Veterinary Blog

‘Tis the season for decking the halls, hosting family and friends, and wrapping up a wonderful year. While this is traditionally a time of much happiness and celebration, it comes with some concerns for pet owners.

Certain aspects of this joyous season can actually hold some danger for our non-human family members. Arlington Animal Hospital wants you to have holiday pet hazards on your radar so that your whole family can enjoy the season. 

Between Fall Harvest Days at Mount Vernon and Boo at the National Zoo, there’s no shortage of family outings to celebrate the season. In fact, we all get so caught up with the annual revelry that we soon forget our daily routines. 

Normal meal times, opportunities for play and exercise, and important snuggle times are parts of a larger pattern that pets utterly rely on. However, with a hearty nod to Halloween pet safety your pet can enjoy the season for all it’s offerings – and avoid a serious illness or injury.

Parvo. The word strikes fear into most pet parents and for good reason. Parvovirus is a virulent disease that attacks the white blood cells and can cause severe dehydration through vomiting and diarrhea. It typically affects pets between the ages of 6-20 weeks old, since the young have not been fully vaccinated. It can be spread to any pet that isn’t vaccinated, though.

But what is canine parvovirus and, more importantly, how can you prevent it from harming your pet? That’s what the team at Arlington Animal Hospital want you to know, along with understanding the signs of parvo and how to treat it.

When you bring home a new furry bundle of joy, you know there are a few things that you’ll need to do to get your puppy or kitten off to a great start in life. Keeping your new pet healthy and well depends on the care they receive from you and from their veterinary team. 

Making plans for puppy and kitten vaccines is a great place to begin. Come along with Arlington Animal Hospital as we explore this important topic.

Even those of us with the most discerning palates have weaknesses. For some, that’s chocolate, ice cream, or other sweets. For others, it may be something salty, such as corn chips. If that’s the case, you may have caught yourself smelling one of your favorites smells on… your dog’s feet? What? That’s right, Frito Feet is a thing.

But what causes this phenomenon? It’s not like your dog walks over corn chips everyday (we hope). Stay tuned as Arlington Animal Hospital explains the what and the why’s of corn chip feet in dogs.

Every dog owner thinks they know what their dog needs and wants, and most of the time, you’re probably right! Humans and dogs have been evolving together for over 14,000 years, so it’s no surprise that we’ve become pretty skilled at reading each other’s emotions.

However, even if you’re fairly certain that you and your dog have excellent communication, there may still be a thing or two you can learn about these familiar, yet mysterious creatures. Dog body language is more nuanced than many people realize, and understanding it is the key to leading a harmonious life with your dog.

The winter was long (as usual), but spring has finally arrived! If you’re excited about the warmer weather, you can bet your pet feels the same way. Finding creative pet-friendly activities isn’t always easy, which is why Arlington Animal Hospital has put together some fun ideas to get you and your furry companion out of the house this summer.

Into the Woods

Pets love camping, so why not plan your yearly trip into the woods with your four-legged family member in mind? Campgrounds like Cherry Hill Park and Greenbelt Campground welcome pets and their owners. If camping isn’t your thing, there are endless opportunities to get out and explore the Appalachian Trail or one of the thousands of miles of hiking trails in our state (most allow leashed dogs).

Pets are living longer than ever, thanks to better nutrition, access to top of the line veterinary medical care, and pet parents’ increasing understanding of pet needs and health. And living with a senior pet – whether you adopted them as a brand new puppy or an adult dog – can be very rewarding.

One of the most important things to remember is that age is not a disease! Senior pets (those older than age 7) can live active, healthy lives for years to come. It’s true that with age comes certain conditions, but that’s just a matter of us paying attention to their needs, and making some adjustments along the way. Just how to do this? Arlington Animal Hospital gives you the rundown.

Our pets mean the world to us, and we do everything we can to keep them from experiencing pain. But it’s not always easy to know if our pet is in pain due to an age old survival instinct, not to mention the fact that they can’t tell us how they feel.

But with careful observation, a little practice, and our guidance, you can learn to notice signs that your pet is in pain. Together, we can work to not only identify signs of pain, but to prevent and treat conditions that cause it as well.

Keeping pets safe is the number one priority of dedicated pet owners. In fact, people who love and care for animals go above and beyond to ensure their health and well being. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and pets can find themselves in a heap of trouble. Since they don’t know whatever it is they’re eating, smelling, or rolling around in could be dangerous, pets rely on us to keep their ducks in a row. To that end, we offer some reminders to keep pet poison prevention on the front burner.