfortable bedding, can help reduce anxiety in pets.
3. Pre-Visit Conditioning: Introducing pets to veterinary experiences in a controlled
manner, outside of actual appointments, helps familiarize them with the sights, sounds, and smells associated with the clinic environment, reducing stress during future visits.

What kind of training do you do at home now with your pets to help prepare them for stressful situations? Is your vet fear-free certified? Please share your experiences!

10/28/2024

✨🚨NEW SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!🚨✨

Felix and Fido have heard your wishes, and I am now able to book appointments for you to eliminate any troubles you may be having with the website! All you need to provide is your email, your pet's name and species, and what services you'd like. From there we can book a date and time that works for both of us, and you don't need to worry about navigating the website at all.

Message me to set up an appointment today!

10/23/2024

Navigating Felix and Fido Bookings!

Hi everyone, I've had some questions regarding setting up appointments through Felix and Fido, so I thought I would make this guide so it is as easy as possible.

1) You will need to make a Felix and Fido account. It's totally free to sign up, and then you will be able to see all the services provided by myself and other technicians in the area and beyond! (PSST! This means if you are ever on vacation you can still find technicians in your area for a quick consultation if you have a veterinary emergency on the road!)
2) You can search for technicians by location or by name. My profile will be found in Grand Forks under Heather Diamond
3) Once you have found my profile, you will be able to read my bio, see my availability, and book services.
4) You pay the platform upfront, but I am not paid until after services are rendered. If for any reason you need to cancel or reschedule, your money is directly refunded through the platform.
5) Don't forget to use the discount code FTIJ8F6 for 15% off!

Attached are some sample pictures of my profile, services, and prices. If you have a need but aren't sure what to book, just shoot me a message and we will figure it out together! You can also book a "Meet & Greet" visit for just $15 so we can get to know each other and decide what services you may need going forward.

Thanks everyone! Happy Booking!

10/22/2024

Good morning everyone! As it's been a while I thought I would re-introduce myself. My name is Heather Diamond and I have been working in veterinary medicine since 2015. Some of you may remember me from my time working with Dr Carole Scholz, where I started way back when!
Since then, I have gone to school to become a registered veterinary technician and graduated in 2020. From 2020-2022 I worked in Kelowna at Fairfield Animal Hospital - a 24/7/365 clinic where everyday I learned something new.
After getting married in 2021, it was time to stop travelling so much for work and come home to Grand Forks, where we have since started a family. Grand Forks is my home and I am very happy to be back and working again.

While most of my experience is with cats and dogs, I do have some large animal/livestock experience, and am always ready and willing to take on new challenges and learn about new species. I will always be upfront with you if I need to do more homework before consulting you, or if your problem needs the direction of a veterinarian instead.

I am very proudly practicing low stress medicine. This means that we may not always get the treatment done in one visit, but instead will work with your pets at their pace so that everyone is safe and as stress free as possible.

Feel free to message me with any questions or concerns you may have! I am available for phone consultations and meet & greets Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm.

Looking forward to working with you!

10/16/2024

Hello everyone! We're back!

After a long hiatus after having my son, I am once again accepting new clients through my Felix and Fido dashboard! My services have expanded and I am now able to provide virtual vet appointments (where I come to your home, assess your pet, and connect to a veterinarian online for diagnosis and a treatment plan) as well as so much more.

As an added bonus, the first 100 people to book an appointment with me will receive a 15% discount using the following discount code: FTIJ8F6

Check out my dashboard and book your next appointment today!

01/05/2023

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.

Just a reminder to book in advance if you would like any pet or house-sitting services - spring and summer are already booking up!

Also a quick reminder of the other services I provide, such as dog walking, nail trims, a**l gland expression, bandage changes, medication administration and so much more.

