West Wind Veterinary Hospital

06/14/2025

As the temperatures rise and the sun stays out longer, make sure your equine friends are adequately protected from harmful UV rays. ☀️

Hot summer weather puts horses at risk not only for dehydration and heat stress but also the skin damage and discomfort that accompany a sunburn— just like humans.

A lot of equestrians love some chrome on a horse, but it's important to remember that those beautiful white markings and the non-pigmented pink skin underneath are more likely to suffer from sunburn, especially in areas where the skin is more sensitive — like around the eyes and the nostrils.

In addition to the pain and discomfort, horses that are prone to recurrent sunburn may also face other long-term consequences, like the increased likelihood of developing squamous cell carcinoma (a common cancer).

If your horse is susceptible to sunburn, contact your veterinarian for more information about sun damage and recommendations to keep your equine protected this summer.

06/13/2025

Gastric ulcers are one of the most common causes of poor performance, weight loss, and behavioral changes in horses. Signs like girthiness, reluctance to work, or a change in appetite often point to an underlying issue — and ulcers are a leading suspect.

06/11/2025

Dr. Taylor Yaworski was born and raised in the Sherwood Park area and grew up riding horses. She completed her undergraduate degree at MacEwan University before venturing to the Caribbean where she attended Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine for her preclinical studies. She then moved to Indiana and completed her clinical year at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. After graduating she returned home and joined the West Wind team in 2024 to complete an equine internship. Taylor has a passion for all aspects of equine ambulatory practice, with a special interest in lameness, and is looking forward to continuing to grow with the WWVH team. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling and spending time with her two cats which she rescued while in St. Kitts and Indiana.

06/09/2025

Parked Cars Heat Up Fast — They Trust You to Keep Them Safe

06/06/2025

We'd love to see you there! Feel free to share! https://kittyhawkfoundation.ca/events/

06/04/2025

Dr. Amanda Evans is a veterinarian who has been helping all the small animals at West Wind Veterinary Hospital since 2012. Following graduation from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2009, she began her professional career right here in Strathcona County. Amanda’s professional interests range from wellness and preventative care to end of life and palliative care. She excels at medical management of any problems your pets may experience. She enjoys forming relationships with her clients, their pets and their families. Amanda was certified in veterinary acupuncture in 2011 through Colorado State University and has done extensive training in diagnostic abdominal ultrasound. Amanda enjoys camping, skiing, travel and spending time with her husband and two children. Amanda has two senior mutts named Sophia and Frankie and a three-legged cat named Cal.

06/03/2025

🦠 Echinococcus multilocularis in Dogs: What You Should Know 🐾

A recent study has confirmed cases of Echinococcus multilocularis (EM), a rare but serious tapeworm, in dogs across North America. This tiny parasite can live in the intestines of wild animals like foxes and coyotes—and occasionally in dogs. While it's uncommon, EM can pose a health risk to both pets and people if eggs from infected f***s are ingested.
Up to 30% of coyotes in this area are infected with echinococcus.
🚨 In people and pets, EM can cause alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a dangerous condition that mimics cancer in the liver and other organs. It’s hard to detect early and very difficult to treat.
🔍 A recent review of over 2 million dog f***l samples found just 26 positive cases—showing the risk is low, but not zero. Most infected dogs had no symptoms and were treated successfully. West Wind Veterinary Hospital saw a positive case last week. We suspect that with more screening, we would see more positive cases.
✅ Preventive Tips:
Keep dogs from eating rodents or wildlife.
Deworm regularly
Clean up pet waste promptly.
Talk to us about parasite screening—especially if your dog is an avid hunter or scavenger.
Knowledge is protection! If you have questions about parasite prevention, we’re here to help. 780-662-0112 🐶💬

05/30/2025

As temperatures rise, so do the risks to your horse’s health. At West Wind Veterinary Hospital, we're committed to helping you keep your equine companions healthy and happy all summer long. 💙

05/28/2025

Ciara grew up in the New Norway area helping with her parents' Charolais/Angus cattle operation. She spent 12 years in the 4H program. That and her love of all animals prompted a career in the veterinary industry. Ciara graduated from Lakeland College's Animal Health Technology program with distinction in June 2018. She joined the team at West Wind in November 2020, with two and a half years previous experience in the equine veterinary industry. Ciara is excited to have found a career in which she can combine her knowledge and love of animals every day. She enjoys all aspects of her career, with a special interest in nutrition, equine medicine and small animal wellness. Ciara spends most of her days off on her family farm - she really enjoys calving season, riding horses and helping with day to day herd health (for both horses and cattle!) She also loves spending time with her energetic Golden Retriever, Charlie, and hyper Dalmatian, Ranger - both at home and in the mountains.

05/21/2025

Dr. Jack Ingram graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan in 1973. With over 50 years of equine experience, Jack is a highly seasoned and knowledgeable veterinarian with a breadth of surgical and ambulatory experience. His current practice is predominantly ambulatory specializing in lameness of high level performance horses of all disciplines. He resides on an acreage near Ardrossan. Jack enjoys golfing, skiing, travelling and sampling red wines of the world.

05/19/2025