Here at Ottawa Barrhaven Animal Hospital, we offer a variety of vaccinations to ensure your pets are protected from common viruses and diseases. The vaccinations we use help to create an immune response and produce antibodies against certain types of viruses and diseases. Our veterinarians administer the recommended core vaccines for all dogs to receive regularly, as well as, elective vaccinations that may be recommended depending on your pet’s lifestyle.

Here at Ottawa Barrhaven Animal Hospital, we care about the dental and oral health of your pet. Tartar and calculus build up, gum infection, broken and damaged teeth and oral pain are common and can affect many different organ systems within your pet’s body. For that reason, we perform the dental examination during your pet’s annual check up and thoroughly assess your pet’s dental health. If your pet is showing signs of dental disease such as, but not limited to, bad breath, pawing at the face, reduced appetite or chewing, or red and bleeding gums, come in for a dental examination. We would be happy to review options to improve your pet’s dental health at that time.

Fleas and ticks are very common external parasites for our pets. Fleas are small insects that feed off the blood of its host, usually mammals or birds. Ticks are small ectoparasites that also live on the blood of its host, mammals, birds, sometimes even reptiles and amphibians.

Deciding on whether to spay and neuter your pet is a important decision. Some of the benefits besides overpopulation in strays and overcrowded shelters include your pet living a longer life. Dogs can live on average 1-3 years longer and felines 3-5 years longer if spayed and neutered. Spaying your pet can help prevent breast cancer, pyometra and uterine infections, while neutering helps prevent testicular cancer, aggression and roaming. There are many great benefits to having your pet spayed and neutered, Here at Ottawa Barrhaven Animal Hospital, we are dedicated to making sure your pets live the most healthy and enjoyable life possible. We are here to answer any questions and relieve any doubts you may have with regards to having your pet spayed and neutered.

A microchip is a very important form of identification for your dog. A microchip is the size of a grain of rice, that is implanted under the skin, between your dog’s shoulder blades. Often times, a microchip is mistaken for a form of ‘GPS tracking.’ In order for the microchip to function properly, the owner must ensure that they keep their phone number and address current with the company that they are registered to, so if your dog goes missing and is brought into either a veterinary clinic or a shelter by a citizen, the identification number that is scanned will be able to be connected to your information for the safe retrieval of your pet.

Vaccinations are important for all domesticated cats. Whether they are strictly indoors or if they spend some time in the outdoors, having up to date vaccinations are crucial for all cats!

Dental care is one of the most overlooked and under-treated areas in small animal medicine. Cats are affected by many of the same dental problems that affect humans. The dental disease begins when bacteria colonize the mouth and a plaque biofilm is formed. After a while, this biofilm mineralizes and calcifies into tartar. The bacterial population accumulates, which leads to inflammation and results in periodontal disease. Additional factors such as misaligned teeth, systemic disease, nutrition, and genetics, may also contribute to disease. In addition to periodontal disease, cats can also develop other dental diseases, which include feline odontoclastic resorptive lesions, stomatitis, and fractured teeth.

Most clients are unaware that ear cleaning and nail trimming in cats is necessary, both of these areas are a very common place for our feline friends. A cat’s ears may need to be cleaned for many reasons; ear infections, parasitic infections, dirt build-up, etc. To determine if your cat’s ears need to be cleaned, it is best to have one of our veterinarians exam the ears and find out if there is a cause for concern. Specific solutions and techniques need to be followed, it isn’t recommended to proceed with ear cleaning for your cat until you have had your veterinarian or veterinarian staff support you, as damage to the ear canal could occur. Nail trimming is very common for our feline friends and can be performed on a regular basis. In fact, it is best to do so often to ensure your pet continues to be comfortable with the handling of their paws and the cutting of their nails. Again, this is an area where a quick tutorial is ideal from one of our friendly staff members, as if you cut the nails too short, it can cause bleeding and pain, both of which are not ideal. Once owners have been shown how to safely perform this procedure, it is an area you can continue to perform at home. Some of our clients are happy to bring their feline friend in repeatedly for this procedure, both are acceptable and welcomed.

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone, that a senior cat has needs that are different than those of a young cat. Environmental enrichment is important for cats of all ages and should not be abandoned for senior cats. Interactive toys, food puzzles (particularly for overweight cats), even supervised access to the outdoors or leash walking can help keep senior cats entertained, as well as helping to burn excess calories and keep muscles and joints healthy.

Being overweight is a big problem for our feline friends. Most people don’t know that this can lead to several health issues like osteoarthritis, which puts strains on heart and lungs, urinary tract disorders, diabetes and nonallergic skin conditions.