Imagine that you just bought a new car. Would you wait until the engine light comes on before ever taking it to a mechanic? Never! You want your car to last for a long time and you know how important it is to do routine maintenance to keep it safe and operating at peak performance. It’s no different for pets. If you want your pet to lead a long, healthy, and happy life, it’s important to visit a veterinarian regularly not just when they are sick or acting differently. And the great news is that the SPCA Veterinary Hospital is there to help you do just that!
Thanks to grants from PetSmart Charities® of Canada, the SPCA Veterinary Hospital has state-of-the-art equipment and can provide medical, surgical, and preventative health care to keep your pet in top shape. Here are some of the valuable services offered: spaying/neutering, vaccines and parasite protection, microchipping, medical and surgical treatment, dental cleanings and procedures, and x-rays. With more than 45 years of combined veterinary knowledge and a passion for animals, your pet will receive high-quality care. Located at 7 Scarfe Court in Dartmouth, the SPCA Veterinary Hospital is designed to make your pet’s visits comfortable and stress-free.
Here are a few reasons why it’s so important to visit a vet regularly.
- Since pets—especially cats—are excellent at hiding signs of illness, a thorough physical exam with routine screening tests is crucial to detect illness in its early stages. Early detection and treatment can extend your pet’s life, giving you many more years of quality time together.
- Vaccinations protect your pet against fatal diseases and help keep other animals in your house safe.
- Preventative treatments like dental cleanings can help your pet avoid pain, tooth loss, gum disease and even organ damage.
And don’t forget other important reasons to visit the vet:
- Spaying/neutering your pet helps prevent unwanted litters. Spaying also eliminates the possibility of uterine or ovarian cancer in your pet, while neutering reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
- Microchipping your pet (permanent ID) can mean the difference between hope and heartbreak, between a lost pet coming home or not.
I caught up with Camille Lindstrom, who’s a firm believer in the importance of regular veterinary care. Camille and her two big fluffy 3-month-old boys – Hank and Odin – have been clients of the SPCA Veterinary Hospital since February. Camille said “We read about the new SPCA Hospital on Facebook. It was an easy decision for us to come here.”
“Hank’s and Odin’s health and happiness are important to us because they are our fur-children,” explained Camille. “Our beloved Husky Thor, who had epilepsy and other health issues, passed away at a young age so making sure our boys are in the best shape they can be is important to us. They make us laugh and comfort us when we are sad so we want to keep them healthy just like we would with the human members of our family.”
Camille related “My daughter Amy and I took Hank and Odin to the SPCA Hospital to get their three rounds of puppy vaccinations and make sure they’re protected against things that can make them seriously ill. Being extra large breed dogs (Great Pyrenees/Newfoundland cross), they are also prone to different health issues, and we want to make sure they’re progressing well without any problems.”
“Our three visits to the Hospital have been comfortable and stress-free for all of us; the puppies love going here!” shared Camille. The staff are friendly, kind and helpful and they thoroughly answer all the questions we have. They are amazing with Hank and Odin and made them very comfortable even when they’re in uncomfortable situations like getting a needle. Nothing is too much trouble for them, even when they’re busy. It’s clear that staff enjoy their jobs and are invested in pets and their families. And the Hospital itself is very clean and welcoming. We always make our next appointment when we leave.”
Amy chuckled at a favorite memory of visiting the SPCA Veterinary Hospital. “One time, Odin refused to go in and one of the staff carried him in, despite him being such a big boy! When we returned for another appointment, the staff person remembered us and asked if we needed help bringing him in.”
I asked Camille what advice she’d give to other pet parents? “Try to bring your pet in annually for a checkup and mention anything out of the ordinary, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. These checkups can help you catch things early and treat them. Build a good relationship with the vet and other Hospital staff. If you can afford it, pet insurance is also very important as you never know what’s going to happen. Insurance can help you cover the costs for medical procedures and medications that your pet may need.” You can learn more about SPCA Pet Health Insurance here: www.spcanspetinsurance.ca.
By choosing the SPCA Veterinary Hospital as your vet, you’re not only helping your pet but the community as well. Profits from the hospital are used to care for pets whose families need help, so that we can keep more pets together with the families that love them. Camille said “Hanks’ and Odin’s visits not only help them to stay healthy; we also think it’s great that the SPCA can provide care for low-income families. It’s definitely a win-win.”
So, if you need a veterinarian for your furry family member, trust your pet’s care to the leader in animal welfare in Atlantic Canada. Book your appointment by contacting the SPCA Veterinary Hospital by email: vet@spcans.ca or by phone: 902-706-4155. The SPCA looks forward to providing your pet with the care they need to be a healthy and happy part of your family!
