Hiking season is one of our favorites as pet parents here in Ontario, but with summer hiking adventures come certain risks. Wildlife is abundant in Canada, and Ontario is no exception. 

While some folks believe their pets can help keep them safe from bears, moose, and other wild creatures, pets can actually be a liability on the trail, especially if they’re off-leash. Plus, both you and your pets deserve to stay out of harm’s way. 

Here’s how to stay safe this summer while hiking in North Bay with your pets, brought to you by the team at Parkside Animal Hospital. 

As winter creeps into the North Bay, protecting your pets from the weather is crucial. November is when temperatures start dropping into the freezing-cold category and snow blankets the bay. 

The cold weather can pose various risks to your furry friends, including frostbite and hypothermia. But never fear! The team at Parkside Animal Hospital has winter pet care tips to help keep your pets safe and comfortable.

As the seasons change, it’s our responsibility as pet owners to ensure our pets are comfortable and safe. At Parkside Animal Hospital, we want to help you make the necessary temperature adjustments for pets as the cooler months approach. 

Get your garden tools and green thumbs ready! If you’ve got a curious kitty who enjoys spending time outdoors, we’ve got pet-proofing garden strategies plus tips on pet-friendly plants so you can grow the garden of your dreams while keeping your favorite feline safe.

Check out the following pet-safe gardening advice from our caring team at Parkside Animal Hospital. 

Sassy, finicky, and incredibly inquisitive, cats have high standards, and so do we! At Parkside Animal Hospital, we’re proud to be a certified Cat Friendly Practice®, which means we take the care and comfort of our feline friends seriously. Cats have unique behaviors and healthcare needs, and we provide customized care in a manner that causes as little stress as possible to our cat patients. 

Keep reading for more reasons why your fabulous feline deserves a cat veterinarian: 

Medicine is an ever-changing science, with new options emerging all the time. Not only are new discoveries happening, but new surgical techniques are also being developed. In particular, endoscopy has allowed us to do more than ever with less invasive methods for our patients. Parkside Animal Hospital is happy to be able to offer this technology to better care for the pets that depend on us.

The ingestion of a foreign body is a common complaint among veterinary patients. After all, pets learn about their world through their senses, and they just like to eat in spite of flavor or the potential for danger. 

A foreign body is something inside the body that’s not supposed to be there. The risk of moving certain objects through the gastrointestinal tract is incredibly high, and some items simply get stuck where they don’t belong. Luckily, veterinary diagnostics techniques and even surgery can save the day. 

There are several canine vaccinations that are vitally important for disease prevention. While we customize every patient’s care, we always recommend the canine parvovirus vaccination.

One of the most common diseases in dogs, parvovirus, can be effectively prevented throughout a dog’s life with routine boosters. 

If your veterinarian has scheduled an endoscopy, you might be wondering what it is or why your pet needs one. What does the procedure look for? How can it help your pup or kitty? The team at Parkside Animal Hospital has performed many endoscopies. We’d like to share the reasons why your veterinarian might recommend an endoscopy for your dog or cat. 

Pet surgery techniques have grown increasingly more sophisticated, and today, some veterinarians offer the option of laparoscopic surgery for certain cat and dog procedures. We’re proud to offer this minimally-invasive technique at Parkside Animal Hospital, and we’ve put together some information to help you learn more about laparoscopic surgery and its advantages for your pet.