Coastal Care Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital

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Coastal Care Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital Coastal Care Veterinary Emergency & Referral Hospital, a Nova Scotia first!

20/08/2025

The countdown is on! We are 7 short days away from the arrival of Nova Scotia's very first MRI for veterinary use. A huge advancement in the medical care available to pets across Atlantic Canada.

Did you know that although this MRI will be used on veterinary patients, its design is certified for human scans. Our new machine is the very first low-helium MRI from Siemens Healthineers in all of Canada and the only low helium in the veterinary space!

Complex equipment can mean complex construction. We have worked closely with Siemens Healthineers, Lindsay Construction and their trusted trades to ensure our site is ready for this exciting delivery. From design, to building, to shielding, to shipping and delivery; this project has an enormous amount of collaboration and coordination from everyone involved. But there's more to come!

Follow along as we continue to highlight progress on this special project.

Coastal Care is inviting our referring partners and their teams to join us for a social meet-and-greet on August 28th at...
19/08/2025

Coastal Care is inviting our referring partners and their teams to join us for a social meet-and-greet on August 28th at 6pm. This is an opportunity for you to meet the team of individuals who care for your patients on an emergency basis, and provide on-going specialty care. Let’s continue building a trusted referral community — together.

📅 Date: August 28th, 2025
🕔 Time: Open invite 6pm to 8pm

👉 Clinic staff can RSVP by emailing [email protected]

✨ Click the share button to ensure that others in your local veterinary community are aware of this opportunity.

18/08/2025

💙 Our Family Behind the Scenes 💙

At Coastal Care, pets aren’t just our patients , they’re our heart.

These are some of the beloved companions of our team, the ones who remind us every day why we do what we do. 🐾

From snuggly lap cats to goofy dogs and everything in between, they keep us smiling after even the busiest shifts.

Show us the pets who make your world brighter , share their photo in the comments so we can meet them too!

🐾 Patient Spotlight: George 🐾George was transferred for continued care to from his family veterinarian at  after ingesti...
15/08/2025

🐾 Patient Spotlight: George 🐾

George was transferred for continued care to from his family veterinarian at after ingesting a muscarinic mushroom. These mushrooms can cause symptoms like hypersalivation, vomiting, diarrhea, and a slowed heart rate. Fortunately, George’s heart rate remained normal during his stay with us.
George was hospitalized for continued supportive care, including intravenous fluids, electrolyte monitoring, and a mushroom toxin test to screen for potentially liver-damaging toxins. While in hospital, George’s appetite returned, his vomiting resolved, and the excessive drooling subsided.

With his sweet personality and resilient spirit, George quickly stole the hearts of everyone who walked past him 💚

UPDATE: As of 4pm today we have REOPENED OUR EMERGENCY OUTPATIENT SERVICES. Our staff have continued to be on site durin...
13/08/2025

UPDATE: As of 4pm today we have REOPENED OUR EMERGENCY OUTPATIENT SERVICES. Our staff have continued to be on site during the day today and had resumed normal scheduled specialty appointments and surgeries. We will also continue to closely monitor the situation for changes.

If you are experiencing a pet related emergency please contact our team at (902) 703-2323.

PLEASE NOTE: There are still road closures in our area. So if you do need to head into our hospital, it is best to follow a GPS for best route if possible or at least avoid the Chain Lake Drive area. Should you need assistance contact our team and they will be able to help direct in best route.

Coastal would like to send a huge thank you to all those continuing to fight the Suzy Lake fire and to all crews across the province, and from away, for their quick action in these trying times. Your heroic efforts were impressive to watch.

Stay safe!

**Update: Our staff and patients are safe and still on site at the hospital. Many roads in the area are closed which has...
12/08/2025

**Update: Our staff and patients are safe and still on site at the hospital. Many roads in the area are closed which has significantly affected traffic out of and into our hospital. It seems the fire is now working away from the direction of the hospital and traffic seems to be clearing. We will remain closed to outpatients until travel in the area is safe. We will post an update of our opening at that time. Until then we will only be caring for our hospitalized patients.

