Our landmark "rock" one hundred years ago - sinking ever since
Where You Can Vacation And Be Home The Same Day
The Naked Truth
December 2, 2024
Vetting Your Vet
WARNING: This TNT contains pet medical information and procedures that some people may find disturbing.
To anyone in the Semi-Pen who has a dog for a pet, this TNT is required reading if you want to avoid illness with your best friend, their possible death from malpractice and huge unnecessary veterinarian bills. We have been living with a sick puppy for almost two months who almost died, was nearly put down three times, and who is still fighting for her life while we hope for a miraculous recovery. The worst part is that with proper diagnosis, treatment and care, none of this should have ever happened.
My wife Sheryl and I have two lovely little dogs named Julie and Bisley who are Pekingese- Pomeranian-Spaniel crosses that I like to call "designer mutts." Julie is the eldest of the two at 15 years old and Bisley is her 10 year old son who we could not part with because he is so damn cute. In all the years we have had them, the only vet bills were for Bisley getting fixed and for Julie having a tooth removed. We realize with advancing age that it was likely they would run into health issues and eventually die. What we did not expect was Julie getting sick and a parade of veterinarians providing such poor animal husbandry that it almost killed her from neglect.
This nightmare all started in late September when Julie had her latest heat and started to lose her appetite. We had never gotten her spade since a veterinarian we talked to ten years ago said it was not necessary. What he did not tell us was that female dogs will continue to have their heats every six months forever, unlike women who eventually exhaust their egg supply and enter menopause. Part of the other information he did not share with us is that as they age, female dogs are vulnerable to pyometra, an infection of the womb that can lead to blood poisoning, kidney failure, peritonitis and eventual death. If like us, you have never heard of this common disease, check out this link for all the disturbing details. https://www.webmd.com/pets/dogs/what-is-pyometra-in-dogs
We had noticed in early fall that Julie was not eating her full meals and was losing weight. We associated this with getting older and possibly having teeth issues. To address this we cut down on her kibble and gave her more canned food, hoping to improve her appetite. In the first week of October we went to a South Surrey veterinary clinic concerned that her weight had dropped from 22 to 17.5 pounds. After giving them Julie's medical history, they did a quick physical examination and suggested giving her even more canned food to increase her weight. While they said they could do blood and urine analysis, they told us they did not believe it would show anything. Because of their recommendation and Julie's history of being a fussy eater, we did not have this testing done. Considering her rapid weight loss, age and not being spade, this was a grave mistake.
We continued with trying to fatten Julie up and changed her diet in the second week of November over to raw food that she had previously devoured. Shortly after that she stopped eating and had a rather nasty bowel movement that was hard and very uncomfortable. Alarmed at this we took her to a vet in Newton that my wife had previously used with a previous pet. While Julie was experiencing odour and discharge from her vagina along with the lack of appetite, the vet simply prescribed an antibiotic and told Sheryl to keep her area clean with warm compresses. We resorted to giving Julie cooked chicken and other foods that we would normally eat just to try and get anything into her. Finally on Sunday morning, Nov. 24th, she refused to get up out of bed and extremely concerned with her health, we took her to an emergency animal clinic.
On the day before, Sheryl had reached out to a family friend Emily who manages the Bone & Biscuit store in Cloverdale. She is a pet nutritionist and previously had worked as a veterinarian assistant. On giving her the details about Julie's medical condition over the phone, Emily immediately felt that she was suffering from pyometra, which was the first time we had ever heard of it. Amazingly, when we showed up at the emergency clinic on Sunday, telling the vet we believed it was pyometra, they examined her and did not come to that conclusion. They told us they would do everything in their power to save her life and gave us a quote that totaled close to $8,000. We did have them do a blood and urine sample that went out for lab analysis. Without a positive diagnosis and while considering to put her down, we took Julie home with both pain and anti-nausea medication.
On the Sunday night we received a phone call from the emergency vet clinic about the results of the blood and urine lab work, which were also emailed to us. We were told it showed kidney disease, a bladder infection and possible underlying cancer. With this in mind, we figured we would put her on the various medications, force feed her with a gravy baster and consider doggie MAID. On Monday I went so far as to dig a large hole in our back yard as Julie's final resting place so that I would not have to do it in the dark during the work week. Julie did perk up a bit from the meds so we decided to delay her departure for another day. The same thing happened on Tuesday and I talked to my sister about the Langley farm veterinarian she had used for years. Figuring we had nothing to lose, and planning to have her put down, Julie was taken to Albatross Veterinary Services in Langley on Wednesday.
The veterinarian was given Julie's medical history along with a chronicle order of events with the three different vet clinics she had been seen at over the past two months. They immediately agreed that it looked to be pyometra, performed a simple vaginal swab and confirmed the presence of swarms of bacteria under a compound microscope at no charge. They then took an x-ray to confirm the diagnosis that showed many abnormalities with Julie's reproductive system. After a frank discussion about whether to proceed with treatment or simply end her life, we decided to go ahead with ovariohysterectomy (spay) surgery, which was scheduled for later that evening. Besides a seriously infected womb, one of her ovaries was the size of a mandarin orange when it normally should be the size of a grape. We picked up our loving little dog the next day and have been attempting to nurse her back to health ever since.
