BestFriends Veterinary Clinic

09/16/2025

This is a tragic reminder of the dangers of feeding raw diets. Genetic sequencing linked the H5N1 in the cat that died to the H5N1 in this recalled raw pet food. It’s important to note that steaming, freeze-drying, and “air drying” do not adequately kill the pathogens present in raw diets. H5N1, E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter present in raw diets also pose significant health risks to the humans who handle the foods and handle the pets that have these pathogens in their saliva, on their fur, and in their f***s. We know pet owners mean well when they feed raw and "minimally processed" diets, but PLEASE trust us when we say that they are NOT not safe!

Attention Pet Owners: FDA is notifying the public about test results that show H5N1 (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) contamination in samples from certain lots of RAWR Raw Cat Food Chicken Eats. https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/cvm-updates/fda-notifies-pet-owners-tests-show-h5n1-contamination-certain-lots-rawr-raw-cat-food-chicken-eats

Whole genome sequencing suggests a link between the cat food and the death of a cat.

09/15/2025

Shoutout to Northwest Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners for keeping our clinic floors so clean! They also do an amazing job on carpet. If your pet throws up or has accidents on your carpet , call us first so we can help fix them and make them feel better, then call Northwest to fix the stains in your home!

Residential and Commercial carpet, upholstery, area rug, tile and grout, and leather cleaning. Great

08/15/2025

We don't have a lot of sea lions roaming around our area, but this is a good reminder that Leptospirosis is a life-threatening disease. Almost every dog is at risk, whether they live in the country, suburbs, or city. Leptospirosis can also be spread from dogs to humans, so we recommend that all dogs be vaccinated against Leptospirosis.

Since July, we've rescued an unprecedented number of sea lions suffering from leptospirosis 🦠 This potentially deadly kidney infection can transmit easily between these animals and dogs 😨 Here's what you need to know ⬇️

⚠️ Give wildlife at least 50 yards (half a football field) of space
🪧 Signs of leptospirosis include tucked flippers (as shown), drinking water and lethargy
📲 Call our experts to report marine mammals in need at 415-289-SEAL (7325)
💉 Vaccinate your pets at your local veterinary clinic
🦮 Leash pets to keep them away from wildlife and infected water sources

Even with treatment, roughly two-thirds of animals that strand with this infection do not survive. Please, help keep all animals - flippered and furry - safe and share this post to spread the word ↗️

Find more information at https://bit.ly/3QjepIc.

07/10/2025

We now have BellyGuard surgery recovery suits available in sizes for dogs from 8 to 80 pounds! These are a great alternative to the "Cone of Shame". Ask us about one if your dog is having surgery. They should be coming soon for cats, too.

06/30/2025

We will be closed on Friday, July 4th so our staff can spend a long weekend with their families. This can be a scary time for dogs that have fireworks anxiety. Medication can help and we're happy to talk about it with you, just give us a call or text/email. We hope all our 4-legged and 2-legged friends have a safe and enjoyable holiday!

06/01/2025

03/14/2025

In honor of last night's spectacular lunar eclipse - also the first total lunar eclipse in over 2 years. Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

02/24/2025

Now that ma*****na is legal in Minnesota, it is more accessible to pets. Dogs and cats can be poisoned by ma*****na from smoke exposure or from eating any type of ma*****na/THC plant or edibles. THC oils intended for smoking/vaping are very highly concentrated and pose significant risk to pets. Pet Poison Helpline reports that they have seen a nearly 450% increase in ma*****na cases over the past 6 years, with the majority involving dogs or cats ingesting edibles.
If your dog or cat ingested ma*****na in any form, call us or or Pet Poison Helpline® immediately for life-saving treatment advice.

02/08/2025

This seems appropriate today. Have a peaceful snowy weekend, friends!

01/03/2025

We had the great honor of providing veterinary care for K9 Vader for the 8 years that he served with the Wright County Sheriff's Office and we send our profound sympathies to Sergeant Tester and his family who got to help Vader enjoy his well-deserved retirement. These dogs are so special!

12/23/2024

The clinic will be closed Tuesday, December 24th and Wednesday, December 25th so our staff can spend time with their families. We will be open as usual on Thursday and Friday. We hope your pets stay out of trouble while we're away, but since they often pick the most inopportune times to eat things they shouldn't, it's good to know that Pet Poison Helpline is a 24/7 animal poison control service available to pet owners.

An unattended bag of candy led to a headless Santa and a trip to the emergency pet hospital for this North Pole pooch. Find out what happened in this month’s edition of Toxin Tails:

https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/toxintails/north-pole-nightmare-before-christmas/

11/26/2024

We will be closed on Thursday 11/28 and Friday 11/29 so that our staff can enjoy a long weekend with their families. If you will need a refill on your pet's medication or food, give us a call or send us a text or email and we'll get it ready for you.