The Pioneer Vet staff is getting excited about our new location! Our new address is 801 5th Avenue SW, Sundre Alberta 🐾
Stay tuned for the grand opening date – we can't wait to show you around and provide the same personalized care while offering an even more welcoming and supportive environment for you and your animals!
We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming opening of our brand-new mixed animal clinic in Sundre! Our new space is designed to offer a clean, comfortable, and welcoming environment for your animals — both large and small, while maintaining the high-quality care and small-town values you know and trust.
Stay tuned for our opening date—we can’t wait to welcome you and your pets to our new home!
This month, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible Animal Health Technologists who make a world of difference every day at Pioneer Veterinary Clinic! 🩺🐾
RVTs are one of the many superheroes in veterinary medicine. They are known for their many roles. To name a few… they are nurses, anesthesiologists, pharmacists, surgery nurses, oral hygienists, X-ray technicians, educators, lab technicians, and your BIGGEST emotional supporters.
They are the people greeting you with smiles when you walk in, learning your history, and building a bond in the exam rooms. They’re behind the doors loving and caring for your patients. They’re making your family feel less stressed and more at home. They are giving cuddles and snacks and kisses.
❤️Join us in celebrating their hard work and passion this month!
Pet First Aid Kits
Here's a peek inside our pet first aid kits! 🐾 This kit has what you'll need in case of an emergency because your pet's safety is our top priority!
Ask about our first aid kits on your next visit.
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 😻 😺
