Veterinarian in Edmonton – Offering Comprehensive Veterinary Services

Edmonton West Animal Hospital is a full service veterinary hospital and we are committed to provide exceptional care to your companion. We offer a clean and welcoming environment, featuring the latest veterinary technology and equipment. We are one of the finest animal hospitals in Edmonton, providing high quality care. Our experienced veterinarians and caring staff are dedicated to the well-being of your companion. We specialize in a wide range of services, which includes but is not limited to:

Wellness Care

Pets age 5 to 10 times faster than humans, and wellness care is the key to keeping your dog healthy. Wellness exam are of paramount importance in providing a long, quality life for your pet.  Getting an annual wellness examination for your pet is like one every 6-8 years for humans. We recommend bi-annual or at least annual wellness exam appropriate for your specific pet. With biannual exam diseases may be diagnosed and treated earlier that not only just improves quality of your pet’s of life but also saves your pets precious life. Wellness exam which includes comprehensive physical exam, dental evaluation, weight and body condition assessment, internal parasite testing, external parasite prevention strategies, a vaccination and deworming program, and blood tests.

Cat Friendly Practice

We are proud to be an official “Cat Friendly Practice”, certified by the AAFP. We have taken the extra steps required to prove we understand a cat’s unique needs (learn more here). We have implemented feline-friendly standards in our office. We reduce stress and provide a very calming environment – you will be relieved to know that we have designated “cat only” areas in our hospital to help our feline friends feel more comfortable and secure.

Veterinary staff have also been trained in feline-friendly handling and understanding cat behavior in order to increase the quality of care for your cat.

Emergency Care

We have a veterinarian and personnel on duty 7 days a week, 365 days a year, who are trained and equipped to handle any emergency or urgent issue your pet has. Pets who need additional support have access to our state-of-the-art equipment including, IV fluid pumps, IV fluid warmers, heat therapy pump, oxygen therapy chamber and advanced electronic monitoring. If possible it is best to call before coming in so that a staff member can advise you on your particular emergency.

Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine is the branch of veterinary medicine concerned with the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of disorders involving multiple organ systems. These include various cancers, endocrine (i.e. diabetes mellitus, Cushing disease), dermatologic, respiratory, gastrointestinal, hematologic, urinary, immune-mediated, infectious, hepatic, neurological, kidney, and heart diseases. Our hospital is here to serve your needs within all aspects of internal medicine.

Surgery

Our surgery facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, and our veterinarians are skilled in a wide variety of surgical procedures. We provide many surgical services including:

• routine ovariohysterectomy (spay) and castration (neuter)
• mass removals
• ophthalmic surgery
• gastro-intestinal surgery
• soft-tissue surgery
• orthopedic (bone) surgery
• cruciate repair including TPLO surgery
• fracture repair
• medial patellar luxation surgery

We value our patients’ lives, and follow strict protocols to ensure their comfort and safety is met. Our veterinarians carefully screens patients and tailors anesthesia plan specifically for your pets to suit their needs.We recommend pre-anesthetic blood work is recommended and must be performed if deemed necessary by physical exam findings or patient history. We use advanced sterilization and monitoring techniques such as:

• continuous ECG
• capnograph  (for respired carbon dioxide levels)
• blood pressure monitor
• apnea monitor
• electronic body temperature recorders
• and pulse-oximetry (to asses oxygen saturation)

Animals are closely monitored throughout the surgical procedures and basic vital statistics are recorded using our advanced technology. Anesthesia and surgery disrupt the normal thermoregulatory mechanisms and typically cause the patient to become cold. Inattention to thermoregulation of the patient produces significant and often avoidable complications and delays recovery. Our animal patients are provided with heated surgery pads and IV fluid warmers for maximum comfort and maintain core body temperature during and after surgery.  We employ a fully trained, caring veterinary and technical staff, who provide compassionate and attentive post-surgery care needed to restore your pet’s health. Learn more about Spay and Neuter Surgery here.

Digital Radiology

Radiography (X-ray) equipment is one of the most important part of a veterinary facility. It allow us to have a detailed examination of bones and internal organs such as heart, lungs and intestines.  We are proud to provide digital imagining system, the benefits of which cannot be worded in text. It is used to obtain instant X-rays with superiors, sharper and detailed image quality. These high quality digitally produced X-ray images have the added benefit to assist us in determine a faster as well as accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for your pet’s problem. Digital imaging system is substantially more environmental friendly and there is no need to carry toxic fluids in the hospital to process the X-ray films. This machine has inbuilt software for measuring, zooming, contrast and sharpness adjustment and many other enhancement, all assist detection of any abnormality in much faster, accurate and easier way.  Instant image production eliminates need of extra sedation period for your pet taken during radiography procedure that are needed in traditional radiography. We are able to send radiographs electronically to specialist or referral facility for detailed interpretation just with a click of button.

In-house Laboratory

Our in-house laboratory is equipped with advanced equipment to run a wide range of tests such as complete blood count, serum biochemistry, electrolytes, ear swab cytology, urinalysis, viral and bacterial SNAP tests, and vaginal cytology and their results are available within minutes. In emergency situation when time is of essence provision of prompt analytical results is very beneficial. The quick availability of test results help us in diagnosing and treating your pet ailment without wasting time to wait for outside laboratory report. Some special tests need to be run at outside laboratory and we have arrangement to send samples on a regular basis.

We offer many more vet services than what is shown on our website. Should your pet need a service not listed here, please contact us for more info – we are confident we can help!

Pet Safety Tips

Some Common Household Toxins To Be Aware Of

This is a list of some items in your household that are toxic to pets. Please make sure these things are kept away from your pet at all times:
1. Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
2. Snail and Slug Bait
3. Chocolate
4. Raisins/Grapes
5. Macadamia Nuts
6. Rat/Mouse Poison
7. Acetaminophen (Tylenol
8. Plants: There are many potentially toxic plants to pets. Some cause only mild gastrointestinal upset, whereas others can cause severe organ damage. Some common plants which may be toxic to pets include: Easter Lilly, Tiger Lilly, Rhododendron, Dumbcane, Diffenbackia, Mistletoe, Oleander, Castor Beans, Sago Palm, Rhubarb, Iris, Larkspur
9. Marijuana
10. Onions and Garlic
11. Human Prescription Drugs

Yard and Garden Dangers – How to Keep Your Pet Safe

There are potential dangers outside that pet owners need to be aware of. Click here to educate yourself and keep your pet safe.

Dogs Left in Hot Cars – Avoid Heatstroke or Death

During the warmer months, it is dangerous to leave your pet alone in the car. Read more information on symptoms of heatstroke and how to prevent your pet from experiencing cerebral damage or worse: www.albertaspca.org/welfare-care

Cold Weather Pet Care

Edmonton can get very cold in the winter months – please read this informative article on how to take extra precautions to protect your pet from the extreme cold: www.albertaspca.org