Client Feedback - Sirius the Cat Star

There are some pretty wonderful things about being a veterinarian - puppies and kittens, great owners and fantastic pets that you get to know over the years, just to name a couple. Unfortunately, though, conversations about the end of life stages for beloved pets is a reality that owners and  veterinarians face nearly every day. It is never easy. So, we do the best we can to make those decisions as comfortable for the owner and for the pet, but we don't always know how that is received by you, our clients.

A little while ago we received an email from a client who is new to our practice here at GLVH, but who wanted to share his thoughts with us and specifically asked us to make sure that we let you see it, too.

Thank you, Francois, for your kind words. We look forward to seeing you and your other feline family members under healthier circumstances.

The email, in its entirety, is posted here.

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Sent: Tuesday May 26, 2015
Pet's Name: Sirius the Cat Star
Subject: Exceptional Support and Service from the Staff at Guelph Lake VH

My wife, Carolyn, and I would like to express our sincerest thanks to Dr. Gardiner and the staff of the Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital. We recently moved to Guelph and have found a sympathetic, understanding and truly supportive team of professionals. We brought our cat, Sirius, in for an assessment and treatment. 

The entire team from beginning to end provided support and assistance in determining what was troubling our feline family member. Everyone took time to explain exactly what was happening to our "boy" and what we needed to try to bring him back to health. 

Despite all attempts, Sirius did not improve after the first week or so of treatment. Tonight, we called after hours and Dr. Gardiner, who was still in the hospital, answered the phone. He remained after hours to help us ease the passing of our little boy. 

We wish to express our sincerest gratitude to Dr. Gardiner for his sympathy and kindness. You can be sure that if you need help with your animal companion, that the staff of the Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital will provide unparalleled service.

Levi the long-legged wonder

It's been awhile since we've had a feline from the Guelph Humane Society here so we're pleased to introduce Levi to you! It's nice to have a "resident" cat in the clinic again, but we'd really love to find this handsome fellow a permanent home quickly.

Levi is a lovely long-tailed, long-legged green-eyed kitty who likes to be around people and has enjoyed exploring the clinic. He came to the Guelph Humane Society as a stray and has recently been neutered and had his first set of shots. He's a pretty mellow guy, and would likely do well in a house with other pets or children. He's got an easily coaxed purr, and is content to sit and cuddle for awhile!

If you or someone you know are interested in coming by to get to know him, just drop in during our regular business hours.

UPDATE: Levi has been adopted and is enjoying exploring his new home and getting to know his new family!

GLVH sponsors U16-18 Guelph Soccer teams

Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital is proud to be sponsoring two Guelph Soccer house league teams! We'll be watching their progress as the U16-18 Girls Royal Blue team and the U16-18 Boys Kelly Green team work their way through the season. We're also looking forward to cheering them on in person at the Eastview Sports Park, just across from our location at Eastview Rd and Watson Pkwy N.

Goooooo, Team(s)!

Guelph Lake Vet Hospital at Community Night

Staff from Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital are excited to be attending the Grange Hill East Neighbourhood Group's Community Night tonight (March 26th).

We'll be there to answer questions about our services and say hello to community members. Drop by tonight for a chance to learn more about the Grange Hill East Neighbourhood Group's programs, meet our City Councillors, mingle with neighbours and win some door prizes!

More information at gheng.ca!

Opt to Adopt - Sandra Dee

Guelph Lake Vet Hospital is happy to welcome little Sandra Dee to our clinic! This adorable 9 month old calico kitten is available for adoption through the Guelph Humane Society.

Sandra Dee - making herself at home on the reception desk!

She is friendly and chatty, with an adventurous spirit and a strong desire to snuggle. She also has a top-level purr that isn't hard to coax out. On just her second day here at the clinic she has already made herself comfortable lounging on our reception desk with a great view of the outside world.

Staff at the Guelph Humane Society shared that in her time at their facility she seemed to be very interested in other cats and would be a suitable pet for all ages.

If you're interested in meeting Sandra Dee, drop by GLVH during our regular office hours for a visit, or you can call the Guelph Humane Society directly for more information.

Healthy mouth = healthy pet!

At GLVH, we believe that veterinary medicine is as much about preventative care as it is about treatment of pet illnesses. One of the best ways to help maintain your pet's basic health is to ensure that their mouths and teeth are healthy. Thank you to Dr. Melissa Cirinna for this post explaining what to watch for, treatments options and preventative options!

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Does your pet show any of these signs?

