Site Menus Section Skip to page content
Site Accessibility Features: Skip to page menus
Site Menus Section Skip to page content
Time and time again in the exam room we are asked if a particular teeth cleaning chew is appropriate for dogs. Clients describe anything from bones, to particular products marketed exclusively for teeth to other chew toys commonly found in pet stores. There are too many products out there to be familiar with all, but we can offer some helpful hints in order to choose safe options for your pets. Careful selection of appropriate chews is very important to your pet’s oral health, not just for the purpose of cleaning their teeth, but to not cause damage to your pet’s teeth as well. When dog’s chew a chew toy, they do so with great strength using the large 4th premolar, also known as the Carnassial tooth. It is the largest tooth in their mouths and is the main tooth used for chewing and grinding up food. Dogs that chew hard chews may fracture the exterior part of the tooth. This is called a slab fracture. This type of fracture exposes the sensitive “pulp chamber” inside the tooth which contains the blood vessel and nerve. It is a painful lesion and places the tooth at high risk for abscess/infection.
X rays of the tooth are required to determine if the pulp chamber is exposed, giving bacteria access to the root and other sensitive structures of the tooth and to ensure that surrounding teeth have not been damaged as well.
Treatment options include a root canal if the tooth meets criteria or surgical extraction of the tooth. This tooth contains three roots which extend deeply into the jaw bone. It is a painful lesion and requires extraction. Dental fractures caused by hard chews are one of the most common reasons for extractions in dogs.
Obviously we want to try to avoid these injuries and extractions at all costs. Although most people feel hard chews will help clean their pet’s teeth, they will likely fracture them as well.
Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind when choosing a dental chew:
If you have any questions regarding safe chew toys or fractured teeth please call or make an appointment to speak to one of our veterinarians or veterinary technicians. Happy chewing!
Mar 31
Over the past few years we have seen the tick population grow in the Bloor West and High Park area. Several years ago, having a patient come in with a tick was a rare occurrence; however, over the last couple of years it has become more and more common. We would like to share some basic tick facts that will help keep you informed for the health and well-being of your canine companion:
Until this year, there were not many safe, effective tick preventives available. This year new medications have been released that are both safe and effective. Our current product of choice is Bravecto. This is a chew that you give to your dog every 3 months. During the 3 months Bravecto kills both ticks and fleas. Because it is given orally the efficacy is not effected by swimming or bathing. It starts to kill fleas within 2 hours and pro actively kills ticks before they have time to complete a feeding, become engorged and transmit disease.
If you are concerned about ticks, or if your dog is playing in a high tick populated area we encourage you to speak with your veterinarian about tick preventive options. Remember, prevention is key.
Dec 09Nov 03
Thank you to everyone who submitted all their wonderful pet photos for our 2015 calendar contest. We need 15 photos for our calendar. The photos that had the most Facebook ‘likes’ will make it into our 2015 calendar. Check out all the winners! Congratulations to everyone who submitted such fabulous photos!
1. 89 Likes
2. 76 Likes
3. 59 Likes
4. 44 Likes
5. 43 Likes
6. 41 Likes
7. 35 Likes
8. 34 Likes
9. 33 Likes
10. 32 Likes
11. 31 Likes
12. 31 Likes
13. 30 Likes
14. 28 Likes
15. 28 Likes
---------------------------------------------------------------
Honorable Mentions!
16. 25 Likes
17. 25 Likes
18. 23 Likes
19. 23 Likes
20. 21 Likes
21. 21 Likes
22. 21 Likes
23. 15 Likes
24. 15 Likes
25. 14 Likes
26. 14 Likes
27. 14 Likes
28. 14 Likes
29. 13 Likes
30. 13 Likes
31. 12 Likes
32. 12 Likes
33. 11 Likes
34. 10 Likes
Sep 10On September 21st at 10 am we are walking through High Park in support of The Canadian Cancer Society Bark for Life Dog Walk. We would love to see as many of our furry patients out in High Park as possible so we are spreading the word! Help us tell cancer it barked up the wrong tree.
If you are able to donate to our team please visit our Bark For Life Walk Page: http://convio.cancer.ca/site/TR/UnitFundraisingEvent/UFE_ON_even_?team_id=320870&pg=team&fr_id=16983#.VBBhC8JdWSo
We are also raffling off tickets for this fabulous basket. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at Bloor Animal Hospital until September 19th.
Thank you for your support, we hope to see you there!
