Posts in Category: You & Your Pet

Cats prefer early evening and morning hours for hunting and exploring, but the great outside welcomes kitties with lots of risk. If your cats are outside cats, there are things you can do to minimize their risk of injury or disease. Before you let your cat outside to roam, weigh the risks.

If your cat cries often and refuses to use the litter box, he or she might be suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI). The most common causes of UTIs in cats are blockage, stress complications, cystitis (FIC), or stones. Symptoms may be caused by something else, like feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). 

The Veterinarians at Long Animal Hospital can diagnose your cat’s issues and offer treatment options as needed. We want to help you know what symptoms to look for if you suspect your cat is suffering from a urinary tract infection.

There is lots to love about (wo)man’s best friend—lazy weekend snuggles, soft ears, unconditional love… When it comes to the more moist side of canine companionship, though, some people lose a little investment. Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center wants to help answer your questions about dog drool in hopes of helping to strengthen that human-animal bond even when it’s a little wetter than normal.

If you have ever gotten an unfortunate whiff of your dog’s feet, you may have been surprised that they smell a lot like a favorite snack. Yeasty, a little, but definitely like opening a bag of Frito’s, right? 

The case of the corn chip canine isn’t too hard to solve. This is why your friends at Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center are here to sleuth out the reasons, so you can have a healthier and better smelling pup.

For all of 2020’s quirks, it’s hard to deny that the year that was, was a banner year for most pets. Between pet adoption rates and people spending more time at home with their pets than ever before (and all the fun that entails), our furry friends have likely appreciated 2020 more than the rest of us.

With that, your team at Long Animal Hospital appreciates your trust in our care and in our blog and, in keeping with tradition, we are happy to share with you our top 5 most-read blog posts of 2020!

Without a doubt, pet ownership brings indelible joy. The snuggles, the boundless enthusiasm for walks, and countless toys skittering across the floor. Their lack of judgment when we re-watch our favorite TV show for the 4th time or spend the day lounging in our jammies. Whether we are at our best or feeling our worst, our pets are by our side with nothing but love…and an ever-present hope for treats. 

For many pet owners, and rightly so, the idea of a veterinary emergency is not something readily thought about. We know they happen, but to other pets – but surely not our own, right? 

Unfortunately, even with healthy, young pets, an accident, injury, or sudden illness can happen at any time. In fact, most pets (if not all) will experience something that requires emergency or urgent care in their lifetime.

If you are considering pet insurance, the team at Long Animal Hospital and Emergency Center wants to help you discern the right insurance for your pet’s needs. Here are some important considerations before making the move.

Pet owners have a lot of important responsibilities. Aside from training and socialization opportunities, they must maintain excellent nutrition and provide mental and physical stimulation every single day.

Chief among all the essential pet care tasks is picking up pet waste. Not only is your life less smelly when you scoop the poop, but cleaning up after your pet is a matter of public safety, too.

The Macro View

In general, life is much more pleasant without piles of poop everywhere. No one likes to be surprised by feces left behind by irresponsible or negligent pet owners.

Whether it winds up on our shoes, inside our own pet’s mouth, or simply offends us with the smell, pet waste is a major deal breaker for communities around the world.

With over 70 combined years of experience, we like to think of ourselves as having a pretty good handle on what pets need. However, just because we’re veterinary experts, we don’t always know the best ways to support the efforts of human pet owners.

Indeed, the people that bring their pets in to see us are among the most helpful guides when it comes to brainstorming our monthly pet care blogs. Without them, we may not be able to effectively address the issues that face most pet owners.

When it comes to truly caring for animals, we’re all in this together.

Have you ever come home after a long day to find that your dog has chewed the couch, pooped in the house, or even escaped? You may chalk this up to doggy boredom, or perhaps spite if you think your pup is mad at you for being gone all day. 

These are common beliefs about dog behavior, but it isn’t about being “bad”. Instead, these behaviors signal that your dog is feeling fear, anxiety and stress. And if these behaviors happen when you’re gone, it equals separation anxiety

What is Separation Anxiety?

Separation anxiety in pets is more common than we might think. In fact, up to 15% of dogs may suffer from it, according to veterinary behavioral specialists.