Animal Medical Hospital’s Blog

Most pets thrive in a routine. They like to know when they will eat, exercise, and see you, naturally. During the past several weeks, though, the routine has probably been one that included lots of at home time. For us, it was a struggle, but for our pets who enjoyed the attention and companionship, it was wonderful. 

Now that many cities have reopened work, school, and other forms of daily life, our pets may be dealing with the abrupt change in routine. Pets often have behavioral and emotional issues when change occurs too quickly. 

This is why the team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care is here to discuss dealing with change and your pet. 

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. 

One of the biggest blessings and curses of living in the time that we do is information overload. When it comes to just about any decision, from which humidifier to purchase to how to get your hair to curl naturally, a quick search can give you all the information (and usually more than all the information) you need to make decisions.

Animal lovers everywhere have likely experienced pet related decision making paralysis. Filtering everything at your disposal can be difficult, but with the help of Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care, smarter, better, and well-educated pet choices are your future. 

We all do it – observe our pet’s behavior and assume we know what they’re thinking. Sometimes we’re probably right, after all we know our pets better than anyone else. But because our furry friends are members of a different species, there are certain aspects of their behaviors that are bound to be lost in translation.

One of the most important things we’ve learned after caring for Charlotte area pets for more than 35 years is that, when it comes to animal behavior, knowledge is power. Understanding what your pet is trying to tell you is what every pet owner wants, and our animal behavior basics will get you started!

Hey all you cool cats and kittens, are you on the hunt for the best and latest for your feline family? 

Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care is always on the lookout for new and interesting pet purchases, and lately, a few cool cat products have definitely caught our eye. 

Redefine Feeding Your Cat

Feeding your cat has never been better. As we come to understand more and more about feline behavior, we are realizing that the more you naturally stimulate a cat’s natural instincts to hunt and kill prey, the better. Cats who are able to “hunt” are typically more fit and less apt to display behavioral issues.

You can engage a cat’s hunting drive through toys, but we love products that allow indoor cats to hunt for their actual meals. Indoor hunting feeders like the Doc & Phoebe’s Feeding System speak to your cat’s inner tiger.  

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.

Fleas, ticks, and other parasites are terrible hosts for your pet. Not only do they create havoc on the skin and cause a variety of serious diseases, they are also problems for human family members. This is because what they carry can be zoonotic, meaning that they can pass the disease on to humans. Aside from the harm they cause, they cause itchiness and discomfort, as well as an infestation of the home.

Your team at Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care is here to help you combat these awful parasites by giving you tips on what you should do if your pet has fleas or ticks. Read on!

When it comes to cats, you never know what their reaction will be. You could present them with a lifetime supply of tuna treats (you know, the ones they begged for yesterday), and instead of rewarding you with extra affection your cat won’t even look at you. Alternatively, you might have a stack of boxes intended for the recycling only to have them bounce with feline felicity at the mere sight. 

Indeed, cats are unceasingly unpredictable, a fact that makes choosing toys for them an exercise in futility. But wait: what about DIY cat toys?

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.

If you have had a pet destroy your sneakers, obliterate your television remote, or shed your furniture, you aren’t alone. Animals, as endearing as they are, can be a bit inconsiderate.

Destructive pets can be a problem for your home and a danger to themselves. Thankfully there are some things that you can do to help curb chewing and other unwanted behavior.

Derailing Destructive Pets

When dealing with a destructive pet, it is important to realize that some of these behaviors may be perfectly normal. Dogs dig and chew, cats scratch, and nothing we do as humans is likely to change this. 

When we acknowledge these behaviors as somewhat normal, we can then provide an acceptable outlet for them. Consider: