If your pet has an emergency and we are unavailable, please contact your closest emergency clinic.
• Veterinary Emergency Clinic (VEC) South 920 Yonge Street (entrance off McMurrich) Toronto, Ontario
Tel: (416) 920-2002
Fax: (416) 920-6185
http://www.vectoronto.com/
• Central Toronto Veterinary Referral Clinic 1051 Eglington Ave West York, Ontario
Tel: (416) 784-4444
https://ctvrc.ca/
If your pet has gotten into an accident, it may be frightening but not necessarily an emergency case. However, if your pet has experienced one of the concerns below, contact Bickford Park Animal Hospital, or, if after hours, an emergency clinic
Cuts or bleeding
Wounds from fighting (bites, scratches)
Injured limbs (limping)
Skin, urinary, or ear infections
Swelling in the face or paws
Diarrhea or vomiting
Ingestion of dangerous substances
Vision loss
Athletic injuries
Respiratory issues
Seizures
Certain substances are deadly to both pets and humans, while others are perfectly safe for humans but will cause issues for your furry friend. If your pet has eaten one of the substances below, contact Bickford Park Animal Hospital, or, if after hours, an emergency clinic or the Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661
Chocolate
Lillies
Cocoa
Apple seeds
Xylitol (an artificial sweetener)
Coffee
Alcohol
Human medications or drugs
Household chemicals
Pesticides or poisons
Fertilizer
Lead or mercury
Bickford Park Animal Hospital offers veterinary services for cats and dogs.
Bickford Park Animal Hospital accepts cash, debit, Visa, and Mastercard.
Unfortunately, Bickford Park Animal Hospital is not able to accept payment plans.
Bickford Park Animal Hospital does not offer boarding services.
The general rule is around 6 months. However, there are sometimes factors that change this. Before treatment, your veterinarian will give your pet a thorough exam to make sure the conditions are right for your pet to undergo a spaying/neutering.
The decision to allow your pet to breed is yours to make. However, from a medical perspective, there is no advantage to it. There are, however, advantages to having your pet spayed/neutered, including a decreased risk of many different illnesses *if you have your pet spayed/neutered before they go into heat or reach sexual maturity.
Somebody who wants to practice veterinary medicine must hold a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree. This is a four-year program, which generally requires at least two years of pre-veterinary education. Currently in Canada there are five schools with veterinary medical programs:
Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of PEI
Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire at the Université de Montréal
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary
Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph
Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan
If your pet is scheduled for surgery, make sure you stop feeding them by 10 pm the night before. They may drink water during that time, though.
Your pet’s vaccination schedule may vary based on certain health concerns, but a general rule is that you should have your pet examined and vaccinated once per year.
Ticks don’t produce signs as obvious as other infestations, so you might not notice their presence. You have to actually look for them.
They’re generally brown or black, between 2 and 5 millimetres, and have eight legs. They commonly show up near your pet’s head or neck, but they can latch on anywhere.
Ticks aren’t uncommon in Toronto, but they’re more likely to be found in areas with tall grass, bush, or leaves on the ground. The city maintains a map of tick locations, which you can find by clicking here. If you and your pet have been in any of these areas, it’s a good idea to check your pet for ticks.
If your pet has a tick, there are ways to remove them yourself, but you can also contact Bickford Park Animal Hospital for help.
There are a few different possible reasons for this. Your pet may have a worm infestation or may need its anal gland expressed, but there are other, possibly more serious explanations for this as well. If your pet is doing this, it’s a good idea to bring them to your veterinarian for a checkup. Your veterinarian will likely ask for a fecal sample to check for worm eggs.
There are several reasons why your dog may be doing this. It could be that they have a disorder like hyperthyroidism that stimulates their appetite, leaving them hungry more frequently. They may also have internal parasites that are absorbing a significant amount of the nutrients from their food, leaving your dog unsatisfied. Or they could have a digestive disorder that prevents their food from being properly absorbed.
Beyond medical, though, there are also behavioural/psychological reasons. Puppies in particular might do this from a pure curiosity perspective, or from mimicking other dogs. In general, if you’ve ruled out a medical cause, behavioural modification tends to work well. Speak with your veterinarian to find out more.
There are certain breeds of dog that tend to drool more often than others, like bloodhounds, Saint Bernards, bulldogs, and basset hounds. However, if your pet isn’t one that commonly drools, there may be some other health concerns.
Drooling can be a sign of an oral disorder, like a cracked or damaged tooth, or periodontal disease. If your pet has always drooled, or they seem otherwise happy, it may not be an issue. However, if they show other mouth-related symptoms, like loss of appetite or bad breath, call your veterinarian to book an appointment.
