Is this an Emergency?

It isn’t always easy to know whether your pet’s symptoms can wait for a regular appointment or require immediate veterinary attention. If you are concerned about your pet or feel that something is seriously wrong, it is always appropriate to call a veterinary professional for guidance.

Seek immediate veterinary care if your pet is experiencing:

• Difficulty breathing, struggling to breathe, choking, or blue/grey gums or tongue

• Collapse, loss of consciousness, extreme weakness, or inability to stand

• Seizures lasting several minutes, repeated seizures, or failure to recover normally after a seizure

• Severe or uncontrolled bleeding

• Major trauma, such as being hit by a vehicle, attacked by another animal, or falling from a significant height - even if your pet initially appears okay

• Suspected poisoning or toxin exposure, including human medications, toxic foods, chemicals, plants, cannabis products, rodenticides, or other potentially harmful substances

• Repeated attempts to urinate with little or no urine produced, particularly in male cats

• A swollen or suddenly enlarged abdomen, especially when accompanied by repeated unsuccessful attempts to vomit, restlessness, weakness or collapse

• Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea, particularly when accompanied by blood, weakness, pain or inability to keep water down

• Signs of severe pain, such as crying, trembling, extreme restlessness, inability to get comfortable, or unusual agression when touched

• Sudden paralysis, inability to use one or more limbs, severe loss of balance, or other sudden neurological changes

• Eye injuries or sudden changes to the eye, including significant swelling, trauma, severe squinting or sudden vision loss

• Heatstroke or significant overheating, including excessive panting, weakness, vomiting, confusion or collapse

• Severe allergic reactions, particularly facial swelling accompanied by difficulty breathing, weakness, vomiting or collapse

• Difficult giving birth, prolonged straining without producing a puppy or kitten, or significant distress during labor

When You’re Not Sure

This list does not include every possible veterinary emergency. You know your pet best. A sudden or significant change in their behaviour, breathing, mobility, comfort, appetite, or overall condition may warrant urgent veterinary attention.

If something doesn’t seem right, please contact our clinic during regular business hours to help determine the appropriate next step. If it is outside our clinic hours, it is recommended to call a 24/7 facility.

24-Hour Emergency Veterinary Care

If your pet is experiencing an emergency while our clinic is closed, please contact Boreal Veterinary Centre at 780-306-4400. Address: 13940 164 St NW Edmonton, AB.

Pet Poison & Toxicity Information -

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants

ASPCA Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant Database is a searchable resource for identifying plants that may be toxic or non-toxic to dogs and cats.

If you believe your pet may have ingested a medication, chemical, plant, food or other potentially toxic substance, please contact a veterinarian or animal poison-control service promptly. Do not induce vomiting or administer a home remedy unless specifically instructed to do so by a veterinary professional. Do not wait for symptoms to develop - contact a veterinary professional for next steps.

There is a lot of pet-health information online, and unfortunately, not all of it is accurate. These resources provide reliable information to help pet owners learn more about their companions.

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association - Animal Owners

https://www.canadianveterinarians.net/public-resources/animal-owners/

Canadian veterinary information covering dogs, cats, other animals, responsible pet ownership and animal health. This resource has LOTS of information if you browse through the separate sections - all the way from travel with your pet, to reading pet food labels to benefits of vaccines/spays/neuters and the impacts to our Canadian environments!

VCA Canada Pet Health Library

https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet

This is a large collection of veterinarian-written articles covering medical conditions, medications, nutrition, behavior, preventive care and general pet health.

Edmonton Humane Society - Resources for Pet Guardians

https://www.edmontonhumanesociety.com/education/resources-for-pet-guardians/

This resource includes many local resources covering pet care, behavior, emergency preparedness, veterinary-care resources and other challenges pet owners may encounter.

Welcoming a new puppy or kitten is exciting - and sometimes a little overwhelming! Starting preventive care early can help set your new family member up for a happy and healthy life.

Edmonton Humane Society - Pet Guardian Guides

https://www.edmontonhumanesociety.com/education/resources-for-pet-guardians/guides/

Helpful guides for new and experienced pet owners covering everyday care, identification, enrichment, behavior and more.

VCA Canada Pet Health Library

https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet

Search for information about puppy and kitten nutrition, house training, socialization, vaccinations, parasite prevention, spaying/neutering and other common topics.

AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup

https://www.aaha.org/for-veterinary-professionals/microchip-registry-lookup-tool-aaha-find-your-pets-microchip-registry/

If you know a pet’s microchip number put aren’t sure which company it is registered with, this tool can help identify the appropriate registry to contact to ensure all your contact information is up to date and accurate.

Pet Licensing

https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/pets_wildlife/pet-licences-for-residents

Dogs and cars six months of age or older living in Edmonton are required to have a City of Edmonton pet license. Licensing also helps Animal Care & Control reunite lost pets with their families.

Responsible Pet Ownership

https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/pets_wildlife/owning-a-pet-in-edmonton

Whether you’re a new pet owner, or have lived with animals for years, it’s helpful to stay familiar with Edmonton’s current pet bylaws and community resources.

Lost or Found a Pet?

https://www.edmonton.ca/residential_neighbourhoods/pets_wildlife/animal-care-control-centre

City Of Edmonton Animal Care & Control.

• Here you can view lost pets currently in the City’s care and fine information about what to do if you have lost of found an animal within Edmonton.

Edmonton Humane Society - Lost & Found Pets

https://www.edmontonhumanesociety.com/services/lost-and-found-pets/

• This page provides a detailed lost-pet checklist and information about lost and found animals in Edmonton and surrounding communities.

If you find a pet and can safely handle them, a veterinary clinic may be able to scan them for a microchip. We recommend calling ahead before bringing a found animal to a clinic.

Pet Ownership Support

Sometimes pet owners encounter unexpected financial, housing, behavioral or lifestyle changes.

Edmonton Humane Society - Pet Rehoming & Support

https://www.edmontonhumanesociety.com/services/pet-rehoming-and-support/

• This page includes resources designed to help Edmonton-area pet owners find solutions, and whenever possible, keep pets together with their families.

Animal Welfare Concerns

Alberta SPCA - Animal Protection Resources

https://albertaspca.org/what-we-do/

Information about reporting suspected animal neglect, abuse or animals in distress. Within Edmonton, animal welfare concerns can be directed to 311; animals in immediate danger should be reported to 911.

Travelling internationally with a pet can require considerably more preparation than travelling alone. Requirements vary depending on the destination and may include vaccinations, microchip identification, laboratory testing, parasite treatments, veterinary examinations, health certificates and government endorsement.

CFIA - Pet Export Certificates & Requirements by Destination

https://inspection.canada.ca/en/travelling-pets-food-plants/travelling-pets

• Information for pets travelling from Canada to another country, including destination specific documentation and certification requirements.

Planning a Trip with your Pet?

Please contact the clinic as early as possible! Some countries have requirements that must be completed weeks or even months before travel, and requirements can change. The CFIA recommends reviewing travel requirements as soon as your travel details are known .

Travelling to the USA?

This is much simpler than it used to be, with the only requirements being a valid rabies vaccination, an accurate microchip & a completely filled out import form (see link below).

https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/rabies-free-low-risk-countries.html

Saying goodbye to a beloved companion can be one of the most difficult parts of sharing our lives with animals. Grief following the loss of a pet is real, and everyone experiences it differently.

If you are struggling with your pet’s quality of life or wondering whether it may be time to consider end-of-life care, please contact us. Our veterinary team can help assess your pet’s comfort, discuss their quality of life and talk through the options available to you.

There is no need to navigate these decisions alone.

Helpful Links

https://www.aplb.org/support/

• Information devoted solely to helping you better understand and deal with euthanasia and why it’s a humane choice for ill pets. Also includes information related to how pets mourn the loss of their companions and a chat room to discuss your loss with others.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/pet-death.html?ref=search

• A site dedicated to helping younger children understand what happens after a pet passes away and why they are experiencing new feelings. Also available in Spanish.

https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/quality-of-life-at-the-end-of-life-for-your-dog

• A webpage dedicated to help you decipher how your pet is feeling, and tips on assessing their quality of life at home.

Helpful online resources are a great starting point, but they cannot replace an examination or individualized veterinary advice.

If you’re concerned about your pet or aren’t sure which information applies to them, please contact our clinic at 780-487-9999 or granvillevetclinic@gmail.com. We’re always happy to point you in the right direction.

External resources are provided for general information purposes. Granville Veterinary Clinic is not responsible for the content of third-party websites, and inclusion of a link does not necessarily constitute endorsement of all information, products or services provided by that organization.