VCA Canada Mississauga Oakville Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital

07/29/2026

🐾 Hot Pavement Quiz! 🐾

Think you know how to keep your pet’s paws safe this summer? Swipe through our mini quiz and keep score as you go!

Get 2 or more wrong? You owe your pet a new toy. (We don’t make the rules 🤷‍♀️)

Knowing the signs of hot pavement burns and taking a few simple paw-cautions can help keep your furry family members safe all summer long!

Tell us your score in the comments:
0-1 wrong = Pavement Safety Pro
2-3 wrong = Time for toy shopping 🧸
4-5 wrong = New toy AND an extra treat

07/26/2026

🚨 Canadian Wildfire Smoke Pet Safety Checklist 🚨

📉 Check the AQHI, Canada’s Air Quality Health Index 👉 https://bit.ly/3r8EEXq. If it’s high risk (7+), keep outdoor time strictly to short bathroom trips.

🏃‍♂️ High-intensity exercise in smoky air forces dogs to inhale heavy particulates deep into their lungs. Keep walks low-key and brief.

🚰 Hydration is important as smoke dries out a dog's upper respiratory tract real fast. Keep water bowls filled with fresh, cool water indoors to keep their airways moist. This helps trap particulate matter before it hits the lungs. ✨ Pro tip ✨Drop a little sodium-free bone broth into their bowl if they need encouragement to drink.

🧼 Smoke particles can settle in fur and paws so wipe your pet's fur, paws, and face with a damp cloth after coming inside so they don't ingest ash while grooming.

🏠 Keep that indoor air fresh with closed windows and a HEPA air purifier if possible, and keep indoor enrichment games (like snuffle mats or puzzle toys) active to burn off extra energy inside.

🩺 Know warning signs like excessive coughing, gagging, wheezing, watery eyes, or unusual lethargy. If you spot these, contact your local veterinary team immediately.

07/24/2026

🐾 isn't just about extending care to our 4-legged friends, it’s about lifting up and helping out the entire community! 🐾

(honestly, the number of legs is irrelevant to us 😉).

When our team at VCA Canada Alta Vista Animal Hospital (Specialty and Emergency) moved into the new, state-of-the-art facility, we found ourselves with a lot of excellent, decommissioned office equipment that still had so much life left in it. We wanted to make sure it went somewhere it could truly make a difference.

Knowing our friends at the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society Cornwall and Region Animal Centre are currently constructing their brand new, 8,000-square-foot facility, we knew exactly who to call!

Our team loaded up the truck with desks, chairs, and office essentials to help furnish their new space. When they open their doors in early 2027, this incredible expansion is going to double their capacity to care for animals in need in the Ontario region!

Let's show some love for the incredible work the team is doing to build this new haven for local pets! 💙

07/22/2026

Guilty as charged 🤭

07/16/2026

Thank you to our July canine Blood Donors so far! 🌞
Murdoch, Quinn, Ruhi, Bodhi, and Gabe were all professional superstars and helped us stock the blood bank.
Hecate made her first donation 💉 and Jive provided an urgent donation 🚨 for an ICU patient in hospital.

07/15/2026

We always say prevention is the best medicine, and as your local veterinary team, we see firsthand how much a little preparation matters.

❗Don't wait for an emergency to find out your pet's ID isn't up to date.❗

If you need a hand updating your pet's microchip registry or updating your files, stop by, give us a shout, or log into the myVCA App for 24/7 telehealth access!

📞 Have questions about your pet’s safety plan? Drop a comment below or contact our team today.

07/15/2026

Between high temperatures and the current air quality, today is an indoor type of day!🔥💨

People, nor pets, should be spending extending periods outside today. Instead try some indoor enrichment for your pets such as food puzzles, frozen treats, scent work or foraging games, or teaching them a new trick!

Wildfire smoke is drifting south across Ontario, worsening air quality and posing health risks

07/14/2026

Happy Retirement Fred! 🐕🎉
Fred has been a long time blood donor, making invaluable differences in the lives of many patients. Earlier this year his brother Barney entered retirement, and now was Fred's turn to join him.

We are forever grateful for Fred's (and Barney's) commitment to the program, and will be sure to miss this Greyhound Duo. We wish Fred a happy and spoiled retirement. ❤

07/13/2026

🐾 Meet | Geoffrey: From Stubborn Dreamer to Empowering the Next Generation. 🐾

When Geoffrey was younger, his parents told him that becoming a vet was incredibly difficult and that maybe he should think of something else. But if you tell Geoffrey he can’t do something, he’s going to do his best to prove you wrong. "I’m stubborn," he admits. "That helped motivate me to get into vet school."

That same determination, combined with a deep love for family (including his stubborn childhood sheepdog, Bandit, and his deeply missed cat, Cytokine) is what shapes how he approaches veterinary medicine today. For Geoffrey, the bond we share with our pets is profound. "It makes us even more human. I mean, the bond I’ve had with my cats, I would do anything for them. Same as my wife. Same as my daughter. That is family."

But shortly after becoming a vet, Geoffrey realized his true calling wasn't just treating animals in the exam room. It was supporting the people holding the stethoscopes. "I thought I would rather have an impact on a huge team to improve pet care, rather than doing it one pet at a time," he shares. "My job now is to take care of the pets, yes, but it’s also to take care of everybody I am working with."

This passion is exactly what drives his work expanding the VCA Canada Academy Mentorship Program into Quebec and Vet et Nous, alongside his colleague Florence.

The mentorship program is a six-month initiative designed to introduce new veterinary graduates to the daily realities of practice, challenging them within the safety net of a supportive team. Geoffrey gets to watch that transformation firsthand: "You take young inexperienced doctors and in 6 months you get more confident and mature professionals who have all the support, tools and resources they need and can use for years to come. After taking this program they either know the answer, or they know who to ask."

Building a program like this takes an immense commitment from the organization and a lot of teamwork, but for Geoffrey, seeing the impact on selfless staff members makes every ounce of effort worth it.

His advice to the next generation of vets stepping into the industry? "As hockey coaches say, 'short-term pain for long-term gain.' So yes, it may be a lot of work, but ask me? Be stubborn, stick with it, and you'll be so glad you did."

07/08/2026

🚘🚫 Not even for a minute. 🚫🚘

When it’s hot outside, a parked car acts like an oven, yes even with the windows cracked. In just ten minutes, inside temperatures spike by nearly 20 degrees, and because dogs can’t sweat like we do, they overheat dangerously fast. "Just a quick run into the store" is all it takes for heatstroke to turn fatal.

Please be cautious this summer as we begin to enjoy the warmer temps!