Posts in Category: Pet Health & Wellness

Rabies may sound like a disease of the past, but with Canada’s first rabies-related human death since 2012, the fear is very real – and very close. Bats are the most common source of rabies, as the tragic loss of life in British Columbia proved. However, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and other mammals can transmit the virus through a single bite. 

Perhaps now more than ever, rabies prevention (in people and pets) is an important endeavor that Summeridge Animal Clinic supports.

The natural marketplace is booming – and for the most part, this is great for people’s health. But just because something is considered natural for us, it doesn’t mean that it’s safe for pets. Essential oils are just one example of natural products intended to help people with various issues (from stress to the common cold), but their purity is what can make certain oils dangerous to dogs, birds, and cats. 

If you have pets and essential oils at home, it’s critical to keep them apart.

Asthma is a chronic disease affecting the airways of the lungs, making it harder to breathe. An estimated 25.7 million Americans have asthma, 1.8 million of which are children.

Cats can suffer from asthma too, causing symptoms ranging from mild respiratory distress to life-threatening asthma attacks requiring hospitalization. Cat asthma is thought to be the result of an allergic reaction to inhaled particles, and can affect cats of any age (although most cats develop asthma between 4-5 years old).