Pet and Bee Veterinary Services

PLEASE NOTE: Pet and Bee Veterinary Services is no longer operating.As you may be aware, there is a major shortage of veterinarians throughout Canada and the world in general. In order to pool our resources and still provide a high level of care to pet owners in Yellowhead County I have decided to close Pet and Bee Veterinary Services and partner with the Edson Veterinary Clinic. Unfortunately, this means that until there are more veterinarians available in the area I will not be able to provide house calls. For those that can make it to Edson, Dr. Eiry is excited to continuing seeing you and your pets there whenever they are in need of veterinary care. All medical records have been transferred to Edson Veterinary Clinic (780-723-3354) unless you have specified otherwise. Our phone number as posted on this website will be turned off at the end of October 2022.

Who We Are

Your bee health professionals serving all beekeepers in Alberta

Family owned and operated (Ben Poltorak, MSc. and Dr. Eiry Spence, MSc, DVM) - Forty combined years of personal experience and knowledge of beekeeping, and a vast, practical understanding of the apicultural industry- Certified experienced veterinarian - Thorough understanding of diagnostic processes and how they relate to treatment of honey bee diseases - Technological integration to ensure timely and efficient diagnosis and treatment of affected hives - Academic backgrounds in entomology and apiculture

Federal Changes to Antimicrobial Guidelines

As of December 1, 2018, Health Canada directed that the use of Medically Important Antimicrobials (MIA) in food-producing animals in Canada must be under veterinary oversight. This means that all MIA including tetracycline, tylosin, lincomycin or any other medically important antimicrobial, have been moved to the prescription-only drug list, and thus require a veterinary prescription to obtain them. These rules apply to all “animals” including honey bees (Apis mellifera).

This change will significantly impact the apiculture industry, which has traditionally been able to access important antimicrobials from local supply stores. This means that in order to obtain appropriate prescription products, all Alberta beekeepers must establish a valid veterinary-client-patient-relationship (VCPR) with a certified veterinarian.

At Pet and Bee Vet we are fully certified, trained, knowledgeable professionals ready to offer you a bee-exclusive veterinary service focused on honeybee health and management. We want to help both small and large beekeeping establishments meet the requirements of this new legislation easily and effortlessly. We are qualified and experienced and can help you ensure continued bee health and maximum production in your hives and the apiculture industry in general. We look forward to working with you.

Services

Hive Management Consultation

Hive management is complex and dependent on a variety of factors including history, location relative to other hives, presence of disease, source of new bees, etc. At Pet and Bee Vet, we will discuss your current hive protocols, history, risk and current challenges, in order to help you determine the best management tools for your hives to ensure their best health and maximum productivity.

Hive visits & Health assessment

Hive visits and health assessments can be tailored to each individual beekeeper depending on their specific needs including overall hive health assessments or specific hive concerns such as winter kill assessment, mite infestations, feeding concerns, winter preparation regimens, etc.
Assessments may be done in person or via technological aids, depending on the location of apiaries.

Diagnostic Testing

At Pet and Bee Vet we can coordinate testing for multiple health related pathogens including but not limited to:
1. American Foulbrood (AFB)
2. European Foulbrood (EFB)
3. Nosema
4. Varroa Mites
5. Viruses
Testing for antibiotic residues can also be coordinated.

Prescriptions

We pride ourselves in writing and filling prescriptions in a timely manner to prevent delay of appropriate treatments because bees don't wait!

Pollinator Ecosystem Health Surveys

With ongoing concern for pollinator health within an ecosystem we are offering pollinator ecosystem health surveys. These surveys serve to provide a detailed assessment of native and other pollinators present within a targeted location. This information can be used to tailor future disturbances in order to minimize impact on important pollinators.

Biosecurity

Biosecurity is important to ensure the continued health of honey bees. We can work with you to design biosecurity protocols tailored to your individual needs in order to limit transfer of disease between bee-yards and from other apiaries.