Northwestern Veterinary Hospital

04/10/2024

Did you know that you can have your prescription cat and dog food shipped right to your door... for free? Visit www.myvetstore.ca/northwesternvet for more details and to order your pets food online!

04/04/2024

Unfortunately veterinary medicine isn’t all “puppies and kittens”… but we do have our moments! These adorable whoodle puppies were here for their booster vaccines and nail trims 🐶

03/31/2024

Today is the last day of the National Tick Awareness Month, let’s test your “tick IQ”! Test your knowledge by clicking the link below!
https://ticktalkcanada.com/tick-facts/survey-form/

03/30/2024

Our new client application re-opens next Wednesday, April 3rd. **Please note** that this month, the application will be opening at 9am.

Some additional information and reminders:
- We will be using the same application website/portal as in March. The application is available at www.northwesternvet.com/newclients or through https://form.jotform.com/240535327838057
- Due to extremely high demand, the application meets its quota and closes very quickly. We suggest having information ready to copy and paste if possible.
- If you are able to start your application it WILL allow you to get to the end, and after pressing submit you will be advised if it was successful or if the application has already closed/met its quota. Unfortunately we cannot change this process, nor can we limit how many people access the application.
- If your application is successfully submitted, you will receive an message after pressing submit as well as an email with more information. You will not be able to book an appointment until it has been reviewed and accepted. It takes our management team 1-2 weeks to review applications. If accepted you will receive a second email after which you will be able to make an appointment. Your first appointment must be made within 6 months to establish the Veterinary-Client-Patient-Relationship with our hospital.
- The application only has spots for 2 pets. If you are accepted and have more than 2 pets, reach out to our staff for more information.
- Our phone lines are VERY busy after the application closes. Please be patient, kind, and courteous with our reception staff. Just a reminder they do not have access to successfully submitted applications nor do they control the process; if your application was submitted successfully, you will receive an email. If you were not successful, please try again next month.
- Applications are only available via the online portal. If you have accessibility needs, please contact Human Resources.

Thank you for your patience and we look forward to seeing you on our roster in April!

03/28/2024

A very special thank you to Gallucci's Pizza and owner Ryan who provided pizza for our staff today. Galluci’s is generously donating a pizza lunch to each veterinary clinic in Thunder Bay, thanking them for their help with local rescue organizations and pet parents. We are so thankful for Ryan and his staff’s kindness and recognition, and they deserve some recognition of their own 🍕🐾 Thank you again!

03/28/2024

Keep an eye out for the Easter bunny (or maybe that’s our assistant, Jesse, in disguise…) if you’re dropping by the clinic today! Just a reminder we are closed this Friday and Sunday for the Easter long weekend. 🐰

03/26/2024

We will be closed Friday, March 29th and Sunday, March 31st for the Easter long weekend! We will be open 7:30am-6:00pm Saturday and Monday.

03/25/2024

Watch as Dr. Scott Stevenson, a tick expert in Canada, tells us more about ticks. Click below to learn more!
https://ticktalkcanada.com/video-series/

03/20/2024

Thank you Merck Animal Health and our rep Tamara for a fun ”Bowling + Bravecto” night for our staff at Galaxy Lanes! We had a great time learning more about flea/tick medication for our patients and cheering each other on 🎳🐾

03/18/2024

Both pets and people can be a target for ticks andthe diseases they carry. It is important to know how to protect your entire family (including the furry ones!) https://ticktalkcanada.com/tick-prevention/

03/13/2024

Wishing Freddy, Dr. Birston's 13-year-old Shetland sheepdog, a very special birthday today! 🥰🐶🎂 Dr. Birston is our resident sheltie lover with three of her own to come home to each day - Freddy (13), Sophie (11), and Minnow (2).

03/13/2024

The location where blacklegged ticks (the species which can transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease) is expanding. Could your area be at risk for blacklegged ticks? Click here to find your area: http://tickmaps.ca/en/

03/08/2024

Happy International Women’s Day. Did you know 93% of our staff are women? Special thanks to Kelly and our friends over at The Chanterelle for these delicious cookies today. 🍪 Wishing all the women in the veterinary medicine field, and within our clientele and community, a wonderful day!

03/06/2024

Our New Client Application re-opens again today at 5pm! Visit www.northwesternvet.com/newclients for more information.

There are a limited number of spots. Due to overwhelming demand, applications close very quickly. We suggest logging on right at 5pm to begin your application. You will receive a confirmation message and email if your application has been successfully submitted and received. Please wait 1-2 weeks for acceptance via email after which you will be able to begin booking appointments. See our previous posts for more details!