Jun 18
Dr. Aimee Bachand, DVM
Veterinarian
We would like to announce and give a warm welcome to Dr. Aimee Bachand as the newest addition to our veterinary team! After completing a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Molecular Virology at he University of Guelph, she graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2007 and became a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Bachand enjoys all areas of small animal veterinary practice. She is excited to be part of a team that focuses on high quality preventative medicine and is dedicated to keeping your furry family members happy and healthy.
When not at work Dr. Bachand enjoys spending time with her 2 dogs, Finnigan the Papillon and Linus the West Highland Terrier, and her 2 cats, Abbey and Sadie. She loves yoga and enjoys travelling to sunny beaches or exploring new cities. Dr. Bachand is excited to experience all the wonderful shops and restaurants in Bloor West Village and Finnigan and Linus are antsy to explore beautiful High Park.
When you are out enjoying a nice walk through Bloor West Village, pop in to say hello to Dr. Aimee Bachand, she is looking forward to meeting all of our wonderful patients!
Jun 09
Living in the Bloor West and High Park area we are surrounded by all kinds of wildlife. Occasionally our curious dogs can get a bit too close to some of our wild skunk friends resulting in a very unpleasant spray. Preventing these encounters is always better then treating them. We recommend keeping your dogs on a leash under supervision at all times. However, if your dog is sprayed by a skunk, quick treatment of the smell is imperative. We have found this recipe to be the most effective in the removal of that horrid skunk smell.
Ingredients:
4 cups 3% hydrogen peroxide
½ cup baking soda
1 tsp dish soap
Directions:
1. In a large bowl mix the above ingredients as close to application as possible.
2. Pour the solution over your dog, lather and leave for 5 minutes before rinsing. Be careful not to get the solution in your pet’s eyes or mouth.
3. Can follow with regular dog shampoo.
If your dog is sprayed directly in the face they may need to be seen by their veterinarian. Watch for red, swollen eyes and vomiting. Otherwise, a bath at home with this recipe should do the trick.
May 29
Addendum
I would like to thank everyone for all their best wishes but want to let everyone know that I have had to withdraw from the internship in Houston. I will be taking the summer to spend time with my family and will be returning in September on a part time basis.
Julie Downer
A letter from Dr. Downer:
To all the wonderful clients, pets, doctors and staff at Bloor Animal Hospital:
I would like to take this opportunity to let everyone know that I will be leaving Bloor Animal Hospital as of June 22, 2014. I am very excited to be starting an Internal Medicine and Critical Care Internship at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston, Texas. I am looking forward to this new challenge and to starting a new phase of my career but at the same time I am sad to say goodbye to all the people and the pets that I have had the pleasure to meet at Bloor Animal Hospital.
I started at Bloor Animal Hospital shortly after I graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1997. I have had the privilege to care for your pets from their first visits as puppies and kittens through their middle and senior years.
Sadly in many cases I have been with you as you have said goodbye to a much loved friend. I would like to thank you for letting me be a part of your lives and entrusting me with the care of your furry friends.
I would also like to thank all the staff past and present with whom I have worked. You have made my time at Bloor both enjoyable and rewarding. Many of you have been like family. The team members at Bloor Animal Hospital are some of the most compassionate and caring people I have met. They consistently go above and beyond to provide exemplary patient care.
Last, I would like to thank Dr Suzy Lyons and Dr Ted Morris with whom I have had the good fortune to work. They are outstanding Veterinarians and will continue to provide exceptional care to all the patients at Bloor Animal Hospital.
Thank you again for your trust in me during my time at Bloor Animal Hospital and
for helping to make the clinic the wonderful place that it is. I will miss you all and hope that our paths may cross again in the future.
Julie Downer, DVM
Apr 21It is common to find ourselves thinking of what we need to do to provide for our pets, but how often do we think about or even consider what our pets give to us?
>>>Our furry family members quickly become invaluable and cherished parts of our family. They are there when we need them, on good days or bad, and they are an ear to listen when needed, to put a smile on our face, or to share in a celebration.
>> >>>Research shows that people with pets live longer, are more active, more social, have less stress and lower blood pressure. Growing up with a pet can even help boost immunity and decrease risk of developing allergies.
>> >>>Every pet and their family have a story, each one unique and equally as special. There is however a very special dog and family who’s story we felt we needed to share. That is the one of our patients, a Golden Retriever by the name of Cleo.
