Pioneer Veterinary Services

COHAT - Oral Health Assessment and Treatment

Pippin visited our Olds location for a COHAT! What is a COHAT you ask? It stands for Comprehensive Oral Health Assessment and Treatment. Most often when you take your pets to have a ‘dental procedure’ they are having a COHAT. What is included? ➖Patients are placed under anesthetic, and we start by charting the level of gingivitis and dental disease level of each tooth. ➖The RVT will do an initial probe and exam of their teeth before cleaning. ➖Next step is scaling and polishing each tooth. This is THE ONLY way to remove the tartar and calculus build-up. ➖After their teeth are sparkly and fresh, the RVT will do full mouth X-rays. ➖One of the last steps is the veterinarian exam. They will look over the x-rays and also do an assessment of your pet's oral health while examining each individual tooth. ➖At this point, your pets are either slowly woken up from anesthesia, or undergo ‘treatment’. Every pet is different, but in most cases, if teeth are diseased, broken, or causing other issues - our last step is extracting the problematic teeth. Have further questions or think your pet could benefit from a COHAT/dental cleaning? Call your nearest Pioneer Veterinary clinic and talk to one of our team members!

Summer Safety Tips

This summer has been a scorcher! Let’s be smart this summer, and put safety first! Above are a few summer safety tips to be always thinking about!

Arthritis Awareness Month

You may have already seen our other posts this month, discussing Arthritis Awareness Month. We discussed the signs your cats and dogs may be showing you, but we haven’t discussed the details of what is actually happening in the body, and what you can do to address the problem. Let’s have another quick chat about Arthritis, also known as Degenerative joint disease! What is it? Osteoarthritis develops when the protective cartilage lining of joints wears away and exposes the underlying bone. These changes lead to inflammation and pain. What causes arthritis? History of trauma/injury, body weight/obesity, abnormal conformation or joint development, orthopedic surgery, history of unbalanced nutrition - or any combination of these! How is it diagnosed? Through physical exams to localize pain, and diagnostics such as radiographs (x-rays) to confirm the diagnosis or alternative diseases. How is it treated? Unfortunately, arthritis cannot be “cured” so we can’t treat this, but we can manage it! Typically is it managed through multiple methods, such as: ➖Nutrition/potential weight loss ➖Nutraceuticals - Omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and other joint supplements ➖Acupuncture and/or Laser Therapy Prescription medications/pain medication - human medication can be TOXIC, please speak with a vet professional before administering anything that was not prescribed for them. Physical rehabilitation/physiotherapy How to keep them comfortable: Soft padded bedding, raised water/food bowls, non-slippery floors, cool surfaces to lay on, ramps or multiple small stairs, and adhering to your Veterinarian treatment plan. With any further questions, please call and talk to your veterinary team!

Though the weather outside is frightful, and seems to be putting us through a rollercoaster of temperatures… Those nasty little parasites are holding on for dear life. Don’t let the snow and rain fool you, we have already seen multiple cases of fleas, ticks, and other microscopic mites already this year! 🗣️“She only goes outside into the backyard” 🗣️“Our walks are strictly in our neighbourhood” 🗣️“They don’t interact with other animals” These are some common excuses we hear when offering parasite control, but we guarantee, if your pet steps 1 foot outdoors, they’re at risk for parasites. Call and speak with your vet team today, to discuss your pets parasite preventive needs! 🪳🦟🪲 #parasiteprevention #flea #tick #summer #dog

Happy Veterinary Receptionist Week!

Happy Veterinary Receptionist Week! We want to express a large THANK YOU to all of our reception team members! Thank you, Marcy, Nicole, Patti, Bronte, Erin, and Janet! Veterinary receptionists are often the first and last point of contact during a pet care visit. Those who provide client service in animal hospitals are an essential part of the team. The care they contribute can greatly impact your visit, your first impression, and the success of the appointment! Our reception girls try their hardest to make all our clients feel comfortable and appreciated. Veterinary Receptionist Week is celebrated the last full week of April each year. This is a super time to spotlight and appreciate receptionists in pet hospitals everywhere! Thank you! Be sure to say, “Happy Veterinary Receptionist Week!” when you stop in, and tell them, thank you!