For a full list of services, you can click on the "Services" tab in my profile, or you can visit my page with Felix and Fido at

11/02/2022

Hey Grand Forks! Something awesome has arrived. I have partnered with Felix and Fido, which is a home care service for pets! What does that mean? It means that services can now be performed in the comfort of your own home. Medication assistance, wound management, suture removals, and SO MUCH MORE!
Click the link below to find out what all is offered and book an appointment today 🐶🐱🐰🐭🐴🐑🐄🐾

10/26/2022

Hello everyone!
Just popping on here to let you know that my laptop has been on the fritz and I do not know exactly if I'll be able to fix it. Although I have the business app on my phone, the notifications are NOT reliable. If you have any inquests or questions please email, call, or text for the next few weeks. Thank you! Sorry for any delayed responses recently or missed messages!
-Heather

09/02/2022

There are many reasons for pets to get a UTI, but most often there is no way to tell how exactly it has occurred. The most common reasons is that the pet is not grooming itself properly (or unable to groom themselves at all due to mobility issues or obesity) or living in an environment where it is unable to be clean. Belly bands and diapers also contribute to bladder infections if they are not changed frequently enough.

Pets that have a urinary tract infection usually present in the following ways:
-Increased frequency and urgency of urination (lots of small pees outside/on walks or constantly in and out of the litterbox)
-Change in volume of urine produced
-Malodourous urine
-Discoloured, dark, or bloody urine
-Urinating in strange areas (Dogs going inside the house, cat's outside their litterbox)
-Vocalizing during urination or straining to urinate
-Pacing or showing signs of aggression/agitation

Just as they are in humans, UTI's are extremely uncomfortable and often painful in our furry friends. They will sometimes become lethargic, inappetent, or aggressive due to this.

If you believe your pet may be experiencing a UTI, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to have your pet examined. DO NOT ALLOW YOUR PET TO URINATE PRIOR TO THE APPOINTMENT. To conclusively say if your pet has a UTI (and not something more serious like a urinary blockage or diabetes) they will need to run a urinalysis. This will tell the doctor what kind of infection your pet has and dictate treatment.
To prevent your pet from urinating prior to the appointment:
-Do not allow them outdoors or take them for a walk for at least 2 hours prior to the appointment
-Remove litterbox and keep your pet in a small area with no rugs or laundry (if you put them in the bathroom, plug the sink and shower drain)
-Carry small dogs into the clinic when you arrive for your appointment

A sample collected by the veterinary staff via cystocentesis will always give you the most accurate results as there will be no external bacteria or debris in the sample. If you'd like to collect a sample at home, ask the veterinary staff for a sterile collection kit. (Also available for cats!)

09/01/2022

Ear infections part 2/2

Ear infections are incredibly common, and most often do not come with a lot of complications. If an ear infection is left untreated, or medications or tinctures are used that were not provided by your veterinarian, you may risk further issues.

Often we hear about people using baby oil, tea tree oil, turmeric, or Vaseline in their pets' ears. None of these things will prevent or cure an ear infection, and actually have a greater chance of making things much worse. Do not use anything in your pets' ears that was not provided by your veterinarian for this specific specific infection. Even leftover medications can pose problems if you use the wrong medication or it has been opened for a long time. Even medication can harbour bacteria if it has been open for too long. Liquid medications like we use in the ears has a much faster expiration date than capsules or tablets, as the likelihood of bacteria getting into the bottle and reproducing is much higher.

So what do they do for ear infections?
-The veterinarian will examine your dog's ears using the otoscope to determine the amount of build-up and inflammation in the ca**l, and to ensure the eardrum is still intact. If there is an extraordinary amount of build-up and inflammation, they will need to clean the ears prior to giving any medication. Sometimes this involves needing to sedate your pet and flush their ears with saline or pluck fur that is contributing to the build-up. (More common in curly haired breeds like poodles)

You will often be prescribed a topical antibiotic as well as a cleaner to take home. Using the cleaner PRIOR to giving the medication is key. If you do it the other way, you will be cleaning out the medication as well.

In extremely rare cases with chronic inflammation, the ear ca**l can swell up and close entirely. This happens most often in pets with allergies, pets that have never had any medical treatment, or have other underlying health conditions. If medications are unsuccessful, a "Total Ear Ca**l Ablation" can be preformed. This surgery is a last resort as it removes the ear ca**l entirely and the pet will be permanently deaf.