Stinky Breath                         
Excessive Drooling
Dropping Kibble                    
Avoiding Hard Foods
Pawing at the Mouth            
Loss of Teeth
Changes in Behaviour 

...If so, they may be part of the 75% of cats and dogs that suffer from dental disease.
     Dental disease begins with the accumulation of plaque on the teeth. Over time the plaque hardens into tartar which aggravates the gums causing gingivitis.  Gingivitis is painful inflammation of the gums, we see it as red, inflamed gums that may bleed when touched.  With time, gingivitis will progress to periodontal disease.  Signs of periodontal disease include tooth loss, infection and pain.  Periodontal disease can also lead to bacteremia.  Bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the blood.  Bacteremia can lead to heart, kidney and liver disease.  
     Thankfully periodontal disease is preventable through good oral hygiene routines.  Good oral health starts with puppies and kittens who should be introduced to daily brushing as part of their early training.  In addition to brushing, pets should be fed a diet specifically formulated to keep plaque accumulation to a minimum and mechanically remove tartar build-up.  Chewing on toys and treats can also help, but exercise caution, toys can be too hard.  Take the knee cap test, if you would not be comfortable hitting the toy against your knee cap, then your pet shouldn't be chewing on it.  Avoid bones and hard nyla bones.  Visit the Veterinary Oral Health Council site for a list of treats, food and products that have met their standards maintaining oral health.  
     What if your pet already shows signs of dental disease, is it too late? Of course not!  The first step for cats and dogs with signs of oral disease is a thorough veterinary exam. After examination the veterinarian may recommend a dental prophylaxis and examination under general anesthesia.  During the dental prophylaxis and examination the veterinarian will thoroughly examine your pet's mouth and document any signs of disease including gingivitis, loose teeth, abscesses, gingival recession, root exposure and fractures. All teeth will be scaled to remove tartar build-up and polished.  Diseased teeth, loose teeth or fractured teeth will be extracted to remove any source of pain or infection.  After a dental prophylaxis the veterinary team will help you to begin an at home plan that includes brushing and an appropriate diet to maintain the health of your pet's mouth.

Speak with your veterinary team today to book your pets' free oral health assessment!

Bell is ready for adoption!

The staff at Guelph Lake Vet are enjoying having little Bell in the clinic for the last week - she is the friendliest, cuddliest little kitten!

A sister to the two kittens we had in a couple of weeks ago, Bell is a sweetheart who loves to be around people. She is spayed and has had her first shots and is ready to go to a loving home.

If you or someone you know would like to meet her, drop by anytime during our office hours for a visit!

Call (519) 824-9898 for more information, or come by 322 Eastview Road to meet Belle.

As always, there are lots of dogs and cats available for adoption at the Guelph Humane Society - you can find out more about them on the GHS adoption gallery page.

Our first kittens have arrived!

Guelph Lake Vet is happy to start our partnership with the Guelph Humane Society as a satellite adoption location. We've got a brand-new multi level cat condo in our hospital which will be home to kittens and cats looking for their forever families. The current residents are these adorable little two month old black kittens. They even have black whiskers and black paw pads!

These sweeties have already been claimed by a family who visited them on Sunday, and we don't blame them one bit for falling in love with both of them! Snow and Charm are tightly bonded and follow each other around, so we're happy that they will be going to the same home once all of the Humane Society interview and approvals process is completed.

Until then, we'll be cuddling them and making sure they are spayed, neutered and have their first round of shots.

Holiday hours at Guelph Lake Veterinary

Please see below for our holiday hours schedule!

Dec 24th - 8am-noon
Dec 25th - Closed
Dec 26th - Closed
Dec 27th - 10am - 7pm (normal hours)
Dec 28th - Closed (normal hours)
Dec 29th - 11am - 2pm (normal hours)
Dec 30th - 10am - 7pm (normal hours)
Dec 31st - 8am - noon
Jan 1st - Closed
Jan 2nd - return to regular weekly schedule.

If you have any questions or concerns about your pet over the holidays please call in to the hospital to be directed to emeregency medical services. If it is not an urgent medical question, we will be checking emails daily and will respond at that time.

Guelph Lake Vet thanks community for Grand Opening success

The ownership and staff of Guelph Lake Veterinary Hospital would like to thank everyone who joined us at our Grand Opening celebration on Sunday, December 8th.

We were so thrilled to see so many familiar faces come through the door – family, friends and supporters, as well as some new clients and neighbours! GLVH's first-ever pet patient, Lily the sheltie, visited with her owners and Dr. Mel was in charge of examining stuffed animal pets that joined us with their young owners.

We were pleased to meet representatives from the City of Guelph including Ian Findlay (our Ward 2 representative) who was our first visitor of the day and Cam Guthrie who, despite being a Ward 4 councillor, made the trek allllll the way over to our side of the city!

Thank you to Caroline and Gwen from the Guelph Humane Society for bringing so many adorable cats for adoption. Our bank of kennels in the treatment area of the hospital was full of rambunctious kittens and had a crowd around it all afternoon. The very friendly Harvey, a big fluffy black cat, was adopted and several other families were interested in learning more about the process for adoption. Stay tuned for more details on our continuing relationship with the Humane Society!

We were happy to have a collection of door prizes provided by our vendors and associates, and one lucky little girl even won an iPod Shuffle! We were also pleased to provide refreshments to our guests, featuring local businesses including Planet Bean coffee, a delicious cheese assortment from Chartelli’s on Grange Rd, and adorable (and delicious!) cupcakes from Sweet Temptations.

We are so happy to be part of this community on the east end of Guelph, and we look forward to meeting more of our neighbours and business leaders in the months to come. If you weren't able to come to the Grand Opening, we welcome you to drop in and say hello!