VCA Canada Pretoria Animal Hospital

VCA Canada Pretoria Animal Hospital At VCA Canada, we're pet people too. We understand the importance of your morning snuggles and the t A healthy pet is a happy pet. Our hospital is here for you.

That's why our team of trained professionals offer quality care for your companion. We know them inside and out, which means we know when things are good and when we need to pay more attention.

05/20/2026

🐾 👀 Are my pet’s eyes supposed to look like that? 👀🐾

As a veterinary team, we see pet parents searching for eye health advice all the time. From mysterious "eye boogers" to sudden changes in how your furry family member navigates the living room, eye health can feel incredibly stressful.

To save you a late-night Google rabbit hole, our medical team has broken down some of the top things you actually need to look out for:

👁️ The "Cloudy" Question: Notice a hazy blue or grey tint in your senior pet’s eyes? While many owners immediately worry about cataracts, it is often a normal, painless aging change called nuclear sclerosis. However, only a veterinarian can tell the difference and ensure their vision stays protected!

👁️ The Nighttime Stumble: Pets are masters at hiding vision loss. Often, the very first sign of a problem isn't physical, it’s behavioural. If your dog or cat is suddenly hesitating on the stairs, bumping into furniture in low light, or refusing to jump on the bed at night, their vision might be changing.

👁️ The Discharge Decoder: Clear or slight white tearing can be normal allergies or dust. But if you notice your pet squinting, rubbing their face, or producing yellow or green discharge, it’s a clear signal from their body that it’s time to see a professional.

Clear, comfortable eyes are vital to your pet's quality of life. If you’ve noticed any changes in your pet's eyes or behaviour, don't guess at home, let our experienced team take a look.

05/18/2026

To all our Veterinary Assistants,

🐾 You are the person holding the anxious pet close so they feel safe during an exam.
🐾 You are the one resetting the treatment room in a flash, anticipating exactly what the technician or veterinarian needs before they even ask.
🐾 Your hands are steady, your stamina is unmatched, and your impact reaches every corner of our hospitals.

From the messy, fast-paced moments of an emergency to the soft, heavy silence of a hard goodbye, you hold the floor together.

So, to every Veterinary Assistant across , we see the dirt(?💩), the sweat, the tears, and the absolute heart you pour into this job daily. And we don't just notice your work, we notice how we honestly couldn't do this without you. 💙

Happy Week!

05/13/2026

Safety first, last and always ✅

Need more than what a First Aid Kit can provide for your pet? Find your local Animal Hospital at the link 👉 https://vcacanada.com/find-a-hospital

🐾 Protecting the Paws that Can't Speak for Themselves 🐾Our commitment to care doesn’t stop at our doors. It’s built into...
05/12/2026

🐾 Protecting the Paws that Can't Speak for Themselves 🐾

Our commitment to care doesn’t stop at our doors. It’s built into our DNA, and it's led by experts who dedicate their lives to those who cannot speak for themselves.

Today, we want to shine a spotlight on our very own Dr. Margaret Doyle; a healer by day and a forensic visionary by night.

When she isn't leading the charge at VCA Canada Riverbend Animal Hospital, Dr. Doyle is serving as a forensic veterinarian, uncovering the truth in the most difficult cases, and this week she is taking the stage at the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association (IVFSA) Conference to share critical insights into the intersection of animal welfare and criminal justice during the Court Testimony Workshop.

🗓️ Tuesday, May 12, 2026
⏰ 1:00 - 5:00 PM
📍 Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

But not only is she speaking at external conferences, Dr. Margaret Doyle also hosts exclusive internal webinars across VCA Canada, and is:

✅ Educating our Associates on the subtle signs of non-accidental injury.
✅ Training our teams to recognize "The Link" between animal cruelty and domestic violence.
✅ Empowering our staff with the tools to be the first line of defense for pets in danger.

We don't just treat animals; we protect them. By educating our teams on the gravity of animal abuse, we are helping to create a safer world for both pets and the people who love them.

Our Standard. Our Promise.

🐾 Meet   | Molly: From Childhood Dreams to Global Impact. 🐾Most people who work in animal health say they wanted to be a...
05/11/2026

🐾 Meet | Molly: From Childhood Dreams to Global Impact. 🐾

Most people who work in animal health say they wanted to be a veterinarian ever since they were kids. But for one of our Associates Molly, the dream was a bit different: "I wanted to be a horse", she remembers. "When I eventually learned that I couldn't become a horse, all I wanted to do was take care of them."

That childhood passion eventually led her halfway across the world through the Mars, Incorporated Ambassador Program (MAP). In Ghana, she worked alongside female farmers who rely on their livestock for everything. As she quickly realized, the stakes couldn't be higher. "In Ghana, animals promote wealth and independence, and losing your animals can be devastating, like someone emptying your bank account."

From teaching seminars on African Swine Fever to collaborating with local vet students, the experience was a two-way street of education. While she shared Canadian diagnostic techniques, Molly found herself inspired by the resilience and spirit of the people she met. "I have never met a group of people who are as genuinely happy as the farmers we met in Ghana," she shared, noting that the experience taught her that "joy in your life can be determined by being appreciative and grateful for what you have."

