Ste Anne Veterinary Hospital

08/26/2026

🦷 Retained Baby Teeth: Why Do They Need to Be Removed?

Just like kids, puppies and kittens have baby teeth that should fall out as their adult teeth come in. Sometimes, however, a baby tooth doesn’t fall out when it should—this is called a retained deciduous tooth.

When both the baby tooth and adult tooth remain in the same spot, it can cause problems such as:
🦷 Crowding and misalignment of the adult teeth
🦷 Food and bacteria getting trapped between the teeth
🦷 Increased plaque and tartar buildup
🦷 Gum disease and early dental problems
🦷 Abnormal bite development

The good news? Retained baby teeth can usually be removed while your pet is under anesthesia, often at the same time as their spay or neuter.

If you notice your puppy or kitten appears to have “double teeth,” let us know! Early removal can help set them up for a healthier smile. 🐶🐱🦷

Above pictures show how long those roots can be that we don’t see below the gum line!

08/21/2026

🐾 WE NEED 10 HERO DOGS! 🩸🐾

Did you know your dog could help save another dog’s life? ❤️

We’re looking into hosting a Canadian Animal Blood Bank donation day right here at Ste. Anne Veterinary Hospital — but first, we need to see if there’s enough interest!

We’re looking for 10 volunteer donor dogs to join us. 🐶🩸

🦸‍♂️ Could your dog be a blood donor hero?

Donor candidates must:
🐾 Be 1–8 years old (18 months for giant breeds)
🐾 Weigh over 55 lb (25 kg)
🐾 Be up to date on vaccinations or titres
🐾 Have an even temperament
🐾 Be in good health
🐾 Heartworm & tick prevention is strongly recommended

Some of the breeds commonly sought include:
Airedale Terrier • American Bulldog • Cane Corso • Doberman • Dogue de Bordeaux • English Bull Terrier • German Shorthaired Pointer • Greyhound • German Shepherd • Irish Wolfhound • Lurcher • Newfoundland • Old English Sheepdog • Pit Bull • Great Pyrenees • Siberian Husky • Standard Poodle • Weimaraner

🩸 Why donate?

Blood products can help dogs in need, including those experiencing:
❤️ Cancer treatment
☠️ Rat poison toxicity
🩺 Immune-mediated diseases
🚑 Surgery or trauma
🩸 Anemia
🦠 Parvovirus
…and many other emergencies.

🎁 And there are perks for our donor families!

Donor dogs receive a FREE heartworm/tick test, and their family receives access to free blood products should their pet ever need them.

Donations can be made once every 3 months, and eligible dogs can continue donating until their 10th birthday.

📞 Interested in having your dog become a hero?

Call us or email us to sign up!

📧 [email protected]
📞 1-204-400-4243

Once we have 10 interested donor dogs, we’ll work with the Canadian Animal Blood Bank to schedule a donation date!

10 dogs. One team. Countless lives potentially saved. 🐾❤️🩸

Tag a big dog who might be our next blood donor hero! 👇

08/15/2026

🎣 CATCH OF THE DAY 🐶
This pup managed to get a fish hook stuck in his lower lip!
Luckily, he came in to see us and we were able to get him all sorted out.
Safe to say, he was definitely the catch of the day! 🎣🐾
Please remember to keep fishing hooks and tackle safely away from curious noses and mouths!

08/13/2026

🐾 RVT looking for a new opportunity? Come check us out!🐾

Our amazing RVT is taking some well-deserved time off, so Ste. Anne Veterinary Hospital is looking for an RVT to locum with us and help cover some of her upcoming shifts.

We’re a growing small-animal hospital, and this is a great opportunity to come see how we work, meet our team, and experience the culture we’re building here in Ste. Anne. 💚

Whether you’re looking for some occasional locum work or are curious about potential opportunities with us down the road, we’d love to hear from you!

✨ Great team
🐶🐱 Small-animal focused
🌱 Growing practice with opportunities ahead
🤝 Supportive, collaborative environment

Interested? Email us at [email protected] to discuss more details!

We’d love to meet you! 💚

08/02/2026

07/31/2026

🐾You won’t believe what happened!

During a routine vaccine appointment, an owner casually mentioned that her son thought their dog may have eaten a sock.
She wasn’t sure whether it had actually happened—or if she should trust her son. 🧐
We discussed the options:
🧦 Wait and see: The sock might pass on its own… but it could also become stuck in the intestines, potentially causing an obstruction and requiring surgery.
🤢 Induce vomiting: If the timing is appropriate and the item is safe to bring back up, inducing vomiting may allow us to remove the object before it travels farther into the digestive tract.
The owner decided to proceed with inducing vomiting.
Two socks came back up. 🧦🧦
A potentially expensive and invasive surgery may have been avoided.
Fast-forward a few months…
The same owner returned because her son said the dog had eaten a chicken skewer. Once again, she wasn’t sure whether it had really happened—or whether she should believe him. 😅
This time, the conversation was different. A wooden skewer can pose additional risks, and depending on its position or direction, it may not be safe—or even possible—to bring back up.
After discussing the risks and benefits, we attempted to induce vomiting, but nothing came up.
A few days later, the dog vomited the skewer at home. Thankfully, there were no further complications.
💡 The moral of the story? Trust your son! 😂
But there is also an important medical takeaway:
If your pet eats something they shouldn’t, acting quickly can sometimes make treatment much easier and less expensive than waiting until the object causes a blockage or requires surgery.
However, not everything should be brought back up, and inducing vomiting is not appropriate in every situation. The type of object, how long ago it was swallowed, its size and shape, and your pet’s health can all affect the safest plan.
📞 If you think your pet may have swallowed something they shouldn’t, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinary team can help determine the safest next step for your specific situation.
And when your child says the dog ate something… maybe believe them. 😉🐶

