Veterinary Blog
‘Tis the Season for Holiday Pet Safety Reminders
The holiday season has finally arrived, and the excitement of shopping, baking, decorating, and planning is upon us. Pets are not likely to share in our revelry, as many of the seasonal delights we love can cause undue stress for them, or pose significant danger to their health.
Bone up on our holiday pet safety tips to make this the best season ever for your family (both two-legged and four)!
Do You See What I See? Pet Eye Health
The eyes are the windows to the soul, and if you’ve ever peered into your pet’s sweet gaze, you probably agree. Keeping your pet’s eyes healthy is an important task for all pet owners, and at Arlington Animal Hospital, we take pet eye health very seriously.
Common Pet Eye Problems
There are many different eye problems that we diagnose in pets. Common issues include:
Leptospirosis: Is There a Risk to Your Dog?
It may not be a name that rolls off of the tongue, or one that is as common as parvo; however, Leptospirosis (‘lepto’) is on the rise and is one of the more serious offenders when to comes to contagious illnesses in our pets. In cities across the United States, we have seen a steady increase in the number of lepto cases, including in the Arlington area.
The Arlington team wants you to better understand leptospirosis in dogs, what lepto is about, the signs of infection, and what you can do to prevent this serious disease.
Lepto 411
Leptospirosis is caused by the Leptospira bacteria, which is a spiral organism known as spirochetes, and is shed through infected animals (via water, soil, or direct contact). While dogs who spend time in outdoor or rural areas are more at risk, we are now finding an increasing prevalence of lepto in urban areas, too. This is due to several reasons, including an increase in infected rodents and other small mammals that spread leptospirosis in areas where pets play.
Confident Canine: Why Training and Socialization Matters for all Dogs
There’s nothing quite like a confident, well-behaved, and happy dog. Their enthusiastic tail-wagging can bring a smile to every dog lover. But dogs do not just innately know how to behave, how to play well with others, and how to be a good canine citizen in a very big world. All dogs need training and socialization to set them off on the right paw.
Training is more than just a few basic commands (although these are essential); it is your pet’s form of lifelong education, instilling the confidence and understanding needed to have a healthy life. Learn more about why we at Arlington Animal Hospital encourage all dog owners to put importance on training and socialization – the keys to your pet’s lifetime well-being!
Severe Weather Safety and Disaster Preparedness for Pets
Although hot weather safety is often the main concern during the summer, this time of year also brings some of the most raucous of storms our way. From hurricanes to tornadoes to flooding, there are some natural disasters that may come your way no matter where you live.
For most families, knowing what to do in the event of evacuation has been a topic that’s come up before. For families with four-legged members, additional planning and consideration is needed – specifically, emergency preparedness for pets.
Preparedness for Pets: Before the Storm Strikes
Being prepared is the name of the game in any emergency situation. This means making a plan that will also accommodate your pet during bad weather or during an evacuation.
Summer Pet Safety and Ways to Keep Your Pet Cool
Oddly, this time of year, the very thing we’ve been looking forward to has the potential to cause health problems. In the excitement of this new season, we also need to be aware of the dangers connected to long, sunny, summer days. The heat index, (i.e., the potentially hazardous combination of extreme heat and humidity) is responsible for many seasonal fatalities. Keep your pet cool and implement summer pet safety measures. That way, your pet can enjoy (or at least tolerate) the scorching weeks ahead.
The Mugginess is Back!
It’s not uncommon to hyper-focus on parasite prevention during the summer months. However, in addition to warding off fleas, ticks, and heartworm, it’s important to also concentrate on other risks to your pet’s health and safety.
The Principles of Dog Park Etiquette
For many pet owners, the dog park is basically the perfect place. Our dogs can socialize and burn off energy while enjoying some freedom, while we chat with other owners and enjoy some outdoor time. It’s a win-win.
Before you grab the leash and head out the door, take a moment to review basic dog park etiquette!
Dog Park Etiquette 101
Besides familiarizing yourself with the rules at a specific dog park, practicing good dog park etiquette will help to ensure the safety of all the dogs at the park and keep the park enjoyable for all:
Pet Travel Tips for an Amazing Vacation
What’s more fun than a summer getaway? Why, bringing your best furry friend along, too! In fact, many pet owners choose to take their pets on journeys near and far, especially during the summer months when vacation season is in full swing.
But as you might expect, bringing an animal companion on a trip, whether by car or plane, requires some forethought, planning, and safety measures. Arlington Animal Hospital has you covered with our list of pet travel tips for your upcoming adventures.
Pet Travel Tips for Safety AND Adventure
Before you pack your bags and head out, the first stop with any trip involving your pet is to ensure their readiness for the trip. This means making sure your pet is in good health, is on the right vaccines and parasite preventatives for the destination, and is generally able to deal with the stress of new places, smells, and experiences.
Promoting Healing and Alleviating Pain Through Pet Acupuncture
Veterinary acupuncture, or pet acupuncture, is an incredible noninvasive therapeutic modality that complements existing treatment options. For several centuries, acupuncture was practiced throughout the Far East as a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and has more recently been embraced by Western medicine.
Like acupuncture for humans, pet acupuncture is used in a variety of ways, most significantly to alleviate pain, encourage healing, and promote greater well being.
Defining Veterinary Acupuncture as a New Therapy
While it may sound esoteric, acupuncture relies on the understanding of the body as comprised of energy pathways or meridians, which include nerve bundles, blood vessels, and tissue. Through the use of very fine needles placed strategically into the top dermal layer, acupuncture works by stimulating the body’s natural healing and pain relief responses.
Those Pearly Whites: The Importance Of Pet Dental Care
An estimated 95% of U.S. cats and dogs will need treatment for dental disease at some point in their lives, and your pet’s dental health has a significant impact on his or her wellness and longevity. We here at Arlington Animal Hospital are excited to help you learn about pet dental health and make a commitment to providing your pets with regular preventative care.
Pet Dental Disease 101
Dental disease, also known as periodontal disease, is an infection of the teeth, gums, and surrounding structures. Dental disease affects the majority of dogs and cats over age 3 and is one of the most common diseases seen and treated by veterinarians.
Contact Us!
2301 Columbia Pike #G-1, Arlington, VA 22204
Phone: (703) 920-5300
Fax: (703) 685-8860
Email: info@myarlingtonvet.com
Office Hours
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Monday
8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
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Thursday
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
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Friday
8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
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Saturday
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
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Sunday
CLOSED
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