Dawson Creek Veterinary Clinic
238-116 Avenue V1G 3C8 Dawson Creek, BC, Canada

With the holiday season well underway we want to remind everyone of some of the common, and not so common, health hazards your pet may be exposed to this time of year. Check out the article below for more information. https://betterpet.com/holiday-pet-hazards/

Congratulations to our winners! These were 2 of the "door" prizes from our Bovine Health webinar on November 24th. The winner of the Cross 5 cooler was extremely pleased as she was debating on the purchase of one of these awesome coolers. By the way, we still have a few coolers in stock at the clinic! Congratulations ladies!

Happy work anniversary to Jeneen! Jeneen is one our lovely large animal vet assistants and has been assisting our large animal vets doing all sorts of crazy things for the past 8 years! We appreciate her care for all our staff, our clients, and our equine patients. A few fun tidbits about Jeneen: Jeneen was born in Doyelstown, Pennsylvania. If she could have one superhero ability it would be to fly so I could get places faster! One thing on her bucket list is to go whal...e watching. Her favorite thing about working at a vet clinic is getting to meet all of the interesting clients and seeing the beautiful sites of BC when we go out to farms around the area. Thank you for all your hard work Jeneen, we really appreciate it!

These awesome Advent Calendars have arrived at the clinic. Our first order sold out in just one day! We will try to keep them in stock until Christmas! Made with 100% Canadian beef liver, each calendar holds 72 treats. Available for cats and dogs. Also available on our online store - dcvet.ca

Happy 1st year work anniversary to Reagan! Reagan is one of our lovely vet assistants who has become a fantastic help in both large and small animal and we are so happy to have her at the clinic! A few fun facts about Reagan... She was born in Lethhbridge, Alberta.... If she could have one superhero ability it would be to fly so she could travel and experience more things around the world. One thing on her life bucket list is to train and ride a cow or steer because ....why not? Her favorite thing about working at the vet clinic is: "It has always been how I learn something everyday from being around a team that are constantly continuing their own education.. and from the variety of patients we work with." Thanks for all your hard work and positive energy over the past year Reagan! We really appreciate it!!

Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday!

We had 5 team members graduate this spring that werent able to have a graduation ceremony so recently we held a mini graduation ceremony to celebrate all our new grads! Congratulations to Dr. Evany and our animal techs Hailey, Amy, Hannah and Ellen on your graduation! Welcome to an amazing profession and we are so happy to have you all starting your careers with us! Big thanks to Jeneen Awckland and Liz Webb on the creating the beautiful graduation cake!

Animal Pain Awareness Month.

Happy work anniversary to one of our amazing animal health techs Diane! Diane joined us last year but came with a wealth of experience having worked as a tech for many years. Diane does an exceptional job of making the veterinary experience positive for each of our patients. A few fun facts about Diane: She is originally from High Prairie, Alberta.... If she could have one superhero ability it would be to make every animal love coming to the vet clinic. One thing on her life bucket list is to go back to Ireland. Dianes favorite thing about working at the clinic: Of course working with the animals. I love nothing more than gaining the trust of a stressed or scared cat or dog and having them leave on a positive note. And how could I forget being able to work some of the most, pretty darn amazing people. Thanks very much for all your hard work Diane!! We really appreciate it

Just a reminder that our office is closed today and Monday for the Labour Day long weekend. We will be back in the office Tuesday Sept. 8th. Have a great long weekend and Happy Caturday!

Happy work anniversary to Jessica one of our small animal receptionists and weekend boarding attendant! Jessica joined us last year and has been enthusastically learning many aspects of working at the vet clinic. A few fun facts about Jessica: She was born in Kamloops If she could have a superpower it would be to have the power to heal anything such as wounds, sickness or broken bones. One thing on her bucket list is to see the Seven Wonders of the World.... Her favorite thing about working at the vet clinic is when she gets to see the smile and relief on peoples faces when their pets have recovered and returned to them from a medical procedure. Jessica is going to be leaving us temporarily as she is starting school in respiratory therapy but we are happy that she will be back on/off to help us out! Thank you Jessica for all your hard work and we want to wish you the best of luck in school this coming year!

Our pets can be very subtle when it comes to showing pain or discomfort. If you notice any of these signs please contact your veterinarian. There are many options available to help keep your pet comfortable especially as they get older.

Yay for the long weekend!! Our clinic will be closed Saturday, September 5th and Monday September 7th. Please remember we require 48 hours notice to fill prescriptions!

URGENT MESSAGE: We have had 3 parvovirus cases since Friday. This is typically a disease of puppies and young dogs and can be fatal if untreated. Usually the affected dog will start vomiting, stop eating, become lethargic and eventually develop bloody diarrhea. ... Please make sure your puppy or young dogs vaccines are up to date and that exposure to public areas is limited until the vaccine series is complete. If you are unsure of your puppies vaccine status or if your pup develops these symptoms please contact your veterinarian. Here is an article with more detailed information with regards to symptoms etc. https://www.avma.org/resources-//petcare/canine-parvovirus

Happy 5th work anniversary to Lindsay! Lindsay is one of our wonderful vet assistants who works in both large and small animal. Last year she took a brief sabbatical to work at her familys farm but we were happy to have her back again last fall. A few fun tidbits about Lindsay: She was born in Kamloops B.C If she had one superhero ability it would be to fly!... One thing on her bucket list is to go to Australia. Her favorite thing about working at the clinic is of course working with the animals and constantly learning. No day is the same! Thanks for all your hard work Lindsay, we really appreciate it!

How many cat owners can relate to this? #caturday

Best wishes to our wonderful vet tech summer student, Taylor who is headed back to school at Fairview College! Taylor worked for us before getting into tech school and we were quite happy to have her back this summer. Thanks for all your hard work Taylor and best of luck in your last year of school!

We have a heartwarming case to share that the fabulous Dr. Charlotte worked with over the August long weekend! Camping, hiking and backcountry trips are enjoyed by both us and our furry companions. We all know how important it is to know basic First Aid for ourselves, but it can save our dogs too. Bandit and his owner were out on a riverboat trip when disaster struck. Thanks to his owners quick thinking and skills, Bandit survived and is doing excellent at home. This is...Continue reading

Its National Dog Day so lets celebrate the dogs in our lives Please share a picture of your dog(s) in the comments below.

Wed like to wish a special welcome to Hannah Sullivan, one of our new veterinary technicians! Hannah originates from Bon Accord, Alberta and graduated from the animal health technician program at Lakeland College this past spring. Hannah brought her little Yorkie, Rosie, with her to Dawson Creek but also has a German shepherd named Maggie and a horse named Orlando that she left back home. Hannah particularly enjoys scrubbing in and assisting with surgeries as well as assis...ting the vets in figuring out what is wrong with our wordless patients. Outside of work Hannah enjoys hiking and camping, riding her horse, most every sport and spending time with my family and friends. Welcome to clinic and the community, Hannah. We are so glad to have you join our amazing team!

Congratulations to 3 of our rockstar veterinary technicians Hailey, Amy and Ellen who just passed their veterinary technician licensing exam (VTNE)! Way to go ladies!!!

The sun is out, well some days, and BBQ season is upon us. Just a quick reminder that the cob from corn on the cob should not be given to your dog. He /she could choke on it or it could cause a blockage in the intestines or stomach. We had to perform emergency surgery to remove a corn cob from a small breed dog a couple of days ago. Please make sure this doesnt happen to you and your dog.

Did you know not all cat carriers are created equally? Here are a few things to look for when bringing your cat to your veterinarian. Easily removable tops can allow us to do the majority of the appointment in the kennel bottom to help reduce stress. Check out the picture below. #Cat2VetDay

Carl loves his walks! Cats (and dogs) that have the opportunity to get out doors to explore are far more susceptible to getting worms and other parasites. We recommend deworming your pets every six months, usually in early spring and again in the fall. Which means deworming time is coming up for many of our fur friends!

Obesity can shorten your dogs life span. Canine obesity is associated with several major health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and more. Your veterinarian can provide so much helpful information, such as an ideal daily caloric in take, foods to avoid, eating schedules, and examine your dog to make sure they are fit for exercise, which is a key component to weight management. While it can be hard to say no to those big "puppy dog" eyes, try to avoid feeding your dog human foods and treats, and aim for daily walks of at least 15 to 30 minutes twice a day.

Do you live with a male cat? Urethral obstruction brings many male cats into our clinic, often in a state of emergency. Signs of "straining" to urinate, or frequent litter box visits which result in very little urine being deposited, seemingly painful urination or blood in the urine can be signs of an obstruction, which can quickly become life threatening. A blocked bladder can cause high potassium levels (called hyperkalaemia) which can affect the way that the heart beats and can cause death. If your cat is experiencing urinary issues please discuss it with your veterinarian as soon as possible!

If you have been into our clinic you will have noticed that we carry a very large selection of canine and feline food. From puppies and kittens to adult dogs and cats, we know no two pets are alike. Pets have different biological needs at different life stages, so we stock cutting-edge food developed for precisely-balanced nutrition for all stages of your pets life. We have scientifically-developed foods for the specific needs of healthy pets, like supporting mobility and j...oint health for dogs, helping cats prone to hairballs, weight management, senior care, dental care and more. For your convenience, we also offer all of these products (and over a thousand more!) plus a selection of Equine supplies and supplements at our online store....dcvet.ca. Want to know more about how your pet can benefit from a specialized diet? Give us a call, 250-782-5616. See more

We would like to send best wishes to our summer student Victoria who is headed back to school at the WCVM in a few weeks. We love our summer vet students and Victoria was no exception. We really appreciated her passion for learning, assisting with anything that came through the doors and staying late or coming in on weekends eager to participate in emergency cases! Victoria was a pleasure to teach and we wish her all the best as she continues her final years of vet school!