Tick Awareness Month Video 2

Colder weather and higher risk? Tick-borne diseases are spreading in Canada...and our cold winters aren’t helping! New Canadian research shows that when a Blacklegged tick is infected with the Lyme disease bacteria it may be more likely to be active on mild days during the colder months AND more likely to survive cold weather compared to uninfected ticks! We might not think ticks can be active when it’s cold outside... But they are! Regardless of the time of year, it is important to remain vigilant and recognize that ticks may still pose a risk to pets and people. Use this link to get a 2-week “tick risk forecast”, or look to see what days in the last 12 months could have had potential tick activity. As always, your veterinarian is there to discuss how best to protect your pet. https://www.tickmaps.ca

Tick Awareness Month

Let’s talk about Blacklegged Ticks (Lyme disease carriers) About 1 in 5 Blacklegged ticks you encounter in Canada could be carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, this number can be even higher in known risk areas! Did you know… they can survive freezing temperatures? One way is that they create their own “anti-freeze” that helps them tolerate the cold! However, a new study showed that when a Blacklegged tick is infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, it may be even BETTER at surviving our cold winters! Yikes! Also, at its youngest, it can start transmitting Lyme disease when it is as small as a poppy seed! That would be extremely hard to see! Don’t hesitate to call and talk to your vet team about tick prevention today!

Maizy

Playtime with Maizy 😻 😺

Ear Mites

Can you name these gross little microscopic mites?! Hint… Most common in outdoor cats... That’s right, Ear Mites - and they’re having a party!! 🥳 🪳 Signs your cats might have ear mites? Excessive ear itching, head shaking, dry black gunk in their ears! Ear mites are often easily treated with topical parasite control!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from our Pioneer Vet family to yours! May your holidays be filled with joy, warmth, and happiness! 🎅🎄

M.OVI TESTING

What is M.ovi? Scientific name is Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. It is a bacteria that can be present in flocks/herds of domestic sheep and goat populations that display minimal to no clinical signs. M.ovi can impact the overall health of our domestic sheep and goats. Some clinical signs may include stunted growth/gain and respiratory-like symptoms that are not resolving. The overall health and well-being of your flock/herd is always a goal to strive for! Why are we concerned about this? M.ovi has, and is, creating die-offs of the Bighorn Sheep populations that have become affected by these bacteria, and in some cases, a whole herd die-off has occurred! Why do we encourage YOU to test your flock if you are eligible? We want to help protect our wildlife populations from contracting this sickness. How we do this is through testing that is being funded by our Provincial Government. Through this voluntary testing, we can assess if there are positives within your flock. If there are any positives, measures are taken to ensure there is no contact with your flock/herd with Bighorn Sheep. In some instances, pending on the case, the affected farm may qualify for program funding for disease mitigation tools such as additional fencing to decrease the likelihood of direct contact. A positive in your sheep/goat is NOT a death sentence but it helps to determine how to manage the risk associated with M.ovi on your farm as well as in our wildlife goat populations. These bacteria can spread through the air up to 100 metres from positive animal(s), and Bighorn Sheep Rams have been found to travel up to 90km from their territory. How can you qualify and what is needed? You will need a PID number (Premise Identification) and a LLD so that we can determine if your location is within the surveillance zone and have an active VCPR with Pioneer Veterinary Services. If you do not have an active VCPR we can get one set up for you with the vet. For more information please inquire at the fron

Olds High School

The students from Olds High School were a fantastic group with enthusiasm for veterinary care and had a lot of great questions to ask RVT Danielle!

Pet Diabetes Month

Let’s talk about Diabetes. November is Pet Diabetes Month, but what is diabetes mellitus? This is a disease caused by a lack of insulin or a response to insulin that affects the level of glucose (sugar) in your cat or dog's blood. While we could talk about this condition all day, and go very in-depth. We want to share the signs and symptoms, and the factors that you, the owners, can see at home! Risk Factors in dogs and cats: -Age, obesity, physical inactivity, secondary to other disorders, genetics, and specific breeds have a higher risk. What are the warning signs of diabetes? -Excessive thirst -Increased urination and may have “accidents” -Lethargic -Unexpected weight loss -Excessively hunger -Thinning, dry, and dull hair -Cloudy eyes - dogs -Stopped grooming - cats How do we test for diabetes? Your vet can make the diagnosis in clinic with diagnostic tests. They will be looking for persistently high glucose levels found in both blood and urine. If you have concerns that your cat or dog may be at risk for Diabetes, please do not hesitate to call and schedule a vet exam!