08/31/2022

Ear infections part 1/2

Today we're diving into ear infections!
Ear infections are extremely common in dogs and cats, but luckily they are very treatable and rarely have complications.

Dogs with pendulous ears (floppy ears) are the most prone to ear infections, as it is very easy for bacteria and yeast to grow in the warm, dark, moist environment. Dogs with erect ears suffer less frequent ear infections as it is easier for them to clean, there is more natural light, and dirt and debris are less likely to get trapped in them. Cats have the least amount of ear infections as they groom themselves much more frequently than dogs.

Dogs who swim a lot or swim underwater are also high risk for ear infections, as all that moisture provides an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. If your dog is a prolific swimmer and prone to ear infections, it is a good idea to clean their ears with a drying cleaner after each swim. These cleaners can be purchased over the counter at your veterinary office.

Symptoms of ear infections are:
-Head shaking (consistently)
-Ear scratching
-Ear pain/unwilling to be pet on the head
-Head tilt or circling
-Disorientation or using furniture/walls to balance
-Malodourous ears (usually smells like wet bread)
-Discharge from the ears

Dog and cat ear ca**ls are L shaped, so it isn't possible to see the eardrum without a special tool known as an otoscope. Because of this L shape, an infection can be brewing for a long time before you see any exterior signs like build-up or discharge.

Other reasons why your pet may experience an ear infection is external parasites. Most external parasites can not be transmitted to people, but they can be transmitted from dog to dog, and occasionally between cats and dogs.

The last reason your pet may be experiencing chronic ear infections is allergies. Allergies in pets often first present as chronic pruritus (itchiness) in their ears, in-between their toes, and their uro-genital region. Ear infections are common as the pet brings bacteria from its feet into its ears while scratching. If your pet is chronically itchy, it is most likely due to allergies.

08/30/2022

Nails - part 2/2

Anytime a nail is cut too short or is torn off, it can be quite alarming, as the vascular tissue will bleed quite a lot, and it is quite painful due to all of the nerve endings that are now exposed.

Unless there is an underlying problem such as Lupoid Onychodystrophy, if your pet rips it nail off, the claw will regrow over a period of 3-4 weeks. The pain will subside within a few days after the quick has had time to harden.

Lupoid Onychodystrophy is an autoimmune condition that attacks the claws and can be diagnosed by your veterinarian. It can be well managed with lifelong medication.

The safest and easiest way to stop the bleeding at home is to dip your pet's injured foot into cornstarch and hold it there. The easiest way to do this is to fill a small baggy with cornstarch and place it around your pets' foot. This allows you to hold the cornstarch to the affected area without making too much of a mess or having to try and get your dog to stand on their painful foot in a dish of cornstarch.

Most often, nails that are torn off completely do not require any further medical assistance once the bleeding has stopped. If the bleeding can not be stopped with cornstarch, or the nail is not removed entirely, it is best to call your veterinarian for further assistance.

Pain medication can be dispensed for a few days while the claw is reforming, but your pet should not require antibiotics or a bandage unless there is severe trauma.

Always monitor the area while it is healing. Take dogs for minimal walks and keep cats inside during this time to prevent the wound from re-opening. Should you notice any coloured discharge (white, grey, yellow, green) during the healing process, call your veterinarian.

Limping after a torn nail is very common, but should resolve in 2-3 days time. Limping after a routine nail trim usually means that the nails were cut too short. This will also resolve in 2-3 days time.

If your pet is particularly sore, soaking their feet in an Epsom salt bath can give some relief. Simply fill a dish with warm water and Epsom salts and soak for 5 minutes each. Changing the water between each foot is recommended.

08/29/2022

Cats and dogs obviously have claws, but what is a claw anyway? Claws are an extension of their skeletal anatomy. If you were to compare it to a human finger, the very last knuckle on our hands would be our claws. This is how pets are able to retract their claws, and are able to utilize them independently to hold onto food or toys. Our nails do not attached to our finger bones and so we are not able to use them in the same way.

