Espanola Animal Hospital

10/23/2026

For RVT Week, we’re celebrating Kali, our resident big sister and the person you want in your corner when a problem needs solving!

Kali’s journey into veterinary medicine wasn’t exactly a straight line. After discovering that real estate wasn’t her calling, she joined Espanola Animal Hospital as a veterinary assistant and quickly found where she belonged. Determined to advance her career, she worked full-time while completing a five-year distance education program to become an RVT. And she was just getting started!

Since then, Kali has earned her Certified Companion Animal Therapist (CCAT) designation, published multiple research articles, and made history as the first RVT in Canada to earn the prestigious Veterinary Technician Specialist in Surgery designation. She has since spoken at international conferences, serves on the AVST Credentials Committee, and mentors technicians pursuing advanced specialty credentials of their own. She is also a current distance B. Sc student at University of Missouri.

But Kali’s impact goes far beyond her credentials. Known around the hospital as the “fixer” or the team’s big sis, she’s the person everyone turns to for help, whether it’s troubleshooting equipment, tackling patient care challenges, or supporting a colleague. She’s passionate about helping her team build confidence, develop their skills, and embrace lifelong learning, because better educated, empowered teams mean safer, more compassionate care for our patients.

We’re incredibly proud to have Kali on our team and grateful for the expertise, leadership, and passion she brings to Espanola Animal Hospital every day. ❤️

Happy RVT Week, Kali! Thank you for everything you do! 🐶🐱

10/22/2026

This week is National Veterinary Technician week, as it has been every 3rd week in October since 1993. This originally began as a week to raise public awareness, educate pet owners, and recognize the vital role that credentialed technicians play in veterinary medicine.

There is no better embodiment of the importance of an RVT than our very own Alex Robson. The best thing that ever happened to us was Alex deciding to pivot to veterinary medicine after completing her B. Sc in Forensic Science. We hired her with a bit of experience but A LOT of grit, determination and a genuine love of caring for animals. Alex went on to complete her AAS and RVT degrees via the AAHA Distance Education program, working full time and working on school work in the evenings.

Over the years, Alex has flourished into an incredibly competent, organized and reliable RVT, and we truly can’t run this practice without her. She manages ALL of the hospital’s inventory, ensures we are never out of anything, coordinates ALL of the instrumentation so we have what we need for every procedure we do, scrubs in for every major procedure we perform and is overall the calming presence around here that knows where everything is, how to run every piece of equipment, and keeps all of the chaos to a minimum. Her presence is a calming entity around this practice because we know she’s got it all handled.

From all of the staff, thank you Alex, for everything you do for all of us. There truly are not enough words to convey how much you mean to us and how vital you are to the team❤️

10/11/2026

That’s a wrap on ACVS 2026! ✈️

Dr. Rocheleau, Sarah, Emily, and Kali are wrapping up an inspiring few days of learning, collaboration, and advancing veterinary medicine.

Dr. Rocheleau and Sarah presented research abstracts on total knee and total hip replacement, while Kali delivered a 45-minute lecture on total knee replacement for veterinary technicians, sharing knowledge and advancing education within our profession.

We couldn’t be prouder of our team and their dedication to research, education, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in veterinary orthopedics.

At the heart of everything we do is one shared goal: making life better for animals. 🐶🐱

09/26/2026

We’re incredibly proud of Dr. PJ, Kali, and Emily for representing our hospital at WVOC , which is basically the veterinary orthopedic “Olympics,” held just once every four years! 🦴🏅

Dr. PJ and Kali each presented lectures highlighting several of our ongoing research projects, while Emily presented a research poster. We’re so proud to see our team sharing their work, contributing to the field, and representing our hospital on the international stage.

09/01/2026

20 POUNDS! One incredible journey, and now… one brand-new knee 🦴💛

Meet Charlie. This beautiful yellow Lab came to us with severe degenerative joint disease in both knees as a result of cruciate ligament tears, which is the canine equivalent of an ACL tear in humans. But before Charlie could receive the total knee replacements she desperately needed, there was one important step first: she needed to lose weight.

And lose weight she did. 20 POUNDS. 🤯

That’s a massive amount of weight for a dog. Frankly, 20 pounds is significant even for a human!

Why was this so important? Total knee replacement is not something we want to rush in a significantly overweight patient. Excess body weight places additional forces on the knee and, importantly, on the collateral ligaments that help stabilize the joint. A collateral ligament rupture following knee replacement is a serious complication, one we want to do everything possible to prevent.