It brings us great joy to welcome Dr. Evany Forrest back to the Dawson Creek Veterinary Clinic but this time as one of our veterinarians! Dr. Evany has been a familiar face at our clinic over the years when she volunteered with us before she got into vet school and then two years ago worked with us as our summer vet student. Dr. Evany grew up in southern BC but spent several years working in northern BC before vet school. Dr. Evany graduated from the University of Calgary Ve...terinary Medicine program this spring. In her final year of vet school she spent quite a bit of time working at several equine referral practices. She loves working on all species but has a passion for equine medicine and dentistry work. Dr. Evany also really enjoys helping her patients improve their performance and comfort both in large and small animal, especially geriatrics. Dr. Evany grew up 3-day eventing and is looking forward to getting back to the world of equine sport here in Dawson Creek. Outside of work she enjoys boating, travelling, scuba diving and spending time with her heeler, Jet! Please join us in welcoming Dr. Evany. We are so happy to have her back on the team and know her talent, enthusiasm and passion for veterinary medicine will be a great benefit to our clients, patients and the community!

To all our cattle clients: The Canadian Beef Industry Conference is online and FREE this year! Dr. Christa attended last year and really enjoyed all the progressive ideas and stimulating discussions presented at the conference. Consider signing up - see the links below! This year you can bale hay and tune in at the same time

Just a friendly reminder that we will be closed for the long weekend! Pictured below are Kortnee and McKenzie taking boarded dogs for some play time in the yard. These water bottles are so great for keeping pets hydrated on the go!

Wed like to send a special welcome to Sarah ONeil. Sarah is a new friendly face youll be seeing behind the reception counter and hearing on the phone. Sarah moved to Dawson Creek from Calgary last summer and brought with her two horses (Cheyanne and Wyatt) and two dogs (a toy poodle named Maddie and an American Bulldog x Border Collie named Reno). Outside of work Sarah loves camping, horseback riding, traveling and hunting. Welcome Sarah, were so glad to have you join the team!

Just when we thought calving season had wrapped up another one comes through the door! Remember to keep checking those late calvers.. the cow to this calf had a set of twins and the first one was quite dead and smelly. After some hard work, Dr. Christa got the first dead calf out and then delivered this live miracle calf !

CHECK UNDER YOUR VEHICLES With the warmer weather your pets may seek relief from the heat by getting under your truck or car. This is especially concerning for older pets that may have lost some of their hearing and may not hear the engine start or for those that are unable to move very quickly anymore. Please just take a minute and have a quick look, it could save a life.

Long weekend closure: our clinic will be closed Saturday August 1st and Monday August 3 for the long weekend. Please remember to fill any prescriptions your pet may require during this time. We require 48 hrs to fill prescriptions, so please call in your renewals as soon as possible!

More truth about spaying and neutering your pets... Myth: My dog or cat will become far and lazy after being spayed. Fact: Cats and dogs become fat and lazy because they are being fed too many calories (either in the form of food or as treats) and they are not getting enough exercise. It is true that spaying or neutering reduces calorie needs by about 20% so it is necessary for feed less after the procedure. Regardless of reproductive status, the energy needs of your pet will decrease as it matures into an adult. All adult pets (intact or not) should be fed according to their weight and activity levels.

Dr. Harder and her cute assistant Zeke mentoring our new techs, students and Dr. Evany.

Still wondering if you should spay or neuter your pet? Myth: Spaying and neutering is ridiculously expensive! Fact: Spaying and neutering costs much less than any other surgical procedure. The cost of spay or neuter covers medication to pre-medicate, anesthetize, as well as provide pain control. It also covers extensive monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, temperature and depth of anesthesia. Finally we use top quality suture material to ensure maxim...um safety and best healing. This is done to ensure that you pet is safe under anesthesia. Skimping on any of these things puts your pets health at risk. Fact: Emergency C-sections or surgery to remove diseased testicles costs much, much more than a simple spay or neuter. Young dogs and cats are healthy and good candidates for surgery. When the surgery is done on pregnant, ill or older dogs it is much more dangerous. See more

We love supporting the next generation of livestock producers and our clinic was very pleased to purchase this lovely lamb from Walker Masse. Walkers lamb was named Frog and he is in the Silver Willow 4H Club in the North Peace District. Congrats on raising a great lamb, Walker!

To neuter or not neuter....... Myth: I dont want my male dog to feel like less of a male! Fact: Dogs do not have a sexual identity like people do. His basic personality will not change. He will not have emotional or psychological damage from being neutered. Neutered dogs are just as outgoing, friendly and social as intact male dogs. Some personality traits do change however- these include the need for urine marking, roaming, aggressiveness towards other dogs and moun...ting behaviours. Fact: Intact males are at much higher risk of prostatic disease such as benign prostatic hyperplasia which can lead to difficulty urinating or defecating and prostate infections. Fact: Intact males are at much higher risk of testicular cancer. See more

We are very happy to welcome, Amy, a new animal health tech back to the clinic!!! Amy spent last summer with us as our tech summer student and after graduating from Lakeland College this spring we are so excited to have her back on our team! Amy joins us from Valleyview, Alberta where she still has a small herd of cattle, a barn cat and a horse named Clyde. Amy enjoys working with both large and small and hopes to continue expand her knowledge on training & behavior. Welcome back Amy!!