Animal Hospital Of Windsor

02/23/2025

People often ask us why we recommend spaying/neutering dogs. The obvious reason is so that you don’t end up with unwanted puppies.

Another, sneakier, reason is that it prevents your dog from getting a uterine infection called pyometra. That’s Latin for pus in the uterus…

Female dogs usually come into heat approximately every six months, and that heat cycle lasts about three weeks, from start to finish. During the heat cycle, if she is bred, s***m get up into the uterus to do their job and make puppies. There is a potential for bacteria to get up into that uterus as well, unfortunately. If that happens, you won’t really see anything different… initially…

Eventually, as the infection gets worse, anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month or so after her heat cycle ended, she will begin to show signs of this infection. What will she look like? She could be drinking/urinating much more than normal, vomiting, off her food, and possibly have a nasty discharge from her v***a (girl parts 😉). That makes it easy to make the diagnosis, and is called an ‘open pyometra’. It get tricky when the pus is trapped in the uterus without any obvious discharge. Then X-rays and blood work can help us.

This X-ray shows the enlarged uterus taking up space in the abdomen, where it risks rupturing. We take the dog to surgery to remove the pus filled uterus and usually they have a complete recovery. That second picture is what that uterus looks like after removal! Yuck

The moral of this story is, if you have an intact female dog, always keep track of when her heat cycle happens. And if she starts acting sick within a few weeks, bring her in for an exam. And the best prevention is to have her spayed.

02/15/2025

Got your attention with these yummy pics, eh?

Seriously, your cat’s litter box is a wealth of information if you take the time to look…

If you use the typical clumping cat litter, you can look at how many and how big the clumps of urine-soaked litter is. The average cat urinates enough to make a clump about the size of a clementine orange a few times daily. If you are finding many smaller clumps that could indicate an infection, or if there is NO clumps of urine that could indicate your cat may not be urinating at all! Male cats can develop enough crystalline sludge that they cannot urinate. That is a life threatening emergency. If the litter is suddenly soaked everyday, that could indicate kidney problems or even diabetes

The fun doesn’t stop there…Looking at the p**p in the box can show whether they have diarrhea, or if they are actually constipated. That would be a real bummer… Seriously, constipation can be a very serious problem and may require medical intervention. Diarrhea can be cause by a multitude of problems from parasites to intestinal cancer.

How often should you be looking at your cat’s box? At least once daily! Scoop out the p**ps and check the sizes of those p*e clumps. Then add a little more of fresh litter and mix it in. You will make your cat very happy, if you keep their box clean.

So what if you have two cats? You should have at least one litter box per cat, even if they both seem to use only one at a time… cats don’t like having to share their toilet space, and can get a little grumpy. How can you tell? They will urinate/defecate in your closet or some other space… so you don’t wanna make them grumpy!

So bottom line is clean those boxes daily and pay attention to what you are seeing. Call the hospital if you see anything unusual or see a change that you can’t explain.

Happy litter Boxing Day!

02/09/2025

I bet your pet’s eyes do not look like these, but the appearance of all eyes is very important!

Your pet’s eyes should be clear and moist in appearance. The sclera (the white part) should be white with very tiny blood vessels visible. The cornea (the clear part on the front) should be clear, moist, and not look cloudy or bloody. If your dog or cat is squinting, or the lids look puffy or they are scratching at their eye, you need to prevent them traumatizing it further (put a cone on them) and get them in to see the vet as soon as possible. With an extreme injury, where you think your pet’s eye may have popped out of its socket, keep it moist, keep it covered and call right away!
Corneal scratches, ulcers, inflammation (uveitis), cataracts or glaucoma are just some of the issues that can happen.

Eyes really are the windows to the soul, so keep ‘an eye on them’!

12/13/2024

‘‘Tis the season…’

To get Parvo?? Huh??

Yes, Parvovirus is a potentially deadly virus that is highly contagious between dogs and can even be passed through the f***s of an affected dog. Yuck. I know, you would never let your dog eat another dogs pooh, right? But if your dog even steps in the diarrhea of an affected dog and then licks their feet, they can become infected.

Parvo is a nasty virus that affects quick growing cells, like those in the intestinal tract and the bone marrow. So the most common signs include vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In younger puppies, the heart muscle can also become affected by the virus.

There are tests that can check for the virus, but that is only the first step. If your dog has Parvovirus gastroenteritis, their intestinal cells are being attacked and damaged very quickly. This leads to extreme dehydration, as well as electrolyte loss because of the diarrhea. Even previously healthy, robust dogs can die from dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Blood work is usually done to check for the electrolyte levels, blood counts and level of dehydration. Many dogs will need antibiotics, IV fluids and to be hospitalized.

The real danger is that this is a very contagious, easily passed virus condition. If you think you may know a dog who is infected, KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY! If you think YOUR dog has it, call the hospital to get them checked. After handling your dog, or their pooh, wash hands very well before handling any other dogs. Use a good disinfectant product to clean any areas where your dog has vomited or had diarrhea.

Is there any good news?