>> >>> >> >>>Cleo is a dog with a very special role. She was hand selected in Newburyport, Maine by a group of people who wanted to help a family they had never even met. They had Cleo vaccinated and purchased toys and a blanket for her and put her on an Air Canada flight headed to Toronto. This group was put in contact with the Bebenek family by a good friend, Lynda Campbell, who wanted to give something back to the Bebenek family. The Bebenek family had just gone through the unimaginable, the loss of their 5 year old daughter Meagan from a brain stem glioma, a cancerous and inoperable brain tumour.
>> >>>Cleo was sent as a gift, to give hope to a grieving family. Meagan’s mother Denise still remembers the day they picked Cleo up at the airport as a “moment she will never forget”. The Bebeneks drove to the cargo area of Air Canada. They watched lobster crate after lobster crate unloaded from the aircraft and then suddenly they announced “Puppy Cleo” – and the Bebenek’s family life was changed forever!
>> >>>Cleo was a gift beyond measure, immediately becoming a very special part of the Bebenek family, filling their hearts with love and happiness in the midst of the saddest of any life-circumstance to be given to a family. Now 11 years later, Cleo is a devoted and loyal family member, and fills a very special role.
>> >>>Denise Bebenek agreed to share her story as an example of the powerful role and love that our furry family members can play in our lives, and an example of how people can extend themselves so selflessly to someone in need. She has continued this tradition of giving by creating “Meagan’s Walk: Creating a Circle of Hope”, to spread awareness and give hope to children living with brain tumours and to honour her daughter Meagan. Now in it’s 13th year, Meagan’s Walk is a 5k walk from Fort York to the Hospital for Sick Children. It is at Sick Kids that participants join hands and form a “human hug” around the hospital, a “Circle of Hope” and as a message of love and support that can be viewed by all those within.
>> >>>Meagan’s Walk has raised more than $3.1 million, directly helping the dedicated doctors and researchers who are making global advancements in brain tumour research and patient care. This year the 13th Annual Meagan’s Walk will be held on Saturday May 10th.
>> >>>Bloor Animal Hospital is proud to support Meagan’s Walk. If you are interested in finding out more, participating or making a donation, please visit their website at www.meaganswalk.com.
>>> >> >>Apr 02
As we say hello to spring, many of us choose to brighten up our homes with a fresh bouquet of flowers. Some flowers are relatively harmless while others can cause stomach upset. There are some flowers which can be very toxic to your pet – even fatal.
One of the most common and popular of which is the Lily. All lily flowers and all plant parts should be considered toxic, and even just a nibble can be fatal. Vomiting, lethargy and decreased appetite are the most common initial signs. They are followed by increased drinking and urination. This can progress to complete kidney failure, which is characterized by the lack of production of urine.Our kidneys are essential to life and we cannot live without them, thus this severe degree of kidney failure can only be followed by death.
What can be done you ask? If there is any suspicion that your cat has consumed a lily, we recommend visiting your veterinarian ASAP. They will likely run a blood and urine test to access the current state of the kidneys and start your pet in intravenous fluid therapy. Your vet can also provide additional medication to help with the stomach upset associated with this toxicity. After a couple of days of fluid therapy your vet will likely recheck your cat’s blood work to access kidney health. Some cats are able to recover with full kidney function, while others are left with some with some degree of kidney failure that they will carry with them through life. Some cats are not so lucky and despite the best of care end up in end stage kidney failure ultimately resulting in death.
Our advice to cat owners: no lilies in the home…..not even out of reach, as most cats are quite agile and able to access pretty much any region or surface of your home. There are plenty of beautiful flowers out there, which can decorate your home without harm to your cat. Don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian if you have questions about the safety of a particular plant or flower in your home – it just might save your pet’s life!
-Suzanne Lyons, D.V.M and Practice Owner at Bloor Animal Hospital.
SHOP ONLINE FOR YOUR PET WEB STORESite Sidebar: Skip to end of sidebar
Monday: 7:30AM-9:00PM Tuesday: 7:30AM-9:00PM Wednesday: 7:30-9:00PM Thursday: 7:30AM-9:00PM Friday: 7:30AM-9:00PM Saturday: 8:00AM-5:00PM Sunday: closed
2387 Bloor St. W. Toronto, ON M65 1P6 Phone: (416) 767-5817 Fax: (416) 767-3837
Email Us
© 2025 Bloor West Veterinarians in Toronto, Ontario | Bloor Animal Hospital. Powered by LifeLearn Veterinary Websites