Hope everyone had a safe and happy halloween.  

Once again we are having our Annual Pet Photos with Santa on Sunday, November 20, 2011 (12:00 -3:00 PM).   The proceeds go to Lions Foundation Dog Guides.  All welcome - so come out and join us for some fun and refreshments. 

As the cold weather is approaching, there are some things you should watch for as the upcoming weather changes. 

- If you have a dog, you may want to consider purchasing a coat to help keep the chill out of their bones.  Many pet stores have a variety of coats for your pets as well as booties, etc.  This may help when you are trying to get your pet to go outside to do their business, especially in the case of smaller breeds with no natural undercoat.  It can also help decrease the chance of frostbite.

Be sure to check the underside of your dogs' paws for ice build up as it can cause irritation between the toes. 

If you have an outdoor dog, make sure there is enough bedding in the dog house for warmth and that the water in the dish is not frozen.  If the temperatures drop really low, ensure you have the capabilities of keeping your dog somewhere indoors if needed.

Remember, NEVER to leave your pet unattended for long periods of time in your vehicle during the winter months as hypothermia can still set in even though they are in an enclosed space.  Some signs to watch for are:  Shivering, lethargy, weakness, difficulty breathing.  Frostbite is another thing that can happen if your pet is in the cold for too long.  It usually affects the paws, ears and tail of the pets.  Signs to watch for are:  Cold to the touch, swelling of the affected area, pain of the affected area, discoloration of the affected area. 

If you are not sure if your pet has hypothermia or frostbite, make sure to contact your regular veterinarian to have your pet assessed and treated as necessary.

Here comes Halloween

Well its that time again - Happy Halloween!!!  What is scary to your pet?  How about strange people dressed up in scary costumes ringing the doorbell, kocking and yelling "Trick or Treat"!  Some pets can become very stressed at this time of year.  Just be aware that the noise and strangers may frighten your pet and cause them to bolt out the door.  If your pet is greeting people at the door with you, have them on a leash of some sort so that in the event they get SPOOKED, you will still have control.

With all the candy and chocolate lying around during Halloween, chances are even the most well-behaved pet will be tempted to sample the treats or devour the entire stash!  Chocolate can be very toxic so be sure to put the candies up in a high place to avoid any kind of emergency.  If you think your pet has ingested some form of chocolate, please call us immediately as this is an emergency and should not be left untreated.

We also want to let everyone know that we are holding a Bake Sale Event with all the proceeds going to the Cancer Society.  The sale will be held at our clinic on Friday, October 28, 2011.  All welcome!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi there...well..it seems like forever since I last checked in but we wanted to take a minute to wish you all a very 'Happy Thanksgiving' from our new family and our little 'pumpkin' Grace...and the dogs too of course!!  I have been enjoying a wonderful summer which has been kind enough to not want to end!!

We hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends and give your furry friends a little extra 'holiday hug' from all of us at Winrose!

For those of you who have been asking, I'll be back at the hospital part-time as of early November...and I look forward to seeing you all then!!

She's here!!

Hello all...and Happy Canada Day!!

Dr. Eichkorn here again...

Well...I have now been off on maternity leave for an entire month and can honestly say I don't know where the time has gone....

As for the 'big' announcement on our new 'little' arrival...

Grace Michaela arrived in fine style on her due date, June 16th, at 1:18 in the morning weighing in at a substantial 8 lbs, 8 oz and 21 inches long!!

Mom and Dad and baby are all doing great and the 2 furry kids (ie. Beans and Sierra) seem to be adjusting well to their little human buddy....

I hope you are all beginning to enjoy some of the nice weather we've finally been having and that you all have a spectacular Canada Day!!  Yayy Canada!!

Impending deliveries....

Hi again!  Dr. Eichkorn here...

For those of you whom haven't already heard, I am now officially on maternity leave for the summer!  Yes...that's right...MATERNITY LEAVE!!

There have been a lot of surprised faces during this heartworm season when clients have been in for annual vaccines and check-ups or picking up heartworm medications!!  The belly has become quite obvious!!   Surprise!  lol  :<)

My fiance Cary and I are pleased and excited to announce she is due on June 15th!  Yes...We know already that it's a girl and are absolutely delighted!   Watch this space for more details once she arrives!  Here's hoping all goes smoothly and that labour isn't as bad as some of the stories I've heard!  :<)

Anyway...the plan is to be off until the end of September and then be back for a couple (maybe 2) days a week in the Fall...This is provided that the baby (and the fiance!) are co-operative!

If any clients would like to contact me on a non-urgent basis while I am away (I'm sure I will be at the clinic often anyway with baby in tow!), you can try me at drcarolynatwinrose@hotmail.com.   Can't guarantee how promptly I'll be able get back to you but I will certainly be checking this e-mail fairly regularly.

Well...that's about it for news for now!  Hope you are all well and have picked up your heartworm medication for the season.  It is sure to be a doozy of a year for mosquitos if this rain keeps up!

Here's hoping for sun...and a healthy baby!
Wish me luck...

Dr. Carolyn

P.S.  Couldn't resist adding a bit of veterinary humour!!

Here come the Mosquitoes

Well, its that time of year again.  Don't forget to come in and pick up your heartworm medication.  This medication helps in preventing the awful heartworm disease.  The mosquitoes this year are going to be exceptionally crazy due to all of the standing water.  Even if your pet stays mostly indoors, it is so important to make sure they are protected.  Those nasty little critters get inside your home too.  The medication always starts on the last day of May and continues until the end of October. 

SPRING IS HERE!!

Hi everyone....Dr. Eichkorn here making an attempt at 'blogging'....

Can you believe that Spring finally seems to be making its' appearance??  Yayy!

Unfortunately, the disappearance of the snow also means the appearance of those darn TICKS!!  Is your dog protected??

In addition to having a huge 'gross out' factor, ticks, and more specifically deer ticks, are carriers of Lyme Disease and a second tick-borne disease called Anaplasmosis.   Lyme disease is an emerging concern in Manitoba and we are now finding more dogs testing positive for Lyme on our multi-component heartworm tests than are testing positive for heartworm.  We are doing a great job with our heartworm preventatives but we have lots of room for improvement with prevention of our tick-borne diseases.

Lyme disease prevention comes in 2 main forms:
1.  Prevent the ticks from attaching to your dog.
2.  Vaccination.

We have 3 options for tick control that we currently recommend:

1.  Revolution:  Usually considered as a heartworm prevention (which it is!), started early in the season (mid-April to early May) Revolution provides quite good protection against ticks.
2.  Preventic collars:  These new-age veterinary exclusive collars work much better than tick collars of the past.  One collar applied properly should provide 90 days (ie. a whole season) of tick coverage.  Simple and effective....
3.  Advantix:  Another spot-on topical product that seems to work well against ticks...Cost effective and easy to apply.

Also, there is a new, more protective vaccine against Lyme that we are now carrying at the clinic.  Please ask us for more information on this new great vaccine...We are more than happy to help!  As the puppy above would suggest...hurry in before those darn ticks become an issue for this year!!

Well...that's about it for the spring update....It has been a busy season for me...Been raising a litter of 6 busy chocolate labradors since early February.  There are still 2 gorgeous females available...They are now 8 weeks old and ready for their new homes.   Please call or e-mail the clinic if you'd like more details.  I'll attach a few photos to this posting...if I can figure out how!  :<)

Enjoy the nice weather!  
Dr. Carolyn