Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and other holidays should be a time for welcoming friends and family into your home – not for making emergency trips to the animal hospital. But if this year is like most others, veterinarians like myself will…
Many pet owners may be surprised when their veterinarian tells them their sick dog or cat needs a blood transfusion. Transfusions are a large part of emergency and critical care veterinary medicine. Dogs and cats (and even horses, birds, and…
We all love summertime and being outside! Getting together with family is an essential part of the summer experience. For many people, this ritual includes furry family members. While enjoying the warmer weather is fun, we all need to watch…
Cat lovers know that many indoor cats are overweight, inactive, and bored – and that can have a negative effect on their health. Indoor cats can live a healthy and fulfilling life, provided they have environmental enrichment. 1. Playtime Keep…
Are congratulations in order for your new furry family member? Perhaps you’re still considering this important decision. With just a few strategies, the integration of a new dog into your family can be a smooth one. On day one, before entering…
You’ve seen service dogs in the community. These dogs are trained to aid people suffering from various disabilities or diseases. They assist us in managing disabilities like autism, PTSD, visual and hearing impairments, and diseases such as epilepsy, cancer, diabetes,…
It was an emotional decision to purchase my second Mercury Villager. My father had given me my first, an all-purpose van to transport dogs to and from the adoption stand and appointments with the vet. It was my only car,…
Our family recently enjoyed a wonderful vacation on a fairly remote beach. We loved having no phones, sleeping late, and seeing nobody else on our beach. However, as I was exploring and photographing the sunrise one morning, I stepped on something…
They are small, but powerful. They live off the blood of their host, and spread diseases as they feed. And unfortunately, Virginia is home to the big three: American dog tick, black-legged (deer) tick, and brown dog tick. As our…
Her name was Molly Phyllis, and she was solely responsible for getting our family over our bigotry. My husband and I fostered dogs and with two small children, we steadfastly refused to allow pit bulls in our home. But when…
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