Pet Care Articles & Guides

ASPCA (Feb 26, 2026): even very small minoxidil exposures can cause life-threatening cardiovascular collapse in cats — no antidote exists. Reports to ASPCA Poison Control increased 965% from 2013 to 2024 (JAAD 2025 study). 14.7% cat mortality in a 68-case clinical series (vs. 0% dog mortality). Cats are exposed not by direct application but by lying on treated pillowcases, licking their owner's scalp after application, or grooming their own fur after contact. This guide covers the full symptom timeline (45-min onset), emergency treatment protocol, every hidden exposure route, and the complete safe-use checklist for households that use Rogaine and have cats.

BC's 2025-2026 H5N1 Fraser Valley outbreak triggered CFIA recalls and enhanced testing for BC-sourced raw cat food. This guide covers the CFIA recall timeline (Nov 2025-Apr 2026), how to check your brand against the recall database, sourcing risk assessment, HPP processing as a safety filter, Health Canada's April 2026 BC household handling protocol, and safe alternative feeding options during the outbreak. Includes pet insurance coverage for food-related illness in BC.

Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and generics) can cause gastrointestinal ulceration, acute kidney injury and, at high doses, neurologic toxicity in dogs. There is no single universal two-hour cutoff or one-tablet rule: published veterinary references use different dose bands, and risk also depends on weight, repeated exposure, health status and whether the medication is a combination product. This Canada guide explains what to do immediately, why owners should not induce vomiting at home without veterinary direction, how dose ranges should be interpreted, what delayed kidney injury can look like, and why naproxen (Aleve) deserves separate caution.

Easter lily exposure is a veterinary emergency for cats. True lilies (Lilium) and daylilies (Hemerocallis) can cause acute kidney injury after very small exposures, including pollen or vase water. Learn the 0–72 hour symptom timeline, what to do immediately in Canada, which 'lilies' cause kidney failure, and what emergency vets monitor and treat.

Quebec does not publish a reliable citywide dataset proving Montreal veterinary care is 15–25% more expensive than Quebec City. This updated guide uses the AMVQ's official 2026 senior-cat cost estimate as the province-wide benchmark, then explains how dental care, CKD, hyperthyroidism, arthritis, insurance and specialist referrals can change the budget — with verified Montreal pricing examples and a safer method for comparing clinics.

Road salt and ice melt can irritate dog paws and cause poisoning when enough is swallowed. A few paw licks usually cause little more than mild GI upset, while concentrated ingestion can cause electrolyte abnormalities and neurologic signs. Learn the safest post-walk paw routine, ingredient-specific risks, emergency warning signs, and what Canadian dog owners should do after winter exposure.

Radioactive iodine for feline hyperthyroidism is available in Saskatchewan at the WCVM Veterinary Medical Centre in Saskatoon. This updated guide explains WCVM's I-131 program, current public waiting-list and deposit information, pre-treatment testing, kidney considerations, methimazole, Hill's y/d, insurance questions and telehealth limits — replacing outdated claims that Saskatchewan cats must travel to Calgary.

THC intoxication in dogs is usually treatable with prompt supportive care, but edibles can be more complicated than cannabis alone because they may also contain chocolate, xylitol, raisins or large amounts of fat. This evergreen emergency guide explains what to do immediately, why there is no useful home 'safe dose,' which signs require emergency care, when veterinary decontamination may still be considered, why human urine drug screens are unreliable in dogs, and how to give the veterinary team the product information they need without delaying treatment.

You’ve brought your puppy home — the first 30 days are the most critical and the most overwhelming. Feeding schedules, vaccination timelines, toilet training, the first vet visit and socialisation: everything you need, stage by stage, in one guide.