As a matter of fact, there is! There is a simple vaccine that can prevent Parvo, or lessen the severity of disease if contracted. Puppies usually get it along with their three boosters. Adult dogs need to get two boosters if they were not vaccinated as puppies. If yours is not up to date on their vaccines, please call to arrange their annual check up and booster vaccines.

12/05/2024

Do you have an Elf on the Shelf watching your kids and pets this holiday season? Well, he may need your help…

You know that cute costume you put on the cat for the family portrait? She may eat the elastic out of it when you aren’t looking. How about the new kitten that thinks the twinkling lights on the bottom of the tree look like something fun to eat? Don’t trust her! She thinks she is a Ninja… she isn’t

I bet you think your dog will be smarter… not a chance! He is gonna try to get those turkey giblets out of the garbage when you turn your back (does anyone really cook those?). Or maybe that bread you left rising under the towel on top of the stove? When your dog eats that it is gonna keep rising in his stomach and it could rupture. Ouch. That box of cheese and cured meats you wrapped and put under the tree for Gramps? Nope… Fido might have already ripped into it… He thinks he is a wolf desperately on the prowl for food… he isn’t

Your pets are clever, sneaky and not always the best judge of what is good for them to eat, or chew on. Trust me!

Instead, work with the Elf and make the holidays safe for your pets. Keep the food in the fridge until it’s cooked. Then, keep it under guard! Don’t leave the turkey bones on the counter when you sit down for dinner, or the cheese tray/half empty wine glasses on the coffee table because they won’t be there when you come back!

But if you don’t manage to get rid of all the temptation, and your pet eats something they shouldn’t, give us a call right away. Some indiscretions are simple to fix, others not so simple, but time makes a difference.

Want a gift suggestion for your pet that they don’t even know they need? Sign them up for pet insurance! There are many options here in Ontario, including Trupanion, Fetch, Pets + Us, even Costco has pet insurance! How’s THAT for one stop shopping!

Anyway, Happy Holidays and make sure you don’t need to come visit us…

Unless you wanna drop off treats for the Team… just sayin…😉

11/30/2024

We are currently experiencing some technical difficulties with our phone and internet provider.📵🚫📶

Please stand by for future update as we work towards getting these issues resolved.

We apologize and are working towards a solution soon!

As we get more information we will be updating and getting our systems up and will notify through various social media platforms.

We can still be contacted via email at this time @ 📧[email protected]

11/24/2024

Does your dog ‘help’ you with laundry? Looks cute in the Insta posts when your dog follows you around with the dirty socks, but some dogs wanna eat them instead of folding them!
This little 34 pound dog decided to eat these four socks. If you see your pet eat something like that, bring them to the hospital right away! We may be able to get those socks back by making your pet vomit. Yuck!

There is a time limit to how long we have to induce vomiting, though. If you wait too long, the foreign body may start to squeeze into the small intestine. These socks would never have been able to go through the small intestine.
If this fellow’s family had waited, doing surgery would have been the only way to get those socks out!

Moral of this story is… get your kids to pick up their dirty socks before the dog does…

Note… no socks were harmed in making this post…😉

11/23/2024

So… we bet you don’t have a pet Moray Eel at home, but trying to look inside your dog or cat’s mouth may make it seem that way at times…

Believe us, though, when we say it is worth trying to look anyway! Our pets may have incredible amounts of tartar that can build up and hide serious tooth abscesses. Cats may get ulcerations in their mouths from viral infections that are so painful they will not want to eat. Some dogs may even find cool things at the beach to try to gulp, like fish hooks that smell like fish, which may become lodged in the back of their mouth!

If your pet suddenly stops eating, or their breath is very bad, it is worth trying to take a p*ek! If you are worried you will lose a finger trying, give us a call and bring your pet in. Chances are, they aren’t as much of a Moray eel as you think, and we may be able to show you what the problem is, and devise a plan to treat it. For younger pets, try to get them used to having you open their mouths on a regular basis.

Keep smiling!

11/19/2024

Sorry, forgot the add the annotations…

11/19/2024

Ever notice your cat p*eing outside the litter box? Or notice your dog’s p*e is pink (or even bright red) when it is usually yellow? Hmmm… that can’t be good…

Your cat could have a urinary blockage caused by crystals, or even stones! Remember the last time you got on the highway after forgetting to hit the bathroom before leaving? Not fun, right? Well, if your pet cannot pass urine due to a complete or partial blockage, it is much worse. They can be incredibly painful, at risk for kidney failure or bladder rupture and may even develop irregular heart beats! That is not good.

If you think there is a problem, please get your pet into the hospital as soon as possible. We may need to do some X-rays, blood work and other tests to determine the best way to treat them. It may be much more serious than them just being ‘constipated’ (a common guess when folks see their pets straining).

Do us a favour and watch your pets go potty! They will not think it’s creepy at all…and neither will we…

One more suggestion… don’t forget to p*e before that next long car ride.
Jus’ sayin

11/17/2024

Have you ever wondered how to tell how many puppies your dog is having? Usually there is not a requirement to know. But if your dog is big with multiple puppies and having difficulties in labour, or small with a single large puppy having difficulties, then we take radiographs to count the puppies.
How many puppies can you see?
If you aren’t breeding your dog, though, we highly recommend spaying them to prevent uterine infections that can occur after each heat cycle. The uterus can fill with infection and cause the pet to become dangerously ill.
Yuck!