This is also the reason why declawing a cat is now illegal (unless it has to be done for a medical purpose). Cats who have been declawed are missing their fingertips, which creates a lot of pressure and pain in their feet as they walk. Declawed cats often become more aggressive after the procedure due to constant pain, and they are left more vulnerable. They often resort to biting as it is now their only defense.

Nail health can tell you a lot about your animals. Nails should be kept short as all of their weight is supported by these small bones. If nails become too long, it affects how they are able to walk, creating pain throughout their body. It would be like walking in high heels all the time. It also creates a higher risk for torn or broken nails. Nails that are never trimmed will grow continuously until they break or are torn off, or can curl around and grow into the paw pad.

If your pet's nails are flakey, weak, or break often it can be a sign of mal-nutrition, or an autoimmune disease called Lupoid Onychodystrophy.

Senior pets (especially cats) will grow thicker nails that do not shed as easily. They often need extra help grooming these thick layers of nail, which can be done by peeling back the flakey layers after the claw has been trimmed.

Pets these days are fed such high quality food that unless they are constantly running on cement (which is not advised) they often do not wear down their nails naturally. Nail trims should be done every 3-4 weeks to maintain optimum health.

Working with your pets by playing with their feet and reinforcing that nail trimming is good by associating it with a high value reward (a special snack or game) are very good ways to help ease the nail trimming process.

08/26/2022

Euthanasia part 5/5

The last things we need to talk about are "convenience" euthanasia, behavioural euthanasia, and critical care euthanasia.

"Convenience" euthanasia is a term used in veterinary medicine in regards to owners who want to say goodbye to their pet when there isn't anything physically or mentally wrong with them. This doesn't happen often, but some owners who no longer have the ability to take care of their pets turn to euthanasia as the solution. Luckily, this is rare, and even more rare is a veterinarian who will agree to do it. While it is not illegal, most veterinarians will find it morally wrong and refuse to euthanize a healthy pet. Often the veterinarian will offer names of local fosters, shelters, or other volunteer organizations who will take the animal rather than euthanizing.

Behavioural euthanasia refers to the difficult decision to put an animal down due to uncontrollable and/or dangerous behaviours that the animal is exhibiting. Again, these euthanasia's have to be extremely well vetted to ensure the pet is not exhibiting the behaviours due to a medical issue, or that the issues can't be resolved with training or a new environment.

Critical euthanasia is when an animal is brought into the hospital in critical distress where even extreme intervention is not likely to succeed. (Animals hit by cars, in respiratory failure, having saddle thrombosis, or that have been severely attacked by another animal are often in this category). If the owner is not known or unable to be reached, the veterinarian has the legal ability to call critical distress and euthanize the animal without the owner giving consent. There is a critical distress protocol provided by the BCSPCA that the animal must reach before they are able to do this.

If an animal is euthanized with no owner present, the body will be held at the clinic for at least one year. After one year the clinic has the legal ability to send the body for communal cremation. The clinic will do everything in their power during that year period to identify the owner and let them know, but this is not always possible if the pet does not have any identification (a tattoo, microchip, or tags).

08/25/2022

Euthanasia 4/5

How do you know it's time to say goodbye? It's individual to every pet, and a very personal choice by the owners. Most pet owners feel "their pet will tell them" when it's time, but if you're struggling with that decision, here are some things to know.

#1 - It is okay to say goodbye on a good day. If you have made an appointment, but then your pet seems to rally on the day of, acting completely normal or even better than before, it is still okay to go through with the procedure. My 13.5 year old Labrador Retriever played fetch with my young cousins, and stole 13 Kaiser buns off the counter on her last day. She gave us all wonderful memories to hold onto on her last day.

#2 - It is okay to reschedule or cancel your appointment. If the day comes and you find you are not ready, even if you've already paid for it and signed all the paperwork, the veterinary clinic will not be upset with you or charge you any sort of cancellation fee if you find you really can't go through with it.

#3 - Keeping count of the good days vs the bad days over a period of a few weeks can give you a sense of their quality of life. This is especially important if you wake up the day of and they are having a good day. You can then go back and remember why you made the appointment by looking at the history of bad days vs good and remind yourself why it might be time.

