Posts in Category: You & Your Pet

Our furry friends provide much more than cuddles and kisses—they’re truly therapeutic. At Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center, we believe in the powerful connection between mental health and animals, and in this blog, our caring team takes a closer look at the roles of therapy animals and the proven therapeutic benefits of pets. 

You smooch your pooch and cuddle your kitty to declare your unwavering love and affection, but how can you tell if your pet feels the same way? 

At Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center, we know that bonding with your pet ranks right up there with vet visits, nutrition, and exercise when it comes to making sure pets are living their best lives. In this blog, we decode the love language of pets to help pet parents understand pet body language and how pets express love. 

Physically active pets tend to be healthier than their sedentary counterparts. And as important as exercise is to a pet’s overall wellness, it’s only half of the puzzle. Mental stimulation for pets is equally valuable for optimal health, but it can be challenging to maintain. With our boredom-busting activities for dogs and cats, you can promote pet enrichment throughout your best friend’s life, and improve all aspects of their health and happiness.

Before we even know it’s happening, cats find their ways into our hearts and homes. With sweet, inquisitive meows, they weave between our ankles, gaze into our eyes, and seem to dispatch ancient truths about existence (naps are the secret). Some people are just “cat people” and know implicitly the value of cat ownership. Other folks might be intrigued but really don’t know what all the fuss is about. We are so happy to be able to share what we know so far about the incredible experience of cat ownership.

Deciding to become a pet owner is one of the most pivotal moments in life. While the choice to take home a pet can definitely be impromptu, it may be better for some folks to spend a considerable amount of time weighing all the options. First things first: where do you find your new pet? Adopting a pet can benefit you, an animal, and your whole community.

Animals are a little bit like toddlers in more ways than one, and the fact that they tend to explore the world with their mouth is no exception. When animals ingest foreign material things can turn serious quickly. Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center has the information you need, though, about how to tell (and what to do) if your pet swallows a foreign object.

Hazards of Ingesting Foreign Objects

When a pet eats something that isn’t digestible, it can become stuck in the digestive tract, fully or partially obstructing the normal flow of food through the body. This can occur at any point from the esophagus to the colon.

When it comes to giving, there are a few different approaches. You might try to appeal to the recipient’s interest in convenience, aesthetics, comfort, or technology. And, depending on your budget, you can vary your gift-giving style. The good news is that there is truly no shortage of options available for pets and their people. If anything, the market is totally saturated with pet gift options. To save you both time and money, we’ve compiled a list of this season’s best pet gifts that aim to please everybody.

Between the sheer joy of their companionship and the near-constant entertainment factor, pets make life more fun and interesting. This global sentiment is nothing new, but the many ways people have aligned themselves with today’s pets is fairly radical. For proof, look no further than the latest record-breaking statistics. With annual spending over $100 billion, the cost of owning a pet has never been so high or so meaningful. 

Pet ownership is a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly, and it’s important for all pet parents to understand how local ordinances can impact the lives they share with their pets. And while we’re accustomed to fielding questions every day about pet health and wellness, we do get occasional queries about local pet laws. 

We know that our companion animals boost our own mental health states, and we can often see the positive effect this can have on them. They make us feel happy and are satisfied in return. 

While pets are eager to please, they can be affected by mental health struggles of their own. Pet depression is a very real threat to overall wellness, requiring a steady approach to balance symptoms. As with anything related to your pet’s health, we’re always here to assess, treat, and ease their suffering.