11/16/2024

Think you are having a bad day?
Poor Cheech was rough housing with his dog brother, and his eye was forced out of the socket!
What should you do?? Keep it moist with water, or some sort of lubricant and get him to the hospital quickly.
After some anesthetic to relax him, and checking his eye for other damage, it was replaced in the socket. He has stitches for a few weeks, but hopefully his recovery is complete and his vision isn’t severely affected.
He does have to wear the cone of shame for a while though…
It is all fun and games till someone puts an eye out… play safely!

10/04/2024

🌟🐾 Exciting News from the Animal Hospital of Windsor! 🐾🌟

We’re thrilled to announce our new extended hours! We’re now open Monday to Sunday from 9 AM to 11 PM! 🕘✨

Whether your furry friends need a check-up or you’re looking for advice, our dedicated team is here for you every day of the week. We want to ensure your pets receive the best care whenever you need it! 🐶❤️

Join us this weekend and let’s make it a fantastic experience for you and your pets!

Thank you for trusting the Animal Hospital of Windsor🥳🐾

220 Tecumseh Road W, Windsor Ontario
(519)-252-4327
Mon-Fri 9AM-11PM
Sat 9AM-11PM
Sun&Holiday 9AM-11PM

10/04/2024

🌟🐾 Exciting News from the Animal Hospital of Windsor! 🐾🌟

We’re thrilled to announce our new extended hours! We’re now open Monday to Sunday from 9 AM to 11 PM! 🕘✨

Whether your furry friends need a check-up or you’re looking for advice, our dedicated team is here for you every day of the week. We want to ensure your pets receive the best care whenever you need it! 🐶❤️

Join us this weekend and let’s make it a fantastic experience for you and your pets!

Thank you for trusting the Animal Hospital of Windsor🥳🐾

07/30/2024

Happy Staff Appreciation Day to our hard-working team at AHOW!!! We could not serve the pets of Windsor (and surrounding areas) and their loving owners without this dedicated group. A huge thank you goes out to each and every member of our staff!

(Feel free to show some love in the comments 😁🐾)

02/29/2024

🐾 Attention all Windsor pet parents! 🐾

We interrupt your scrolling for some paws-itively exciting news! 🎉 As of March 1st 2024, your favorite animal hospital is extending its hours to better cater to your furry friends' needs! That's right, we're here to serve you and your pets from Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 11 PM, Saturday 1PM-11PM, and Sunday & Satutory Holidays from 1 PM to 6 PM! 🕒🐶🐱

Why, you ask? Well, we've heard your barks and meows for more convenient appointment times, and we're fetching the opportunity to make it happen! 🐾To offer more flexibility and accessibility for your pet's routine check-ups, elective surgeries(Spay/Neuter), Dentals , emergencies, and everything in between.

At the Animal Hospital of Windsor, we're not kitten around when it comes to your pet's health. 🐾 our team of dedicated vets and purr-fessionals are here to provide top-notch care. From toothy grins to fluffy tails, we treat every patient like family because, well, we're a family-oriented business! 🏡💕

So mark your calendars, set your reminders, and keep our number on sp*ed dial because we're here to keep your pets feeling paws-itively fabulous! 📅📞
See you soon, Windsor pet pals! 🐶🐾🐱

220 Tecumseh Road W, Windsor Ontario
(519)-252-4327
Mon-Fri 9AM-11PM
Sat 9AM-11PM
Sun&Holiday 9AM-11PM

02/21/2024

🐾✨️ Happy 1 Year Anniversary to Animal Hospital Of Windsor 🐾✨️🎉

Time really does fly when you're having fun, cuddles and a whole lot of wagging tails! 😸🐶

From routine checkups to emergency care, we're here for you and your pets every step of the way 7-days a week!

Thank you for trusting us with your favorite fur-family member and for making our first year as successful as possible.❤️ 💙

Our success would not be possible without the amazing and professional veterinary staff. 🩺🏥

Please share your photos with us so we can all enjoy!

Here's to another great year! 🙏🏼✌🏼🎉

02/03/2024

Hey paw-some pet parents! 🐾

Your pet's dental health is nothing to 'brush' aside. Let's make February fabulous by giving our fur-babies the dental TLC they deserve! Here's to fresh breath and wagging tails! 🦷✨"

😁 Did you know that bad dental health can lead to more than just stinky kisses? It can also affect your pet's heart, kidneys, and overall well-being. 🐶🦷🐱

So, let's make sure those pearly whites shine brighter than a diamond collar! Remember to brush your pet's often and treat them to dental chews/food. Not only will they love the extra attention, but they'll also thank you with fresher breath that can rival a field of flowers! 🌼🌟

Think of it this way: good dental care keeps the vet away! 🏥 Let's prevent those costly toothaches and keep those tails wagging and purrs purring for years to come. Remember, a healthy smile leads to a happy heart! ❤️