Now, after an incredible weight-loss journey, Charlie was finally ready for the first of her two total knee replacements.

Because sometimes the best surgical plan isn't about doing something as quickly as possible. It's about taking the time to make sure we're giving our patients the best possible chance at a successful outcome.

Way to go, Charlie. We are SO proud of you and your humans! 🥹💛

09/01/2026

THREE HOURS AFTER HER TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT 🤯

Piper the Border Collie underwent a total hip replacement last week for severe degenerative joint disease caused by hip dysplasia. Just three hours after surgery, she’s already walking more comfortably on her new hip than she was on her own painful hip.

This is one of the most rewarding moments in orthopedic surgery. Watching a patient take their first steps toward a life with significantly less pain, sometimes within hours of surgery.

Making specialized orthopedic surgery accessible and affordable is at the heart of what we do. Our total hip replacement procedures are offered at approximately half the cost of many major referral centres, while providing the advanced surgical expertise and care that these patients deserve.

Severe hip dysplasia shouldn't mean choosing between pain and an unaffordable surgery.

If you have a patient struggling with painful hip disease, we're happy to discuss whether total hip replacement may be an appropriate option.

📍 Espanola Animal Hospital
🦴 Advanced Orthopedic & Joint Replacement Surgery at Affordable Prices

08/18/2026

Proud of Our Pack 🐾🥾

Six of our amazing team took on the Sudbury Camino this Saturday, and they brought their four-legged training partners along for the adventure! 🐕❤️

We’re so proud of their tenacity, teamwork, and determination over the 30km they travelled on foot. They started at Moonlight Beach and ended at Hillcrest in Lively! It’s pretty special to see our team challenge themselves outside of the hospital and tackle something like this together.

And what better place to do it? The Sudbury Camino is a beautiful reminder of just how lucky we are to call this place home. From the trails to the lakes to the incredible scenery, we’re proud to be part of this community, and even prouder to have a team that gets out there and enjoys it together.

Congrats to Alicia + Wrangler, Sarah + Sergeant, Mikayla + Iyla, Kali + Happy, Alex + Summit, and Emily + Poppy! 🌲💚

08/17/2026

POV: You’re a dog who refuses to p*e on asphalt.
Dr. Rocheleau: “Fine.”
Also Dr. Rocheleau: 🔨🔨🔨

When 9/10 dogs prefer grass, you give the dogs what they want. 🌱🐶

So Dr. Rocheleau literally jackhammered the parking lot on Saturday to make a grassy potty area for our patients.

You’re welcome, dogs. 😂

08/12/2026

🔬 2020 → 2026. Worth the wait. 👏

Huge congratulations to our research team on their newest article being accepted for publication! We started this study way back in 2020, making this one a true labour of love, persistence, and a lot of data.

More importantly, not only for our patients, but patients around the world, this means smaller incisions, better visualization and faster healing times following decompressive spinal surgery.

We couldn’t be prouder of Drs. Rocheleau + Domney, RVTs Kali + Alex, and future DVM Sarah Bird for seeing it through from first patient to published paper. 🥂📚

08/07/2026

A special tribute for a very special girl! Thank you to Movora for sharing the story of "Miss Canada". 🇨🇦

Ellie was one of many lives saved from a local puppy mill several years ago. Dr. Rocheleau was actually the Vet who attended the seizure with the SPCA. Who would have thought that their paths would cross again all those years later?!

She was the first dog in Canada to receive a medial elbow replacement and certainly got some great use out of it in the years following, spending her time roaming the acreage she lived on, running free and sometimes terrorizing the local wildlife.

Ellie was laid to rest after a very hard-fought battle with kidney failure, surrounded by her family. Despite her rough start in life, she was always a sweet girl with a sprinkle of silly goose energy. She allowed us to pave the trail for medial elbow replacement in Canada, which continues to provide much needed pain relief and return to function for dogs suffering from elbow dysplasia.
Thank you, Ellie. 💜

Five years, five stories. This one is extra special. 🤎

Ellie, a brave girl, made history as the first patient in Canada to receive a KYON Medial Elbow Replacement. Diagnosed with elbow dysplasia, she was in the expert hands of Dr. PJ Rocheleau at Espanola Vet — and together they helped pave the way for a procedure that has since changed outcomes for so many dogs like her.

📷:
🩺: Dr. PJ Rocheleau, DVM, CCRT

Click the link below to read Ellie's full story on the Movora blog:
https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0xmFQd0