Julie is still not out of the woods and the antibiotics are tough on her belly and cause nausea. We are giving her the best of care but realize she was literally knocking on death's door for days. The worst part about this entire situation is that it was completely unnecessary. Any of the three initial veterinarians should have easily recognized the symptoms Julie was experiencing that we described in detail. If she was properly diagnosed in early October, much of this medical saga could have been avoided. Instead our dog was left to rot internally, get sick as a dog (if you pardon the pun), and almost get put down three times. We have said good-bye to her so often that the thought of her dying barely hurts any more. We are not veterinarians and we rely on these dog doctors to be competent and knowledgeable about animal diseases. In this case, their non-treatment caused our sweet family dog to be tortured almost to death.
If you are looking for a competent vet, save money and heartache by visiting the caring folks at Albatross Veterinary Services, 45 216 St. in Langley.
I wish to acknowledge we live work and play on the traditional lands of the Semiahmoo People.
Local News
GOODBYE
IVAN SCOTT a main force behind the KEEP THE RCMP IN SURREY movement was so inspired yesterday as the switch over from the RCMP to Surrey Police Services, he put pen to paper.
Ode to the Surrey RCMP
Beneath the Maple's steadfast shade,
The RCMP in Surrey stood, unswayed.
Seventy-two years, their duty embraced,
A shield of justice, our city’s grace.
Five lives given in courage’s name,
In sacrifice, they forged their flame.
Guardians bold, through night and strife,
They walked the line to guard our life.
With red serge proud and hearts of steel,
They served with honor, their creed was real.
Yet now, they’re cast by ruling hand,
Dismissed by force, not citizen’s stand.
Fifty thousand voices raised in plea,
“Keep the Mounties, let them be!”
Petitions signed, elections fought,
Yet justice for the people sought.
Our voices drowned by power’s decree,
A travesty in democracy.
To those who swore to serve, not reign,
You’ve turned away, and left disdain.
To Surrey’s heroes, we raise this verse,
Your loss, our city’s bitter curse.
Though uniforms fade, your honor shines,
Forever etched in Surrey’s lines.
May history mark this somber day,
When voices of the many were swept away.
But gratitude for you will never part,
RCMP, you’re in Surrey’s heart.
We tried.
Ivan Michael Scott – Founder of KEEP THE RCMP IN SURREY Campaign
Peter Short – Director of KEEP THE RCMP IN SURREY Campaign
Item 2: The most inspiring video you will ever have seen, called: Only you can make the difference
I want to share with you a Youtube video by the late Professor Leonardo Buscaglia, author and speaker, which I first watched in 1992 and I realize now that it had a significant impact on me to achieve what I have achieved in life. He gives a message that everyone deserves to hear. He talks about the same things then that affect us today - nothing changes they say but it does seem that it has got a bit worse. Make up your own mind. The video is grainy and of poor quality compared to today's standards, but the message is still completely relevant. Please watch it for the complete 25 minutes - it will be worth it. Link as follows:
Today November 29, 2024 marks the beginning of a new era of policing in Surrey, as Surrey Police Service (SPS) officially becomes Surrey’s new police service. It’s an exciting time and a historic moment, both in policing and in the development of Surrey, as residents will have their own municipal police service for the first time since 1951.
Although SPS will become the police of jurisdiction on November 29th, the BC RCMP, as the provincial police service, will continue to operate in a temporary support role in Surrey until the transition is complete.
SPS is a progressive, community-based police service that is accountable to the community. As Surrey’s own local police service, we will focus on the public safety issues that are a priority for the citizens of Surrey and allocate resources to respond quickly to emerging trends. We are accountable to the citizens we serve through a civilian police board.
We are grateful to the RCMP for their long history of service to Surrey, and we are honoured to be assuming responsibility for policing in this great city.
Good morning South Surrey community and thank you all sooo much!!!
It was a gorgeous evening Wednesday night so I decided to drop the crab traps in my 16 ft aluminum boat with my son and on our way back I almost hit a bird which made me react by jack-knifing my boat at full speed which almost ejected us both but the boat filled up with water righted itself for 2-3 seconds and sank underneath us.
We were rescued by the coastguard after being in the water for roughly 50 minutes thank God for wearing life jackets and having my phone water proof and charged and accessible
Our body temperatures dropped to lower mid thirties but thank god not to 32 or below or we would’ve likely had some way more serious hypothermia symptoms which would have put a lot more stress on our organs (mainly the heart) and other.
I’m so thankful that my 12 year old son held it together so well!
