Woodruff Vet Services Ltd.

Woodruff Vet Services Ltd. We are a privately owned clinic that offers high-quality veterinary services with understanding, compassion and integrity.

We do daytime emergencies, basic tests, vaccinations, parasite control, spaying or neutering and more complex surgical procedures.

This girl's got a Lab-ulous personality! 🐕 Was so nice to meet Coral Luna, pretty name for a beautiful pup 😊
09/04/2026

This girl's got a Lab-ulous personality! 🐕 Was so nice to meet Coral Luna, pretty name for a beautiful pup 😊

Between Ellies floppy ears, wiggly tail, and adorable personality, she had the whole clinic wrapped around her little pa...
09/03/2026

Between Ellies floppy ears, wiggly tail, and adorable personality, she had the whole clinic wrapped around her little paw. 🐾

Some dogs just have that special something-and this sweet guy has personality for DAYS! Meet Marley the Woodruff family'...
09/02/2026

Some dogs just have that special something-and this sweet guy has personality for DAYS! Meet Marley the Woodruff family's resident fur-bulous friend.

Meet Max! Too cute to keep that tongue to himself! 🐶👅
09/01/2026

Meet Max! Too cute to keep that tongue to himself! 🐶👅

Logan loves to take messages and pass them along to the team, please note a few things below when talking to Logan.
08/31/2026

Logan loves to take messages and pass them along to the team, please note a few things below when talking to Logan.

🪱 THE TINY TAPEWORM WE REALLY WANT DOG OWNERS TO KNOW ABOUTMeet Echinococcus multilocularis — a tiny tapeworm only a few...
08/29/2026

🪱 THE TINY TAPEWORM WE REALLY WANT DOG OWNERS TO KNOW ABOUT

Meet Echinococcus multilocularis — a tiny tapeworm only a few millimetres long, but one that can cause a very serious disease in people.

And yes… it is found right here in Alberta. (see second photo of an adult worm found in a coyote in Alberta

🐭 HOW DO DOGS GET IT?

The natural life cycle involves wild canids such as coyotes and foxes and small rodents such as mice and voles.

Dogs can become infected when they:

• Hunt or eat mice, voles or other small rodents
• Roam on farms or acreages
• Have access to fields, bush or areas frequented by coyotes and foxes
• Scavenge wildlife
• Live a rural/outdoor lifestyle where catching the occasional mouse is just part of being a dog

Once infected, a dog can carry the adult tapeworm in its intestine without appearing sick at all.

The problem?

The tapeworm produces microscopic eggs that are passed in the dog's f***s and contaminate the environment.

👨‍👩‍👧 AND THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE COME INTO THE PICTURE…

**E. multilocularis is zoonotic — meaning it can infect humans.**

People don't get the adult intestinal tapeworm that dogs do. Instead, if a person accidentally swallows microscopic eggs, they can develop alveolar echinococcosis (AE).

The parasite usually establishes itself in the liver, where it slowly grows and infiltrates surrounding tissue in a way that can behave remarkably like a malignant tumour.

The especially frightening part is that a person may have NO SYMPTOMS FOR 5–15 YEARS.

By the time symptoms such as abdominal discomfort, jaundice, unexplained weight loss or fatigue occur, significant liver disease may already be present.

Untreated alveolar echinococcosis can be life-threatening, and treatment may require major liver surgery and prolonged antiparasitic medication.

🐕 SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

Fortunately, preventing dogs from shedding this parasite is much easier than treating alveolar echinococcosis in a person.

The key medication is PRAZIQUANTEL.

Not every routine dewormer contains praziquantel, and many common parasite-prevention products do not kill Echinococcus tapeworms.

For our patients at risk, we recommend a praziquantel-containing product such as:

💊 **Interceptor Plus**
💊 **Quattro Pro**

The appropriate deworming schedule depends on your dog's lifestyle and risk. Dogs that regularly hunt rodents or have significant exposure to wildlife require monthly ongoing praziquantel treatment rather than occasional deworming**.

⚠️ YOUR DOG IS AT A HIGH RISK OF INFECTION IF:

✔️ You live on a farm or acreage
✔️ Your dog catches or eats mice/voles
✔️ Your dog roams off leash
✔️ Coyotes or foxes frequent your property
✔️ Your dog scavenges wildlife
✔️ You have a working/farm dog
✔️ Your dog spends significant time outdoors in rural areas

And remember, an infected dog will usually look perfectly healthy.

Other ways to reduce risk include promptly picking up dog f***s, preventing dogs from eating rodents whenever possible, washing your hands after handling f***s or working with soil that may be contaminated, and washing produce gathered or grown close to the ground.

🪱 That disgusting little tapeworm in the photo may only be a few millimetres long. Its consequences can be enormous.

If your dog is a hunter, mouser, farm dog or rural adventurer, ask us whether Echinococcus prevention should be part of their regular parasite-control program.

Woodruff Veterinary Services

Ellie & Ben 🐾 August 15,2026 The sweetest Collies!! Got to love those long noses!
08/28/2026

Ellie & Ben 🐾 August 15,2026
The sweetest Collies!! Got to love those long noses!

Fern & Gage 🐾 August 13,2026
08/28/2026

Fern & Gage 🐾 August 13,2026

Squeaks 🐾 August 7,2026 He was told it was morning and he said he was going back to bed!!
08/28/2026

Squeaks 🐾 August 7,2026
He was told it was morning and he said he was going back to bed!!

Salt & Pepper 🐾 July 28,2026
08/28/2026

Salt & Pepper 🐾 July 28,2026

Address

51220 Highway 759 Tomahawk
Drayton Valley, AB
T0E2H0

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 8pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 8pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+17803392131

Website

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