Thank you to all those who are sending kind words. And a massive thank you to all the first responders and pilots out there still working to control this.

Stay safe everyone!

ATTENTION!

Due to a wildfire in our area Coastal Care is temporarily shutting down outpatient services. We are NOT accepting patients until the wildfire is contained or moves away from our area. We will keep everyone updated as things develop.

We are currently maintaining in-patients at the hospital but have evacuation protocols and precautions in place should we need to. Our staff and patients are priority.

If you require emergency services please contact, Metro Animal Emergency, 4 Paws, or Maritime Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Centre

🐾 Patient Spotlight: Zeus 🐾Meet Zeus, the sweetest and such a resilient boy, currently undergoing his 8th round of chemo...
11/08/2025

🐾 Patient Spotlight: Zeus 🐾

Meet Zeus, the sweetest and such a resilient boy, currently undergoing his 8th round of chemotherapy with our Internal Medicine team for Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC), a type of bladder cancer.

His journey began when he underwent a ventral cystotomy with stone removal and bladder polyp excision, performed by our surgeon Dr. Joudrey. The polyp was sent for histopathology, which confirmed a diagnosis of diffuse urothelial carcinoma (TCC). Following surgery, Zeus was referred to Dr. Carr in Internal Medicine to discuss oncology options.

Zeus is on a Vinblastine (every 2 weeks) + Piroxicam chemotherapy protocol and is handling treatment like a champ, wagging his tail before, during, and after each visit. 💪💙

To ensure safe and effective treatment, CBCs are rechecked after the first few Vinblastine treatments and prior to each dose.
Restaging was performed in June, including an abdominal ultrasound (AUS) and BRAF mutation test (a non-invasive urine-based test that helps monitor for recurrence or progression of TCC)

💙💙 A message from Zeus’ family: 💙💙

"We feel our household has made a good decision to pursue the chemo treatments for Zeus’ bladder cancer. Our Zeus is a happy boy throughout the process. Although Zeus is terminally ill, the treatments have extended his life and improved his quality of life. This has been the best decision for our little man.”

We’re so proud of Zeus and are incredibly honored to be part of his care journey. 💙

🩺 If your pet has received a serious diagnosis, you're not alone. Our team is here to help guide you through specialized care options with compassion and expertise.

08/08/2025

🚨 Pet Owners Beware: Blue-Green Algae is Toxic! 🚨

As temperatures rise, we know many of you and your pets are enjoying time outdoors. But please be cautious, blue-green algae is something we see every summer, and it can be extremely toxic to animals. Even a small amount can be life-threatening. 💧

🚫 What to look for:

This algae often forms a greenish-blue film or scum on the surface of still water—especially ponds, lakes, or slow-moving streams. It may look like pea soup, paint, or a bluish slick.

🐶 How pets get exposed:

• Drinking or swimming in contaminated water
• Licking it off their fur
• Even just sniffing the water in some cases

⚠️ Signs of blue-green algae poisoning can appear within minutes to hours and may include:

• Vomiting
• Drooling
• Seizures
• Weakness or collapse
• Trouble breathing

💥 If you think your pet may have come in contact with algae-contaminated water, don’t wait, call or seek emergency veterinary care immediately!

✅ Tips to keep your pet safe:

☑️Avoid letting pets swim or drink from water with algae or scum
☑️Stick to clear, running water sources
☑️Rinse them off after any outdoor swim
☑️When in doubt, stay out!

We’re here 24/7 if you ever need us. Let’s keep your pets safe and your summer stress-free. 💙

1 Year old, MALE GERMAN SHEPHERD. BLACK AND TAN. Missing from Plaster Rock, NB near LINTON CORNER since JUNE 11th, 2025H...
06/08/2025

1 Year old, MALE GERMAN SHEPHERD. BLACK AND TAN. Missing from Plaster Rock, NB near LINTON CORNER since JUNE 11th, 2025

Hey everyone, just wanted to give an update.

