Empire Vet

🐾 Pets & Personal Space: A Concept They’ve Chosen to Ignore

Remember when you had boundaries?
Privacy?
The ability to sit down without becoming furniture?
Yeah. Neither does your pet. 😂

🐶 Your 80 lb dog: “Your lap? You mean our lap.”

🚽 You go to the bathroom: Dog: “Seems dangerous. I’ll supervise.”

😴 You try to sleep: Dog: “This pillow looks uncomfortable. I’ll just lie directly on your face.”

💻 You open your laptop: Cat: “Perfect. A warm rectangle specifically designed for my butt.”

🌙 You wake up at 3 a.m.: Cat: 👁️👁️ Two inches from your face. Breathing.

The good news? Pets often want to be close because they feel safe, comfortable, and bonded to us. ❤️

The bad news? You will never go to the bathroom alone again.

Personal space: 0/10
Having a tiny furry stalker who loves you: 10/10 🐾😂

🍂💘 Your Pet’s Fall Relationship Status

Cuffing season is here…and apparently our pets have been busy. 👀

🐶 Dog: In a committed relationship with a tennis ball. It’s serious. They’ve been together for years. He still refuses to share.

🐱 Cat: It’s complicated. Needs space. Then affection. Then space again. WAIT, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!

🐶 Golden Retriever: In an open relationship. Currently in love with you, your neighbour, the delivery driver, a leaf, and someone they met for 11 seconds at the park.

🐱 Orange Cat: Single. Not emotionally available. Sends mixed meow-sages.

🐶 Puppy: “I’m focusing on myself right now.” Immediately eats a sock.

🐱 Indoor Cat: Long-distance relationship. With a bird outside the window who has no idea they’re dating.

🐶 Senior Dog: Happily settled down. Seeking quiet evenings, dinner at 4:57 p.m. SHARP, and someone who understands that bedtime starts immediately after dinner.

🐱 Senior Cat: Married. To the heated blanket. Please respect their privacy. 🍁

Whatever their relationship status, one thing is certain: you’re still paying all the bills. 😂🐾

It’s a sad reality, right? Our fur babies can feel pain, but can’t tell us what's hurting. That’s why we’re letting you know some common signals something might be wrong.

Early detection and care can make a BIG difference. If you notice your pet is showing these signs, give us a call or visit our clinic for an assessment and guidance.

Common Signs of Pet Pain

More purrs. More tail wags. More insight into their health. ❤️🐾

Support your senior pet’s wellness with 10% off senior bloodwork panels at Empire Veterinary Clinic, September 24–October 2, for dogs and cats 7 years and older!

🐱 Feline Senior Panel: $265 (reg. $295)
🐶 Canine Senior Panel: $270 (reg. $302)

Senior pet bloodwork helps us assess kidney, liver, and other organ function and identify changes that may be easy to miss. It also establishes a baseline for future comparisons.

Bloodwork takes just a few minutes to collect, and we will have results back to you within 24 to 48 hours.

📞 Call 209-521-7305 or book your senior pet’s bloodwork online.

🐾💙 Deaf Dog Awareness Week | September 20–26

A deaf dog may not hear you say “good dog”…but they can absolutely know how loved they are. ❤️

Deaf dogs experience the world a little differently, often relying more heavily on visual cues, vibrations, body language, and scent to understand what’s happening around them. With patience and the right communication, deaf dogs can learn commands, enjoy adventures, play, cuddle, and live wonderfully full lives. 🐶

A few ways to help a deaf dog thrive:
👋 Use consistent hand signals for commands
💡 Use visual cues to get their attention
🐾 Approach carefully so you don’t startle them
🏡 Keep them safely leashed or in secure areas outdoors
❤️ Reward eye contact and check-ins to strengthen communication

And if your dog seems to be losing their hearing, especially as they age, mention the change at their next veterinary visit. Hearing changes can have several causes, and it’s worth having them evaluated.

This Deaf Dog Awareness Week, we’re celebrating the dogs who remind us that communication doesn’t always require sound. 🐾💙

🍂🐶 Is Your Dog a Leaf Jumper?

The first leaves hit the ground and suddenly every dog develops a very specific autumn personality. 😂

🍂 The Full Sender — Sees a leaf pile. Launches immediately. Zero hesitation.

👃 The Inspector — Must sniff. Every. Single. Leaf.

😋 The Taste Tester — “Interesting…perhaps I should eat this?”

😐 The Unimpressed One — Leaves? On the ground? Groundbreaking.

Whatever your pup’s autumn personality, keep an eye on what’s hiding in those tempting piles. Sticks, sharp objects, mushrooms, mouldy leaves, and other debris can turn a fun fall adventure into an unexpected vet visit.

So go ahead and enjoy the crunch, the zoomies, and the glorious leaf-pile chaos—just give the pile a quick safety check first. 🍁🐾

✨ September is Pet Pain Awareness Month ✨

Our pets can’t tell us when something hurts—and many are surprisingly good at hiding discomfort.

🐾 Pain from arthritis, dental disease, injuries, chronic conditions, or age-related changes can sometimes show up in subtle ways. This month, pay a little extra attention to what your pet may be telling you.

💜 👀 Watch for signs like:

🐾 Slowing down or limping
🐾 Hesitating to jump or use stairs
🐾 Sleeping or hiding more than usual
🐾 Changes in appetite or behavior
🐾 Losing interest in walks, play, or favorite activities

You can also support your pet’s comfort by keeping activity gentle and appropriate, maintaining a healthy weight, providing supportive bedding and nonslip surfaces, and keeping a simple journal of changes you notice at home.

Most importantly, don’t ignore subtle changes. Because pets often hide pain, even small differences in their behavior or mobility can be worth discussing with your veterinary team.

🩺 Pain management isn’t one-size-fits-all. A veterinary exam can help identify what’s causing your pet’s discomfort and determine the best plan to support their comfort, mobility, and quality of life.

💜 Your pet’s behavior speaks volumes. If something seems different, schedule an exam with your veterinarian.

🏈🐾 Game Day Safety: What’s on Your Pet’s Banned List?

The game is on.
The snacks are out.
And your pet has suddenly become VERY interested in football. 👀

Spoiler: it’s probably the food.

Before you share from your game-day spread, keep these common favourites away from curious paws:

❌ Wings — Cooked bones can splinter and cause choking, injuries, or intestinal blockages. Fatty sauces and seasonings can also cause problems.
❌ Onions — Onions and other members of the allium family can damage red blood cells and are toxic to dogs and cats.
❌ Alcohol — Even small amounts can be dangerous for pets. Keep drinks and alcohol-containing foods well out of reach.
❌ Corn cobs — The corn itself may seem harmless, but the cob can become a serious intestinal blockage if swallowed.

And remember: halftime is prime time for unattended plates. 😂 Keep snacks, drinks, trash, and leftovers somewhere your four-legged defensive line can’t reach.

🏈 The safest game-day treat? Stick with something made specifically for your pet.

Which snack does your pet try hardest to steal? 🐾