Animal Medical Hospital’s Blog

One of the most enjoyable aspects of dog ownership is watching them play with and enjoy toys. Most dogs enjoy having an assortment to choose from, and love those that require interaction from their owners. 

To help you choose the right toys for your dog, the team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24-Hour Urgent Care is here with some tips before you buy. 

Tips for Choosing the Right Toys

From fuzzy and plush to rubbery and tough, dog toys come in a wide range of materials and styles to choose from. The possibilities are endless, and not all toys are the same. Each is designed to do different things and challenge your pet in different ways. 

The intense bond between humans and dogs goes back at least 15,000 years, so it’s not surprising there are quite a few similarities between the two species. For example, both are social animals who love food and communicate through body language and facial expression. 

Among the not-so-pleasant characteristics we have in common is the capacity for motion sickness. In fact, studies show that roughly one in five dogs suffer from motion/car sickness. If you’re tired of cleaning up after your poor pup has been in the car, take heart! Your team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care has plenty of ideas for helping you prevent or reduce dog car sickness.

When you are grieving the loss of a pet, the holidays can seem like a cruel time. You may not be ready to celebrate, feel thankful, or even get together with others. Depending on what stage of the grieving process you are in, this time of year can be hard to navigate. 

The team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24-Hour Urgent Care Center  understand these feelings and would like to give you some gentle suggestions on how to support your feelings during the upcoming season.

It’s that time of year again: costume shops have opened, enormous bags of candy take up entire aisles at the grocery store, the smell of pumpkin spiced everything fills the air, and images of black cats (back arched and probably silhouetted against a full moon) are everywhere. 

Black cat legends abound, and can be fun to learn about during this spooky time of year. Sadly, Halloween can be a scary time for black cats (and other pets), and we urge all animal lovers to stay on top of safety when it comes to their pets, regardless of the color of their fur.

For us, summer is filled with lazy days, popsicles, and fun in the pool. Summer can be fun for our pets as well, but for those with fears related to noise, it can also be a scary time. Thunderstorms, fireworks, passing motorcycles, and other loud sounds can be an absolute nightmare for some animals.

Summer noise phobias are a common pet problem, but there is no need to give up on an enjoyable summer. There are lots of things that you can do, and with Animal Medical Hospital & 24-Hour Urgent Care Center on your side there is no need to fret. 

A trip to any grocery or big box store will reveal that Easter is fast approaching. Plastic eggs, colorful grass, and row upon row of chocolates and sweets fill the shelves as many people gear up for the holiday. Unfortunately, so many of the delights that go along with this day can be hazardous to pets.  

Nothing ruins a holiday like a trip to the emergency veterinary clinic! Each year, veterinary hospitals and poison control centers see an increase in calls and visits during Easter weekend. Fortunately, with our Easter pet safety tips, you and your pet can enjoy a fun, safe, uneventful day!

Whether you’re headed to Gingerbread Lane at the Ballantyne Hotel, the Nutcracker at the Charlotte Ballet, or Christmas Town USA, there’s no shortage of seasonal delights. Some very well-behaved dogs may thoroughly enjoy going with their owners to holiday events, but for safety’s sake, many pets remain at home. Either way, animals are increasingly exposed to holiday-related dangers this time of year. To protect your pet this season, we’d like to offer some reliable tips for holiday pet safety.

‘Tis the Season

Most of us like to decorate to get into the season and share in the spirit of the holidays. Unfortunately, many of the items that we like present serious risks to our pets.

With Halloween over, many of us turn our thoughts to the upcoming holiday season. Who will host? What will we serve? Is it too early to start playing holiday music?

Although we can’t help with everything on your to-do list, the team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care is happy to provide some tips to keep your pet out of trouble this time of year. You can rest assured that our recommendations for holiday pet safety are designed with your pet’s health and wellness (and your sanity) in mind!

Wouldn’t it be great if, instead of chocolate bars, dog biscuits were given to trick-or-treaters? While this wouldn’t go over so well with the 12 and under set, it would make Halloween a lot safer for our canine friends. Until this unlikely scenario becomes a reality, however, you can still meet your goals for Halloween pet safety. How, exactly? We’re glad you asked!  

Since We Mentioned Chocolate…

To be sure, chocolate is the biggest threat to Halloween pet safety. Responsible for vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, irregular heart rhythm, and high blood pressure, chocolate must never be left out for your pet to find.

Certainly, this time of year is ripe for chocolate-tasting opportunities. Whether your pet sniffs it out in a jacket pocket, picks up a fallen candy bar on the ground, or licks the hands of a youngster, ingesting chocolate can result in a serious pet emergency.