Our boy C**t is still missing.
To date, we’ve searched endlessly — on foot, by ATV, car, and truck. We’ve laid scent trails and used both regular and thermal drones, day and night. MART & NSLDN have been very kindly helping us navigate this as well.
We’re doing everything we can.

The local police and SPCA officers are involved. They have a photo of the person known to have originally taken/found and kept our dog. This photo includes our dog and a child, so due to the child’s safety, they cannot release it to the public or to us, but this person is known to police.

A police report has been active from the beginning, but unfortunately, there are limitations preventing them from doing more. The SPCA officer is still following any leads as they come in. We appreciate his efforts.

We know the town, province, and Maritimes are watching, sharing, and searching and we are so grateful. Your support means everything.
We are still asking the public to please keep sharing C**t’s story!!

NBSPCA Tip Line: 506-273-0388
My number call / text 902 943-5659

Did you know your dog could save a life in just 5 minutes?If you have a happy, healthy pup over 55 lb, between 1–8 years...
04/08/2025

Did you know your dog could save a life in just 5 minutes?

If you have a happy, healthy pup over 55 lb, between 1–8 years old, and up to date on vaccines, they could join the pack of heroes!

We’re hosting the on Friday, August 15th. Appointments take about 30 minutes, with the donation itself lasting only 3–5 minutes. It’s completely safe, there’s no sedation, and you’ll stay with your dog the entire time.

🐾Perks for your pup: 🐾

▪Free tick & heartworm testing
▪Blood typing
▪A donor bandana + milestone tags for their collar
▪Free microchip at the second donation
▪Life-time free IOU of blood products per usable unit, if they ever need access to it

Dogs can donate every 3 months and make a real difference for others in need💕

📧 To sign up, contact us or email [email protected] Learn more at canadiananimalbloodbank.ca🩸

⚕️NEUROSURGERY CASE HIGHLIGHT🩻Suzy the mini-Dachshund was presented to our emergency department, after her recently diag...
01/08/2025

⚕️NEUROSURGERY CASE HIGHLIGHT🩻

Suzy the mini-Dachshund was presented to our emergency department, after her recently diagnosed back pain suddenly worsened within hours. She was in pain and paralyzed on arrival, and was swiftly transferred to our neurology service, under the care of Dr. Natalie Villani, DVM, DACVIM (Neurology).

Her neurologic exam revealed a strong suspicion for an acute intervertebral disc herniation in her spine, likely due to underlying intervertebral disc disease- also known as IVDD. When an intervertebral disc herniates, the disc material can injure and compress the spinal cord, which can cause a variety of neurologic signs that range from mild to severe.

In Suzy’s case, an urgent spinal CT scan with contrast was performed immediately which gave our neurology team a confirmed diagnosis of an intervertebral disc herniation, at the disc space between her T13-L1 vertebrae. She was taken to surgery where emergency spinal decompression was successfully performed by Dr. Villani; she was then transferred overnight to our ICU for close monitoring by our talented ECC team and then discharged to her humans the following afternoon! She recently returned for her final post-operative recheck, and we are happy to report that Suzy is on the mend and walking more confidently every day.

For advanced neurologic imaging, every case is unique with different needs. Due to Suzy’s age, breed, presentation, and prior medical history, she was deemed an appropriate candidate for a pre-operative CT scan to determine the cause of her back pain and inability to walk. Not every pet meets this criteria, and many patients require an MRI scan for the highest quality imaging of the nervous system to diagnose their condition.

As we prepare for the upcoming arrival of Nova Scotia’s first veterinary MRI machine, make sure you’re following along on our social media for all the latest updates!

As for sweet Suzy, we are so proud of the dedicated care provided by her humans during her post-operative period. We will continue to cheer her, and her recovery on! 🩵🐾

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168 Hobson Lake Drive

B3S0G4

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