Riverbend Pet Hospital

08/23/2024

A couple new sweet babies for this week.

08/13/2024

Toby - cute little 13week toy poodle.

08/13/2024

Yami and Yuki- 2 new sweet kittens.

08/09/2024

Harmful algal blooms

The following is a message from our friends at the Minnesota Department of Health.

Warmer weather in Minnesota means a greater risk of harmful algal blooms. Blooms most often occur in late summer but can happen at any time including the spring, early summer, and late fall. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) advises veterinarians to be on the lookout for possible illnesses and deaths related to harmful algal bloom (cyanobacteria) exposure.

What should I know?

Pets and other animals can be exposed to HABs when they wade in, swim in, or drink from contaminated waterbodies. They can also be exposed to the toxins when they lick algae from their fur while grooming.

Symptoms animals experience during illness depend on the type of toxin present in the water and how the animal is exposed. The severity of the illness depends on the amount of water and algal cells ingested, the animal’s body size, the amount of food in the animal’s stomach, and the sensitivity of the species and individual animal.
Common symptoms generally begin minutes to hours after exposure to toxins and include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Rash
Difficulty breathing
General weakness
Liver failure
Seizures

In the worst cases, animals may suffer convulsions and/or die. MDH requests veterinarians report suspected or clinically diagnosed cases of HAB-related illness to the MDH Waterborne Diseases Unit.

08/08/2024

Be on the lookout: H5N1 in companion animals:

As the current dairy outbreak shows us, H5N1 can affect different species. Part of the Board of Animal Health's work to safeguard the health of animals is to always look for new cases with strong testing and surveillance. Veterinarians are pivotal in the success of disease surveillance. While often associated with birds, recent research underscores the importance of considering H5N1 testing when diagnosing sick animals including cats and dogs.

While relatively rare, cases of H5N1 in dogs and cats have been documented. Clinical signs may include:

Respiratory distress.
Fever.
Lethargy.
Gastrointestinal issues.

Because of the overlap with other companion animal illnesses, such as canine influenza and feline upper respiratory infections, maintaining a high degree of suspicion is crucial for early detection.

07/25/2024

Just a friendly reminder it will be hot outside in the next couple days. Please allow your animals extra time to cool off and bring extra water for them. If it is too hot to put your bare foot on pavement, it is too hot for your animal's paws. Also please DO NOT keep your pet in a car that is not running with A/C. Stay safe and stay cool!

07/22/2024

New Puppies, Kitties and new patients

07/12/2024

07/04/2024

Just a friendly reminder we are CLOSED today. We will reopen tomorrow with regular business hours (8-5:30). If you have any emergency please call AERC in Oakdale 651-501-3766 or SMAEC in Apple Valley 952-953-3737. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday!

06/28/2024

Riverbend Pet hospital will be CLOSED on July 4th. We will have normal business hours Wednesday the 3rd and Friday the 5th (8-5:30). If you have an Emergency please call AERC in Oakdale 651-501-3766 or SMEAC in Apple Valley 952-953-3737.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. We hope everyone human and animal stay safe and enjoy the holiday!

05/27/2024

Happy Memorial Day!
As always, have a safe and happy holiday!🐾

05/23/2024

Planning to take your dog hiking or camping this Memorial Day weekend? 🐾🌲
Here are a few safety tips from vet tech Rachel: https://aercmn.com/camping-and-hiking-with-your-dog-part-ii-safety-tips

05/23/2024

Picnic season has arrived! Here are some tips for safe snacking with your pet. 🍏🥦

05/23/2024

Happy Summer!☀️

To kick off Summer of 2024, we have decided to do another cover photo contest!! Comment picture(s) of your pets to be able to enter and we will decide after this holiday weekend! 🐾

Have a great day! 😊

05/21/2024

Annie

05/21/2024

05/14/2024

Moose

05/07/2024

Check out this video by the AKC! 🐾

Researchers are describing raw dog food as an international public health risk, because it is helping to spread medication-resistant "superbugs."

05/02/2024

Cookie

04/23/2024

Come on in to pick up everyone’s favorite catnip toys! Made by our very own technician Brianne.
She has brought many color variations and patterns! What we have available:
-Octopus
-Mouse
-Donut
-Cheeseburger
- Ball

One for $3 or Two for $5
Balls are $1 each.

CASH ONLY! ( due to being donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 🥰)
Thank you! Have a great week 🐾😊