07/24/2026

Happy Friday!
🩺 Friday Fact: Preventive healthcare is about more than vaccines. Parasite prevention, dental care, nutrition, weight management, and regular exams all play a role in helping pets live healthier lives.

07/21/2026

🦷 A broken tooth is more than just a cosmetic problem.

This patient fractured a tooth while playing with a toy. Although it may seem like a small chip or crack, a fractured tooth can expose the sensitive inner layers of the tooth, including the pulp, which contains nerves and blood vessels.

Once the pulp is exposed, bacteria can enter the tooth and cause significant pain and infection. Depending on the tooth and the extent of the fracture, treatment may involve a root canal or extraction.

🦴 Hard chews can also be a cause of fractured teeth. Antlers, bones, and other very hard objects can place excessive force on the teeth while chewing. Even toys can occasionally cause a fracture, particularly if they are very hard or if a dog bites down at an awkward angle.

A helpful rule when choosing chews is: if you can’t make an indentation in it with your fingernail, it may be too hard for your pet’s teeth.

Pets may continue to eat and act normally even when they have a painful broken tooth. Regularly checking your pet’s mouth can help you notice chipped, fractured, or discoloured teeth early.

📸 These photos show the removal steps of a fractured tooth with two roots from this patient.

If you notice a broken tooth, book an appointment so it can be properly assessed. 🐾

07/13/2026

🐾 Are you—or someone you know—welcoming a new puppy or kitten to the family?🏡

We’ve got the perfect way to help them get started!

For a limited time, while supplies last, every puppy or kitten coming in for their first visit (around 8 weeks of age) will receive a FREE Welcome Kit valued at approximately $200!🎁

🎟️ Every kit includes an incredible rebate package:

💰 Save a total of $100!
🪙 $50 OFF any Royal Canin Growth Diet (Healthy Puppy/Kitten, GI Puppy/Kitten, or HP Puppy)
🪙 $50 OFF your pet’s next clinic visit (spay/neuter, vaccines, or a regular appointment) with the purchase of Royal Canin Puppy or Kitten nutrition.

📅 Rebate expires November 30, 2026.

🐶 Puppy Welcome Kit includes:
💧 Foldable silicone water bowl
💩 P**p bags
🥣 Small bag of Royal Canin Puppy food
📄 Helpful information sheets:
• F***l score chart
• How to brush your puppy’s teeth
• Healthy Puppy brochure
• Healthy treat recommendations

🐱 Kitten Welcome Kit includes:
🪮 Essentials cat brush
🧩 Kibble-dispensing enrichment ball
🥣 Small bag of Royal Canin Kitten food
📄 Helpful information sheets:
• Healthy Kitten brochure
• How to brush your kitten’s teeth
• Healthy treat recommendations

Give your newest family member the best start in life! 🩺💚

📞 Book your puppy or kitten’s first appointment today to receive your complimentary Welcome Kit while supplies last!

07/09/2026

Blastomycosis Awareness 🐾

Have you ever heard of blastomycosis?

Blastomycosis is a serious fungal infection that affects both dogs and people. It is caused by inhaling fungal spores that live in the soil, especially when the ground is disturbed through activities like digging. The disease is especially common in the Kenora and Lake of the Woods region, but it can also occur in many other areas, including parts of Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

One of the challenging things about blastomycosis is that it can spread throughout the body, causing a wide variety of signs:

🦴 Bones & joints: Lameness or limping that doesn’t improve.
🫁 Lungs: Coughing, difficulty breathing, or decreased exercise tolerance.
👁️ Eyes: Inflammation that can lead to vision loss or even blindness.
🩹 Skin: Draining sores or non-healing skin lesions.

In this case, the infection spread to the bone, resulting in significant lameness.

Because the signs can mimic many other diseases, blastomycosis isn’t always the first thing people think of. Early diagnosis and treatment are important and can greatly improve the chances of recovery. In this case, once treatment was started, he began to improve, which was wonderful to see. However, blastomycosis requires a long course of antifungal medication. We still have a long road ahead of us, but we’re encouraged by his progress so far.

Although people can also develop blastomycosis, it is not contagious between dogs and people. Both become infected the same way—by breathing in fungal spores from the environment.

If your dog has travelled to or lives in an area where blastomycosis occurs and develops persistent coughing, unexplained limping, eye changes, or draining skin lesions, don’t ignore these signs. A veterinary examination is recommended.

Have you heard of blastomycosis before? We’d love to hear your experiences or questions in the comments.

*This post is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for veterinary or medical advice.*