Please note that our reception team does not have access to the successfully submitted applications. Once the submissions are closed, applications that were in progress or not yet started will need to try applying again next month.

We thank you for your patience with this new process and can’t wait to see your pets here at NWVH! 🐾

03/03/2024

Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall: "Tick season can be every season!" Did you know that ticks can be active throughout the year, as soon as the temperatures reach 4°C? https://ticktalkcanada.com/seasonality-of-ticks/

03/01/2024

Today is the first day of the National Tick Awareness Month! “Tick season can be every season” is the focus of this new campaign. Stay tuned for more information!

02/24/2024

We are excited to announce that our new client application will relaunch on our website on Wednesday, March 6th at 5pm. We appreciate all those who tried to apply in February and have been happy to welcome new clients and patients to our clinic over the last month. With limited spots and such high demand, we understand many were frustrated or disheartened to not get through. We greatly appreciate your feedback as well as your understanding when reaching out with inquiries about your application.

The same requirements apply for March's application and if you tried applying in February, the questions remain the same. However please note that we have switched providers for our web form, so it may look a bit different/your answers from last month will not have saved. The application will again close automatically when spots are filled.

If you're looking for all the details, see our pinned post for more information! Call (807) 345-3353 Option 0 if you have any specific questions regarding the application process.

02/16/2024

We are currently offering 15% off our remaining stock of Hill's Healthy Advantage kibble and canned foods 🐾

Please note that we will not be carrying this line any further and it is no longer available for order. What is available on the shelf is what we have left for sale. If your pet is currently eating Hill's Healthy Advantage, inquire with your veterinarian about new diet recommendations at their next annual exam.

02/15/2024

Happy Family Day! We will be closed on Monday, February 19th to spend time with our furry and non-furry families. We re-open Tuesday at 7:30am!

02/12/2024

Curious pets can come to harm when it comes to treats and other things connected to Valentine’s Day gift-giving. To help prevent that, here’s a quick list of five Valentine’s Day pet safety tips! 💕💐🐕

02/07/2024

We have reached the maximum number of new client applications and our online application has now CLOSED. The submissions came in incredibly quickly and we thank all those who tried to apply.
See below for next steps.

1. If your application was successfully submitted:

You will receive final message on the application and an e-mail stating that your submission was successful.
If your application has been approved, you will be advised via e-mail of the approval in 1-2 weeks. Once approved, you will be able to book appointments for your pets.
Make sure to check your junk mail folder!

2. If you were not able to successfully submit an application, either a) because the applications maxed out before you could fully complete and submit it, or b) the application was unavailable by the time you accessed our website:

You will be required to try again next month. Please note that our reception staff does NOT have access to the list of successful submitted applications and cannot check if your application went through. If you did not receive a success message or e-mail, it is safe to assume the application did not go through in time, and you must re-apply next month.

It is possible you may have been mid-application when our maximum was reached, in which case the application will have closed during your session and you will not have been able to finish or submit the application. If this was the case, you will also need to reapply next month.

Please be aware that ALL non-clients must go through the same monthly application process. We are not able to accept new clients, whether for emergency or routine care, over the phone or in person. Also note Northwestern Veterinary Hospital has a zero-tolerance policy for abusive language or threats towards our wonderful staff. Our staff have no control over our application process and while we understand this may be a very anxious time for pet owners, please be kind and patient with them. While not being able to submit your application this month can be incredibly frustrating, we kindly ask you try to reapply next month.

Thank you! 🐾

02/01/2024

Only 6 days until our new client applications open! To help you know what to expect, here are 3 tips to help you prepare for submitting your application:

1. Access the application right at 5pm on Wednesday, February 7th. We expect a lot of applications and traffic to our website immediately at 5, and the application will immediately close once the maximum number of submissions has been reached. As this is our first opening, we do not know how long the new application will be available for. It may close very quick. Set yourself an alarm or reminder so you do not forget.

We have reached out to our web team and they have confirmed our website should be able the influx of traffic!

2. Gather all the relevant information so you aren’t scrambling to find it when filling out the application.
You will be asked for:
- Owner information including names, address, phone numbers, and emails.
- Authorized agent information including their name and phone number. An authorized agent is someone who does not own the pet but may care for it, bring it in for appointments, etc. (such as a family member or pet sitter).
- All your pets information: their name, age/birthdate, breed, colour, and any medical concerns.
- You will also be asked to review and accept our policies during the application process.
- Both owners should be present if possible to review our policies and sign the application digitally.

3. Have your pet's medical records available if possible. These records may be from a breeder, shelter or rescue, or other veterinary facility. PDF is best but for smaller records, images are fine. There will be a spot to attach them to your application if you have them. If you aren’t or can’t obtain them in time, they can always be submitted upon acceptance.