#4 - If you're really unsure if your pet is suffering, make a "quality of life" appointment with your veterinarian. This doesn't have to be the final appointment, but you can discuss your concerns with your veterinarian and they will tell you what your options are. It is sometimes very helpful to have that outside perspective, and you can then make a plan with your veterinary team for the end of life/palliative care you would like.

#5 - You can give your pet whatever you would like leading up to the procedure. Spoil them rotten, feed them chocolate and burgers, take them to their favourite places, and make the best memories. There are no special instructions or rules to follow before bringing them in to say goodbye.

📸 #2 Sadie, my 13.5 year old lab on one of her last days

08/24/2022

Euthanasia - part 3/5

The euthanasia appointment is the most emotional of any appointment. It is never easy to say goodbye, and it can be even harder if you are not prepared for what the procedure involves.

When you arrive for a goodbye, you will be asked to sign any outstanding paperwork and often you will be asked if you would like to pay ahead of time, that way you do not have to stand in reception and do it after you have said goodbye. (Again this can all be done days in advance so that you can focus solely on your pet the day of.)

Once all of that is out of the way, your pet will likely be briefly taken into the back to have an IV catheter placed and some sedation/pain relief is also often given IV at this time. The sedation/pain control will provide a sense of peace and calm, and the catheter is used for the final injection once you are ready. Your veterinarian will always ask if you are ready prior to giving the final injection, go over how the injection works, and prepare you for the possible reactions your pet may have during and after the procedure - including agonal breaths, post-mortem twitching, and evacuation of the bladder and bowels. The veterinarian will also have to listen to your pet's heart after the injection to ensure they have passed.

If you do not wish to be present for a portion or all of the procedure, that is also your absolute right. Let the veterinary staff know if you wish to leave prior to the final injection and they will accommodate that.

If you would like a paw print, nose print, tuft of fur, or any belongings back, please let the veterinary staff know prior to leaving the building. If you do not wish to have any of their belongings back, including carriers, dishes, food, or medications, the clinic will donate these things (if possible) to local shelters. These questions will usually be a part of the paperwork you sign prior to the procedure, but not always.

It is a good idea to ask your veterinarian about their euthanasia protocols before you make the appointment. Everyone want this procedure to be as smooth as possible.

08/23/2022

Euthanasia - part 2/5

Aside from the legal consent paperwork, you will also be asked to fill out a "Care of Remains" form. This can be a separate form or it can be a part of the consent form. Again this is a legal document stating what you would like done with your pets' remains after the procedure.

There are typically 3 options listed on the paperwork:
-Communal Cremation (no ashes returned to the owner, pet will be cremated and ashes spread by crematory staff)
-Private Cremation (ashes returned to owner in owner selected urn or scatter box)
-Return remains to owner (you will take the body home)

You may only take the body home for a home burial if you live in a rural setting and live outside of city limits, or have a property in which you can properly dispose of the body. (At least 6 feet deep) The pentobarbital used in the procedure can leech into ground water, or may kill animals that consume the body, so it is very important to bury the animal in an appropriate setting at the appropriate depth if you take them home.

It is because of these reasons that it is also illegal for veterinary clinics or shelters to dispose of animals in any other way. Your pet will never be "thrown out" as a landfill is not an appropriate or safe method of disposal.

You can also choose to take the remains to the crematorium yourself. This process can be quite cathartic to some owners, especially if they are choosing communal cremation, as they can see the grounds where the ashes will be scattered. If you would like to do this, you must pre-arrange a time with the crematorium.

The last option for remains is to donate the body to science. Veterinary colleges/universities use the remains to study anatomy and practice their technical skills. The animals donated to this cause are always used in the most respectful way, and the body will be cremated by the school afterward.
If this is something you would like to do, reach out to your local veterinary programs to see if they can accommodate this.

Address

PO Box 2896
Grand Forks, BC
V0H1H0

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 4pm
Tuesday	9am - 4pm
Wednesday	9am - 4pm
Thursday	9am - 4pm

Website

https://felixandfido.org/v2/#/rvt-profile

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