Wednesday evening Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue received a call just before 6 pm, from the Joint Rescue Coordination Center for reports of a father and son whose vessel capsized and were in the water. Our crew, with support from 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron and Coast Guard Hovercraft Siyay, brought the hypothermic pair onboard and transported them to awaiting emergency health services at Crescent Beach Marina. Thankfully, the father and son were wearing pfd's, and are doing much better today. Thank you to all first responders involved in successfully bringing this family home safely. @surreyfirefighters @bcrcmp @bc_ehs @coastguardcan @rcaf_arc @crescentbeachmarina
Surrey Clears Permit Backlog
The City has made tremendous strides in enhancing our development processes, achieving an 84% increase in building permits issued, which has allowed us to surpass our housing delivery target.
We have also just set a goal of further reducing application and permit timelines by 30%. We're committed to continuous improvement by implementing new tools and procedures to create a more efficient and accessible housing landscape.
Long before wither Surrey or White Rock council was aware that the Semiahmoo band had plans to build a biofuel plant on their land, a group of concerned citizens from the Summerfield area (near the truck crossing in South Surrey) kicked up the dust about the proposed installation.
Financing for the project came into question, and talks stalled.
The Semiahmoo Band has never declared have no further interest in building a biofuel plant.
November 27, 2024
Take part in the Development Cost Charge Bylaw Update
The City of White Rock is updating its Development Cost Charges (DCCs) bylaw to better support growth and infrastructure needs. The DCC bylaw review includes cost adjustments based on external market factors to reflect the substantial increases in construction costs over the past years as the last bylaw update was completed in 2015.
How to be involved
Attend the Open House
The City is hosting an Open House to gather feedback from the community on the proposed DCC rates.
Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Location: White Rock Community Centre, 15154 Russell Avenue
Your input will be used to provide feedback to the project team and elected officials on the proposed DCC program. Visit talkwhiterock.ca/DCCupdate
Survey closes December 13, 2024.
What are DCCs
DCCs are fees collected from land developers, on a user pay basis, to help fund the costs of new infrastructure needed to support growth. DCCs help ensure developers pay their fair share of the costs required to develop new infrastructure and park improvements.
What do DCCs pay for?
Development Cost Charges pay for:
Transportation Infrastructure
Water infrastructure
Sanitary Sewer Infrastructure
Drainage Infrastructure
Police Infrastructure
Fire Infrastructure
Parkland Acquisition and Development
Strange Sightings on the Semiahmoo Peninsula
There have been some strange colours clouds over the skies towards Crescent Beach the past couple of weeks. The photo above was submitted by ROXANNE CHARLES. It was taken from the Semiahmoo lands.
The picture below turned up anonymously this week.
...and it is not just looking west from White Rock. Below is a photo ROY KAISER took when he pointed his camera towards Langley.
the mystery is no longer a mystery. The pinkish hue to the sky was caused by perfect rainy cloudy weather conditions reflecting the lights of the giant greenhouses in delta and Langley.
Now you know.
Stranger
It is unusual to see one of the new TESLA trucks on the peninsula, it is even more unusual to see two at the same time in the same place.
November 26, 2024
White Rock Council Rewind
- The Long awaited report back on the costs of CCTV cameras in various sections of White Rock
(The city will spend close to $300,00.00 for CCTV cameras to be installed on East Beach and on Memorial Park section of west beach.) The motion passed with councillors Chesney & Klassen opposed
- A report on the soon to be opened WARMING CENTRE in Centennial Park
(The Warming Centre is expected to be open at week's end or on Monday)
- A motion to reclaim city property on road ends that residents have encroached on
(My motion was defeated unanimously by the rest of council)
- A summary of waterfront activity over the summer from the private security firm that was hired to augment the RCMP
(Staff have been asked to include the amount of $16,000.00 into next years budget to continue the program)
Bruce spotted the kids, and their parents, in the seats behind the stage during “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and asked security to bring them backstage… the rest is a BOSS moment to remember forever for these youngsters!!!
We have items like sandwiches, coffee, soup & more available for free for customers who need them.
Simply visit us in-store to see a wall of receipts highlighting what products are pre-paid and select the item you wish to redeem. No questions asked. We all need a pick me up once in a while
If you’d like to pre-pay for an item you are welcome to visit us in store and we will add your receipt to the wall of available items.
Please share this post to help us reach more people in need
Kicking off December's Christmas songs and we start with Vancouver's own BRICKHOUSE
Joke Of The Day
A doctor, a priest and an engineer go golfing...
After only a few rounds, they get caught behind the worst group of golfers they've ever seen. After growing impatient from waiting for them to finish their holes, they go into the clubhouse to complain.
"Let me explain," says the manager. "You see, those men all used to be firefighters, some of the best our city has ever seen. There was a fire here at the clubhouse about five years ago. Those heroic men saved our clubhouse from the fire. However, most unfortunately, they all lost their sight in the terrible fire. Since then, they are welcome to use our facilities for life; it's the very least we could do."
The priest, looks forlorn and says, "I'm so sorry to hear it! I will hold a prayer service this Sunday dedicated to these men."
The doctor says, "what an awful thing! I know a highly-regarded optometrist who has done some research that might be able to help them, I'll arrange for them to meet as soon as I can!"
The engineer thinks for a moment and says, "why can't they golf at night?"
