Willowdale Animal Hospital

Sniff, sniff. Yuck. What is that smell?! Here at the hospital it’s a story we hear all too often. Almost daily we see concerned pet owners distressed and embarrassed about their dog’s foul flatulence (or passing gas). Firstly, this is a common problem and typically not something you’d need to worry about too much. That said, we understand that for people who take their dogs in to work, or keep them at their side during a variety of social situations, doggy gas can be a real issue.

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Welcome 2012! This year we’ve joined a gym, filled the fridge with nutritious food and are determined to get healthy! Part of this process means getting into gear and getting into the doctors office for our annual check-ups and to get our flu shots! No pesky bug will be getting in the way of our family fitness action plan this year — No sir!

This is also a great time of year to arrange the vaccination schedule that can help reduce the risk of your lovable family pet suffering from a number of aliments and ensure that they remain happy and healthy for a very long time. Read More

So the holidays have just passed and you’re only a couple pounds heavier then when you started before the season. You know that a couple of weeks of eating sensibly and getting back into your regular active routine will do the trick to get you back in pre-December form in no time. That’s all well and good, but when it comes to your small dog a couple of pounds can make a huge difference in their overall Body Mass Index, health and mobility. The problem with excess weight in pets is that it puts them at higher risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease, arthritis, inflammation disorders, some cancers, ligament tears, pancreas problems, and a shortened lifespan to name a few.  Its better to keep the weight off now, rather than have surgery to fix a broken knee later. And remember, it’s far better to keep the weight off now, rather than need surgery to fix a broken knee later.

When examining your dog to better understand the reason for their recent weight gain, you should remember to employ some self scrutiny. If you know that you’ve been neglecting your walking routine and that your aunt Edith may have thrown your pup one too many tasty treats over the holidays then you have your culprit. On the other hand, if your pup’s weight has crept up over time you may need to work with your vet to determine if a an exercise routine and calorie reduced diet are necessary to get him or her back on track. Read More