Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital

05/15/2026

XYLITOL TOXICITY: What You Need to Know

We see cases of Xylitol toxicity far too often. Xylitol is a sweetener that is safe for humans but extremely toxic to dogs. Even a small amount can cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar or liver failure, and it usually starts with something as simple as a dog raiding a pack of sugar-free chewing gum.

Common sources of Xylitol include:
❎Sugar-free gum & breath mints
❎Certain diet peanut butters
❎Sugar-free baked goods
❎Some toothpastes and mouthwashes

So check your labels, and store these items out of reach. If your dog ingests Xylitol, every minute counts. Give us a call right away.

05/14/2026

This was one of our more vocal wildlife visitors! He is now at Holly's Haven Wildlife Rescue.

05/14/2026

Did you know that OAESH works with bylaw to take care of injured and orphaned wildlife? Here are a few of our recent visitors. We also work with the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre to save injured turtles and to try to save endangered snapping turtle eggs that they may be able to incubate.

05/12/2026

Meet Myshka. She is a senior gal who came in because she was vomiting and had no appetite. Happily she has made a full recovery and is now chilling watching cartoons until she goes home today!

05/06/2026

At OAESH, we know that when your pet is experiencing an emergency, the last thing you want to worry about is the cost of care. That's why we're pleased to announce we've partnered with ScratchPay to help make our 24/7 emergency and specialty services more accessible to your furry family members!

Scratchpay offers simple, transparent, and flexible payment plans, so you can focus on what matters most - your pet’s health and recovery! 🐾🩺❤️

https://scratchpay.com/

05/01/2026

04/05/2026

Belle-Bulle: The Case of the Wandering Bladder 🕵️‍♀️

Belle-Bulle came to see us with signs of a UTI, but boy were we in for a surprise! X-rays revealed her bladder had actually slipped through an old hernia and become trapped under her skin—long enough for the body wall to heal around it! Beyond the "hidden" bladder, we also found and removed a strange, mineralized mass.

The mass was removed, the bladder put back where it belonged, and she is recovering well at home. Belle-Bulle is officially on the mend! ❤️🩹

03/15/2026

We recently helped out the king of treat-mooching: Cruze! 🦴👑

Cruze is a handsome 7-year-old Rottweiler belonging to one of our very own team members. He recently visited us for a CT scan to check his joints for arthritis, where it was discovered he also had to have a large lipoma removed.

The good news? He’s recovering well and is already back to his usual routine of scouting for treats. Great to see you feeling better, Cruze! 🐾

03/15/2026

Meet Poppy!

Poppy recently visited the Ottawa Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital with a very sore tummy and had to be rushed to surgery. Our team quickly discovered the culprit: it turns out she had eaten a small plastic dinosaur!

She is now back home and on the mend. As for the dinosaur? Let's just say it’s officially extinct.

03/15/2026

Meet Gypsy! 🐾

This sweet 8-year-old German Shepherd mix gave us quite a scare recently. Gypsy was rushed to see us after indulging in a bit too much human food, leading to a severe case of food bloat.

Our team acted fast to stabilize her before heading straight into emergency surgery. The culprit? 1.6 kg of food removed from her stomach! 😮

Gypsy is now recovering comfortably at home. She’s a total sweetheart, and we’re happy we could be there to help her get back on her paws!

01/27/2026

We are excited to announce that the new website for the Ottawa Animal Emergency & Specialty Hospital is officially LIVE! We’ve made it easier than ever to find emergency and specialty care information, read patient stories, and get directions instantly.

Check it out at oaesh.com!