We do anticipate a lot of activity when the applications open the first Wednesday of every month. Preparing yourself ahead of time will potentially help you to submit your application before the maximum number for the month is reached.

We can’t wait to open up on Wednesday, February 7th! As we cannot monitor social media closely enough to answer questions, please give us a call if you have any inquiries.

01/31/2024

As we settle into the new year, don’t forget to book your animal’s annual exams. Consider booking all routine appointments in advance. Canada is currently facing a shortage of veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians/animal health technologists.

As veterinary teams do their very best to provide optimal care for animals, patience, understanding, and kindness are appreciated.

Learn more about the veterinary workforce shortage: https://ow.ly/ZH9w50QwkHV

***
Alors que la nouvelle année s’installe, n’oubliez pas de prendre les rendez-vous annuels de votre animal. Pensez à prendre tous les rendez-vous de routine à l’avance. Le Canda fait actuellement face à une pénurie de médecins vétérinaires et de techniciens vétérinaires agréés/technologues en santé animale.

Les équipes vétérinaires font tout en leur pouvoir afin de prodiguer les soins optimaux aux animaux; la patience, la compréhension, et la gentillesse sont appréciées.

Pour plus d’informations : https://ow.ly/ZH9w50QwkHV

01/31/2024

If you’ve had questions about our new client application, find some of our FAQs below! We can’t keep up with social media questions so if you have any further inquiries, please give us a call at (807) 345-3353 Option 0 to speak with one of our receptionists.

1. Can I become a client in person or by calling?

As we expect a very large volume of pet owners trying to apply, applications will only be available through our website next Wednesday. If you have accessibility needs please reach out to Human Resources at (807) 344-8294.

2. I don't have a vet in town. If my pet is having an emergency, will I now be able to access care through you?

All non-clients will need to go through the application process mentioned in our previous post in order to begin receiving routine and emergency care for their pets. You will not be able to book an appointment until your application has been accepted and approved. Despite opening our applications we are still experiencing capacity and veterinarian availability constraints and are unable to accept non-client emergencies at this time. We suggest using Smart.Vet if you do not have local veterinary care https://smartvet.ca/ or 1-888-243-1411.

3. The application says I can only see one veterinary facility at a time. Why?

The College of Veterinarians of Ontario specifically states that uncoordinated care, such as an animal being treated by multiple veterinary facilities, can leave the pet at risk (https://www.cvo.org/standards/establishing,-maintaining,-and-discontinuing-a-vcpr). Having care at only one veterinary facility ensures continuity of care, prevents the risks associated with incomplete medical records, and can aid in quality, complete veterinary care.
There are exceptions to this including (but not limited to) referrals, on-call services, and clients who live away from Thunder Bay for part of the year. These are dealt with on a case-by-case basis but we always suggest to let us know.

4. What if my pet gets sick and you aren’t open? Can I go to another veterinarian then?

Northwestern Veterinary Hospital shares 24/7, 365 on call veterinary care with Highview Animal Clinic. If we are closed, clients call our after-hours phone number to be triaged and will be put in touch with the on-call veterinarian if necessary.

5. Are you accepting patients other than dogs and cats? (ie. rabbits, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, or birds)

Unfortunately no. We are not equipped with enough staff/veterinarians experienced with exotic animal care at this time. Exotics require a very specific skill set, education, and experience level, hence the increased barriers to care.

6. I sought veterinary care out of town because I could not obtain it in Thunder Bay. Am I eligible to apply?

We understand many Thunder Bay pet owners have had to seek care out of town. You are welcome to apply with your pets if they are clients at a veterinarian outside of Thunder Bay but must agree to only bring your pets to one facility if accepted (see Question 3).

8. Do I need to already have a pet to apply?

Please call us at (807) 345-3353 Option 0 so we can discuss your specific situation.

9. How long will be the application be available for?

The application opens February 7th at 5pm. We are expecting a very large volume of pet owners trying to attempt to apply and are only accepting a limited number of applications. We do not know how long the application will be available but it will become automatically unavailable once our maximum is reached. This may be quick.
Due to high demand, we suggest going to our website right at 5pm and prepare your information ahead of time (more details to come closer to the date).

10. Do you expect to keep accepting applications every month?

We will be assessing the re-opening of the application on a monthly basis and will make an announcement if there are any changes.

11. Can I make an appointment immediately after submitting my application?

Your application will need to be reviewed and approved prior to booking an appointment. You will receive an email if your application is approved within 1-2 weeks of successful submission.

12. I'm already an active client at your facility. Do I need to do anything?

No.