September was Animal Pain Awareness Month, and we wanted to show you one more great video! This super cute pity mix, Daisy, in the above video has had bone and joint issues for most of her adult life. The first video of Daisy, she is receiving oral pain medication and joint supplements. In the second and third video, you can see her mobility and mood have improved drastically and her pain level has decreased. This rapid change was due to a new pain medication that suited her needs even better!! If you’re observing arthritis or general pain signs in your animals, it is a great idea to have a discussion with your veterinarian. We can get your furry friends feeling better and enjoying life again, just like Daisy! Give us a call to book your appointment, and we can develop a plan that works for you and your pet! 🐶🩺😺

September is Animal Pain Awareness Month! There are many reasons for our animals to be showing us signs of pain, but one of the most common reasons is due to Osteoarthritis. Sometimes this can be really hard to miss, often it is a slow progression and goes unnoticed for a while. Below is a list of signs you may have started noticing in your cats and dogs at home: ➖Slow to rise from sitting or lying down ➖Hesitating or difficulty jumping ➖Lagging behind or slow on walks ➖Feeling stiff ➖Stairs are hard - slower/bunny hopping/taking breaks/1 stair at a time ➖Slow when playing, loses “interest” faster, lays down to play ➖Less interactive and/or more aggressive ➖Limping ➖Making multiple small jumps instead of big jumps If any of these signs look familiar, we highly recommend booking a vet consult. As shown in the video, there are options your Veterinarian can discuss with you for pain relief/pain management to get your pet back on track!

Pioneer is tingling with excitement to announce we offer Laser Therapy! ⚡️ This is a non-invasive treatment that uses specific wavelengths of light to stimulate the body's natural healing processes. This promotes cellular regeneration! It is a safe and effective treatment option for almost anything! This includes osteoarthritis and most orthopedic-related issues, surgical incisions, traumatic wounds, skin conditions, and many more! What can you and your pet expect? The feeling is a gentle warmth or tingling sensation during the treatment. Most animals find the therapy soothing and may even fall asleep! Sessions range from a few minutes to around 20 minutes. The number of sessions required will vary based on your pet's condition and response to treatment. Are there any precautions? Protective eyewear is mandatory during the laser process. This may not be suitable for pregnant animals or certain types of cancer - ask your Vet first! Call and book your appointment today!

Microscope Monday?! What is this creepy thing?.. Dog Lice! See below for some things to know about lice. 🪳There are 3 kinds of lice: A biting louse, a bloodsucking louse, and a biting louse that feeds on blood. Can you guess which one you see? - Bloodsucking! 🪳Signs: Skin irritation, scratching/biting, dermatitis, alopecia, roughened and dry hair coat, matted fur. 🪳Sucking lice cause small wounds that become infected. 🪳Lice can cause anemia. 🪳Diagnose: seeing adult lice or eggs when parting the fur, placing them under a microscope. 🪳What’s our treatment?! Spot on treatments and external parasite control. 🪳Lice can be prevented with monthly external parasite control. (flea and tick medication)

Meet Maizy! This 18 week old medium haired kitten was in for her 3rd set of kitten vaccines. Maizy is a very spunky kitten with a fun personality! Favourite Toy: Kitty kong and her tunnel 😺 Favourite Treat: Catit lickable treats 👅 Favourite Pastime: Destroy my mom's house & play with my tail 🐈 Hate the Most: My harness 😾

Woody sat fantastic for his ear clean from Kathryn! A question we receive often is, How often should I be cleaning my dog's ears? The answer is, not that often! Unless your veterinarian instructs you to or asks you to make it a part of your grooming routine, you shouldn’t need to clean them. A good example of when to clean is after swimming in the lake or the river. If you’re suspicious your pet has an ear infection or an excessive buildup of ‘gunk’, it is best to leave it alone and book an appointment with your vet. Cleaning their ears can wash away necessary bacteria your vet team needs, to help diagnose the correct condition. As well, overcleaning can lead to ear infections. Please do not hesitate to call your vet team with any questions or to book an appointment!

June 12th Pioneer had the pleasure of purchasing a steer and a lamb from the Olds Eagle Beef and Multi 4-H club, and a steer from the Bergen Sundre 4-H Multi club on May 29th. 🍀🍀 Our Olds steer was raised by Ellie Dorin, our Sundre steer was raised by Jacqueline Brink, and our Olds Lamb was raised by Cali Kreese. We could not ask for a better community to be a part of. It is a privilege to be able to support the 4-H clubs in the surrounding areas. 🍀🍀 Congratulations to everyone who participated, whether they walked away with a trophy or a ribbon, everyone at the event deserves a pat on the back. These kids put in so many hours of hard work, determination, and perseverance with their animals. A huge thank you to the parents, sponsors, and purchasers too! Thank you to everyone who came out to show support! 🍀🍀