Animal Medical Hospital’s Blog

Being on trend is important to many of us, and our world is full of the latest and greatest when it comes to our pets. Just as in people, fad diets come and go, some of them more successful than others. 

Some pet food trends, however, are worth taking a second look at, while others are potentially harmful. That’s why talking it over with one of our expert staff at Animal Medical Hospital & 24-Hour Urgent Care is worth your time – we want what’s best for your pet, whether it is on trend or not!

Evaluating Pet Diets Objectively

Feeding your pet seems like it should be a simple enough task, but when you start looking for information, it can be overwhelming. Everyone out there has an opinion, and not all of them agree.

You know the struggle… You finish a long day of work and all you want to do is crash on the couch and binge watch your favorite series. Exercise can go by the wayside  if we don’t remain loyal to what is best for our health. The same is true in keeping pets active. It’s easy to let those daily walks, runs, hikes, or backyard play get off track when you must be indoors or are too busy to think about it. 

Our pets need exercise and play in order to live a healthy life and to curb bad behavior. A bored pet can gain too much weight or display behaviors like chewing, digging, and anxiety. The team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care wants to help you keep your fur friend active now and throughout the year with some suggestions.

In today’s world of omnipotent cure-alls, such as coconut oil and essential oils, it can be difficult to know what really works, what is all hype, and what has potential hazards associated with it. 

One magic cure that Animal Medical Hospital & 24-Hour Urgent Care can get on board with, though, is fish oil. There is plenty of peer-reviewed evidence that omega-3 fatty acids for pets can have positive effects, and while it may not cure everything under the sun, many pets can benefit from adding some fish oil into their daily routine.

Benefits of Fish Oil

The main benefit of fish oil comes in the form of the omega-3 fatty acids that it contains. While there are other sources of omega-3s, fish oil is a great, high-quality, easy to dose source of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Having a pet with itchy skin can be extremely frustrating, especially if your pet is scratching or licking to the point of developing sores, bald spots, or other injuries. Getting to the bottom of why your pet is so itchy and coming up with a treatment plan is extremely important for their continued health and well being.

Allergies to pollen, dust, mold, chemicals, and food are common among animals. Although food allergies in pets are less prevalent, your veterinarian can help you determine whether or not this could be an issue for your furry companion.

Each season delivers its own set of risks to animals. From parasites to allergies, heat stroke to poisoning, the calendar year is simply full of potential threats to your pet’s welfare. It’s easy to assume that winter pet safety involves basic regard for dangerous dips in temperature, but there is more to it than that.

Like anything else, the more pet owners know about the possible pitfalls awaiting their best friends, the better. Let’s get started!

While we certainly can’t compete with Maine or Minnesota, our winter temperatures can feel downright frosty. We temper these seasonal dips with an insulating base layer or winter jacket that cuts the cold, wind, and rain, but animals don’t have the luxury of dressing for the weather. Sure, some pets respond in kind with a thicker undercoat, but this isn’t the case across the board. The best way to combat the bite of winter? Winter pet gear!

Assess the Situation

Larger, heavy-coated pets tolerate the cold much better than, say, any of the toy breeds. It’s never fun to shiver through the winter, especially for smaller, thinner pets with short or wiry coats. All cats and dogs can suffer from the effects of hypothermia and frostbite if left outside for too long.

It’s a common scenario: pet owners peruse the seemingly endless aisles of pet food not entirely sure which ones would actually benefit the health and wellness of their best friends. There’s grain-free. There’s organic. There are interesting ingredients like kangaroo, ostrich, blueberry, and artichoke (to say nothing of the ones no one can pronounce!).

The bottom line is that choosing the right pet food is fraught with confusion and even fear. Do you just want to feed your pet the best possible diet? The team at Animal Medical Hospital is here to help!

A Lay of the Land

You want to feed your pet what they need in order to have long, healthy life, but you don’t want to spend an exorbitant amount of time or money. The right food also has to satisfy your pet’s hunger so they won’t be begging you for treats or snacks in between meals. Continue…

Our pets may not walk, talk, or behave like us, but that doesn’t mean they don’t feel pain in much the same way as humans. Over the past few decades, veterinary science has made tremendous strides in the areas of pet pain prevention and management.

At Animal Medical Hospital, we believe the best way to empower pet owners is through education. September is Animal Pain Awareness Month, so now is the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into the issue of pet pain.

Signs of Pet Pain

Unfortunately, our pets can’t tell us when they’re hurting. Combine this with the fact that dogs and cats are hardwired to hide signs of illness or injury, it can sometimes be extremely difficult to tell when a pet is in pain. Your pet’s regular wellness exams are a good opportunity for us to assess your pet for signs of trouble, but your observations at home are just as important. Continue…

Charlotte is known as an exceptionally dog-friendly city, which means there are loads of opportunities to have fun with your pet this season. From splashing around to lounging on a patio, the team at Animal Medical Hospital wants to share some of our suggestions for outdoor pet fun and safety.

Keeping Outdoor Pet Fun and Safety in Mind

As with all new endeavors, consider your pet’s safety from the beginning. Heading outdoors with your dog is usually about exercise, so the first step is to make sure they’re in good health. The best way to achieve this is by scheduling a preventive care exam. We can also discuss the best way to ease them into a new sport or activity.

Remember that hot weather can put your pet at risk of heatstroke. To avoid an emergency, it’s best to restrict exercise to early morning or dusk. Make sure to always provide access to plenty of fresh, cool water. If your dog sits down, seeks shade, or generally doesn’t display any interest in an activity, don’t push them to do anything. Most importantly, if your dog exhibits any signs of heatstroke, contact us immediately.   Continue…

Pet Zumba or Cross Fit might sound outlandish, but exercise trends that meaningfully impact people also have the potential to affect pets. Sure, it might be awhile before we see a feline Fitbit, but with gadgets like Trakz, it’s only a matter of time. Pet exercise trends are definitely a thing, and we’re happy they play a role in helping the animals we know and love achieve optimal weight, wellness, and happiness.

Try It, Don’t Fight It

Yoga is already a huge industry, so it’s hard to imagine that it could benefit from a revamp. However, yoga with animals, such as cats, dogs, birds, goats, horses, and more, has exploded around the country. Animals bring a new sense of exploration, playfulness, and lightness to any class. In turn, pets are rewarded with a deeper connection to people. Continue…