13. I'm not sure if my account is active. Should I apply?

Please call our reception team at (807) 345-3353 Option 0 so that we can look at the specifics of your account and determine if it is still active or if you'll need to reapply.

14. Why do I need to be at least 18 years old to apply?

See CVO's Practice Standard here: https://www.cvo.org/standards/guide-informed-client-consent "Under property law, which pertains to the ownership of animals, an individual must be 18 years of age or older to have the legal right to own and make decisions about property. A veterinarian should obtain consent from an adult."

01/27/2024

Have you heard our exciting news? See our last post for all the details. If you have any questions, call our reception team a (807) 345-3353, Option 0.

01/26/2024

The wait is over... starting Wednesday, February 7th at 5pm, online applications will be opening for those wishing to become clients at Northwestern Veterinary Hospital! See below ⬇️⬇️ for details, and make sure to spread to word!

🐾 Applications open the first Wednesday of each month at 5pm, starting on Wednesday, February 7th. A limited number of applications will be accepted; once the maximum has been reached, the application will become unavailable and you will need to try again the following month.

🐾 Applications are accepted ONLINE ONLY through our website www.northwesternvet.com/newclients Applications will not be accepted by phone, e-mail, or in-person. If you have accessibility needs, please call Human Resources at (807) 344-8294.

🐾 We are prioritizing pet owners who do not have local veterinary care. The potential client (owner) must therefore NOT be an active client of any other local veterinary facility (Crossroads Veterinary Clinic, Highview Animal Clinic, or Thunder Bay Veterinary Hospital).

🐾 Clients of veterinary facilities outside of Thunder Bay, including those in outlying areas such as Dryden, Kenora, Winnipeg, and Grand Marais are eligible to apply to become clients. To ensure continuity of care, if accepted, the client must agree to only see one facility regularly for their pet(s) (exceptions include referral, shared after hours care, second opinions, and on case-by-case circumstances).

🐾 The potential client (owner) must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.

🐾 The pets seeking medical care at Northwestern Veterinary Hospital must be only feline (cat) or canine (dog). Due to capacity constraints, at this time we cannot accommodate rescues or breeders.

🐾 The potential client (owner) must NOT be a previous client that has been terminated due to non-payment or abusive behaviour.

🐾 Clients in good standing but whose accounts are inactive are eligible to apply.

🐾 Submission of your application is not a guarantee of acceptance. You will receive an e-mail in 1-2 weeks advising you if your application has been accepted and next steps.

If you have any questions, please call our reception team at (807) 345-3353 Option 0. We look forward to welcoming new clients and their pets to our clinic!

Below you will find our new client application. The application is available starting the first Wednesday of every month at 5pm, and closes when the maximum number of monthly applications has been reached. Due to limited capacity, we suggest submitting your application as soon as possible.

01/25/2024

We've got big news coming tomorrow...

01/23/2024

January 1st to March 31, 2024 - a $15 Rebate is available for participating t/d products 🦷 Visit www.hillsrebates.ca For more information or to submit your rebate request.

01/17/2024

While some breeds are built better than others to withstand the cold, prolonged exposure to frigid temperatures and wind chill can cause hypothermia, which, when severe enough, can lead to death. Dog jackets can help dogs stay warm in winter weather, but don’t wait until your dog starts shivering before realizing it’s time to head back!

If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, an insulated doghouse is a must. Doghouses need to be elevated a few inches from the ground to prevent moisture from accumulating inside. Carpeting, a blanket or a padded bed should cover the floor. Size-wise, it should be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably, but small enough to contain body heat. The doorway should face away from the prevailing wind, with burlap or canvas hung over the opening to act as a door.

01/13/2024

Paws, ears, and tails – like people’s hands, ears, and faces – are susceptible to frostbite. Find our tips below on how to keep your dog safe from frostbite and hypothermia:

🐾 To protect paws, you can easily find dog boots in a wide variety of styles online and in pet stores. Dog boots with soles can also provide extra traction in icy conditions.
🐾 If your dog doesn’t like boots (or needs time to get used to them), be sure to remove any caked ice and snow from your dog’s paws as soon as possible. Also, keep your dog’s nails trimmed. Long nails force the toes to splay (spread apart), which increases the risk that snow or ice will accumulate between the pads.
🐾 Keep your pet's cold tolerance in mind when looking at the daily weather. Some breeds are better at fending off the cold - even preferring it!
🐾 A warm, dry, non-restrictive sweater or jacket may help keep your dog from getting too cold.
🐾 Watch for the signs: frostbitten skin may appear reddish, grayish, bluish, or white in color. If you suspect your dog has frostbite, seek veterinary care immediately.