This is the heart of the . It’s a signature initiative designed to empower qualified VCA Canada Associates to GIVE, LEARN, GROW, and CONNECT while living the MARS purpose of delivering the world we want tomorrow.

As Molly puts it, having a program like this and being recommended for it by your manager, "shows that they really know us and our strengths and interests." To have this support and opportunity to take on this mission shows that "truly sees us for our capabilities and what we have to offer." 💙

05/06/2026

Keep calm and dig on this with these gardening safety tips!

🎉 We are incredibly proud to announce we are officially Great Place to Work Certified! 🎉Honestly, this one hits a little...
04/27/2026

🎉 We are incredibly proud to announce we are officially Great Place to Work Certified! 🎉

Honestly, this one hits a little differently because it’s a direct reflection of our own team’s voices. It’s based on the honest feedback they gave about the respect, fairness, and camaraderie they feel when they walk through our doors every day.

To every single person that makes up VCA Canada: for showing up as yourselves and for making our culture what it is. You’re the reason this badge exists.

So what does a 'Great Place to Work' actually look like? Here’s a glimpse. 😉

04/25/2026

Happy ! Veterinary medicine has come so far over the years! Did you even know that VCA Animal Hospitals are all over North America and the globe??

Fun fact, Canada has a massive footprint in the veterinary world that often flies under the radar, including the fact that the Ontario Veterinary College (the oldest in Canada and the U.S., founded in 1862) is currently ranked 4th in the world and #1 in Canada for 2026.

Find your local VCA Canada Animal Hospital 👉 https://bit.ly/3WkOSzS

Buffie is a 2 year old ragdoll cat and a   member at VCA Canada Askey Animal Hospital.He had pre-appointment gabapentin ...
04/22/2026

Buffie is a 2 year old ragdoll cat and a member at VCA Canada Askey Animal Hospital.

He had pre-appointment gabapentin for calming and was happily eating a creamy cat treat during his blood collection. 🩺🐾

Want to know the best part? Because of that CareClub membership, Buffie’s entire appointment was covered. 😊💙

Interested in what a CareClub membership can do for you and your pet? Check out our website or give us a call to learn about our Access plans. 📞🌐

We hear it every year. "I’ll start heartworm meds in July when the bugs are bad."But here’s the reality for Canadian pet...
04/15/2026

We hear it every year. "I’ll start heartworm meds in July when the bugs are bad."

But here’s the reality for Canadian pets. Heartworm doesn't wait for Canada Day. Between urban hot spots (like sunny balconies and warm brick alleyways) and pets traveling to warmer climates, the risk of transmission can start weeks before the official mosquito season begins.

Why is spring shield month?

✅ An annual blood test ensures your pet hasn't carried an undiagnosed infection through the winter.
✅ Starting prevention in the early spring months builds a protective barrier before the peak mosquito swarm hits.
✅ It’s significantly easier (and far less costly) to prevent heartworm than it is to treat it.

Don't play catch-up with your pet’s health. 📥 Send us a message or give us a call to schedule your spring wellness check-up and heartworm test today!

🐾 Meet   | Eva and Continuing an Education in Care🐾For some, the path to veterinary medicine is a straight line. For oth...
04/13/2026

🐾 Meet | Eva and Continuing an Education in Care🐾

For some, the path to veterinary medicine is a straight line. For others, it’s a creative evolution.

"When I was in high school, I thought I wanted to be a fashion designer," Eva says, reflecting on a career that began with a sketchbook. But as she watched her peers (talented artists already being recruited by major gaming companies) she realized her own spark belonged elsewhere. She pivoted to the physiological care of animals, trading high fashion for high-quality medicine.

But the real challenge wasn't just starting a career; it was staying in it for eighteen years.

"I wouldn't have gotten this far if I hadn't gone out there and made friends, showed my vulnerability, been curious, and talked about my mistakes," she explained. "In a field that moves as fast as ours, the only way to thrive is to stay close to the experts."

That's why at VCA Canada, we think CE is more important today than ever. And to Eva, Continuing Education isn't just a requirement; it's the lifeline of the hospital and she credits her longevity to a system that prioritizes this growth.

"Our programs are designed so that the mentees don't have to make the same mistakes we did; they can learn from ours. It’s about sharing the real-life tips and tricks that you don't find in the textbooks."

She emphasizes that this support isn't just internal, but a total investment in the Associate. "We support our Associates pursuing CE, providing the paid CE time and allowances needed to fulfill professional credential requirements. These opportunities can be taken externally, outside of our organization, as well as internally." For her, some of the most impactful learning happens right in the hospital. "Our internal CE events are hosted by our very own highly skilled Associates through our specialty and emergency hospital locations, leveraging our shared expertise to make us all better."

In a field that changes as fast as ours, being the "designer" of your own career means having the right tools and the right team. 💙

Address

16 Pretoria Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1S1W7

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 7pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 7pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 7pm
Thursday 7:30am - 7pm
Friday 7:30am - 6pm

Telephone

+16135650588

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