Blackberry Veterinary Center, PLLC

04/20/2025

Happy Easter!
Show us your Easter bunnies!

04/18/2025

We're just going to leave this here. No reason at all.

Learn about cannabis intoxication in cats and dogs. VCA Animal Hospital offers professional guidance to help you ensure the health and happiness of your pet.

04/17/2025

04/12/2025

04/10/2025

Last week we mentioned a potential outbreak of distemper in raccoons. So, what is distemper?

No, it doesn’t have to do with your dogs’ temperament. Canine Distemper Virus is a highly contagious and often fatal disease of domestic dogs and other animals such as ferrets, skunks, and raccoons. It is incurable and affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous systems.

The disease is spread mainly by direct contact or airborne exposure. Sneezing, coughing, barking, sharing food and water bowls are a handful of ways the virus can be spread. Infected mothers can also pass the virus to their unborn puppies. Dogs with distemper need to be separated from other dogs to prevent the disease from spreading.

Distemper initially attacks the cells of the of the immune system, weakening the immune response and putting the dog at a high risk of other infections. As the virus spreads to respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, dogs typically develop clinic signs such as: diarrhea, vomiting, thick yellow eye and nasal discharge, and cough. As it moves to the nervous system, you could see seizures, stumbling, head tilt, and paralysis.

There is no specific treatment for distemper. Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, but can help control the secondary bacterial infections that often occur with distemper. Treatment is supportive care, such as hospitalization, isolation, fluids, intensive care, symptomatic treatments, and anti-seizure medications.

Thankfully, there are highly effective vaccines to protect your dogs from this deadly disease. The vaccine is routinely given to puppies at 8, 12, and 16 weeks, but can also be started at any age. Once vaccinated, additional boosters will be given yearly. Distemper is considered one of the core vaccines and should be given to all dogs.

04/02/2025

Suspected distemper cases in racoons. Remember to keep your pets up to date on their distemper vaccines!

03/28/2025

03/20/2025

Happy Spring Equinox!

Window art by the very talented Jaydeen. 👩‍🎨🌸🌼

03/19/2025

****COVERED**** Thank you for the quick and generous support!! Francy fundraiser coming soon… 👀

We haven't introduced you to puppy Francy yet but her time is coming.... Unfortunately, she has some pretty bad wounds and being able to share her with the public without sharing super graphic photos is challenging. Hopefully, next week we can cover up some of her wounds with some creative photo editing to be able to share this sweet girl, her traumatic story, and her super long road to recovery. In the meantime, this girl needs some groceries, can you help this girlie out?

If you are able and willing to purchase a bag of food for pickup from the Chuck & Don’s North Oaks location, Francy (and MPBR!) would be so grateful.

Requested Food: https://chuckanddons.com/products/nutrisource-grain-free-large-breed-puppy-recipe-dry-dog-food?variant=40151504617654

Chuck & Don’s, North Oaks for “MN Pit Bull Rescue”: https://stores.chuckanddons.com/mn-north-oaks-128/

03/08/2025

It's that time of year! Make sure you're stocked up on your pet's preventative!

03/01/2025

At Blackberry Vet we are very fortunate to have a team of hard working, intelligent, powerful, and hilarious women.
Happy Women's History Month!

02/10/2025

A very loved and hard working K9 crossed the rainbow bridge early this morning.
Rex was a gentle soul and wise beyond his years. His uplifting presence every time he entered our clinic doors never went unnoticed, and the smiles he brought to each of us will last a lifetime. We are incredibly fortunate to have been even a small part of his life.
Thanks to Rex and the impact he’s had, we have had the honor of becoming a part of such a phenomenal organization that will continue to leave such a positive impact on the community around us. There will always be a missing piece of our puzzle here at Blackberry with his absence, but we know Rex's light will always be here with all of us.
Ed, Dana, and the Soldiers 6 family, our hearts go out to you.
Rex went on his own time and he will continue to lead the pack up there. We love you Rex. The heavens are shining brighter than ever. ❤️🪽✨

02/07/2025

Share the 3rd pet photo you have in your photo roll. We wanna see those fur babies!

02/06/2025

February is national pet dental month!

Did you know periodontal disease is the most common dental condition in dogs and cats? By the age of three, 80% of dogs and 70% of cats will have some degree of periodontal disease. Early detection can be critical, because advanced periodontal disease can cause not only mouth pain, but can also cause problems with kidney, liver, and heart muscle changes.

We recommend coming in once a year to have your pet's teeth and gums checked at their annual exam. Along with checking for periodontal disease, we'll check for issues like broken teeth, bad breath, tartar and more. From there, we can help guide you on proper dental care.

We also recommend that your pet gets a routine dental cleaning. During a cleaning, we put them under anesthesia for a more thorough dental exam, scaling, probing, polishing, and extracting if needed.

February & March we are offering $100 off your pet's dental cleaning! Call the clinic for more information and to get scheduled!

You can read more about your pet's dental care in the link below.

Dental health is an important part of a pet's overall health. A pet's teeth and gums should be checked at least once a year by a veterinarian.

01/28/2025

Hey Blackberry Fam,
Does this cute kitty look familiar to you? She was found and brought to our clinic to check for a microchip. One wasn't found, but she appears to have been well taken care of.
If you think she might be yours, please contact our clinic so we can help you reconnect.
651-552-9101.

01/23/2025

Did you know the leptospirosis vaccine is now considered a core vaccine for your dog?

What is a core vaccine?
These are vaccines that are recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association regardless of breed, age, gender, or lifestyle.

What is leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a bacteria found in soil and water that can cause kidney failure with or without liver failure. It is spread through wildlife. Dogs can become infected if their mucous membranes or an open wound are exposed to: infected urine, contaminated soil or water, through a bite from an infected animal, or by eating infected tissue.
Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be spread from animals to humans.

Why is it now a core vaccine?
Previously leptospirosis was found mostly in rural or hunting dogs in wet climates, but new research has shown that it's now in urban environments and a variety of climates.
Some dog boarding facilities are starting to require the vaccine.

The leptospirosis vaccine can be started at 12 weeks of age, boostered 3-4 weeks later, then administered annually.

Below is a link to read further on leptospirosis.

Protect your pet against leptospirosis by learning about clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.