Posts in Category: You & Your Pet

As a vegan, you’ve chosen not to use animal products in any form, and your diet and clothing preferences reflect that so that your life is in harmony with your beliefs. Lately, though, you’ve been thinking about adopting a cat or dog. You’d certainly choose one from a rescue group or no-kill shelter. This aligns with your commitment to reduce animal overpopulation.

However, you also wonder if it’s morally and ethically right for vegans to “own” a pet. There are several aspects to this discussion, and they’re all key considerations in your decision.

You don’t have to be a senior citizen to wonder, who will care for my pets when I die? Making arrangements for pets after death is a legitimate concern for loving pet parents who want peace of mind that the family pet will be properly cared for after they’re gone. Under North Carolina law, dogs, cats, and other animals are considered personal property, meaning you can designate the recipient of your pet in your will just as you would a car or a piece of jewelry.  

Being a responsible pet owner goes beyond just meeting an animal’s basic needs for food and shelter. The best pet parents take the time to bond, create a safe and comfortable environment, and spend time interacting daily. These qualities hold up whether your beloved animal has fur, feathers, or scales. Wondering how you measure up? Look for these signs that your pets are happy, healthy, and safe.

Your pet may have accepted that they must endure some daytime hours all by themselves, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t enjoy a wonderful alternative. Most pets manage okay, but some pets do not do well on their own. Pet daycare is a worthwhile option for pets to engage with others in exciting and enriching ways. When you pick them up after 6 full hours of non-stop fun, they are ready to relax with you at home.

Pets bring so many wonderful things to our lives–companionship, joy, and unconditional love to name a few. Along with those incredible benefits, they also bring responsibilities. Giving our furry family members the best lives possible comes with costs. When life throws us unexpected financial curves, many families look for places to cut expenses and that includes spending on pets. For necessities like pet food and health care, there are both local and national resources that can help. 

Before diving in and accepting responsibility for another living being, it is a good idea to have some concept of the cost involved. While we may be a little biased, Animal Medical Hospital & 24 Hour Urgent Care feels like our four-legged family members are well worth their expense. To be clear, though, what is the cost of pet ownership and how can you be prepared to provide financially for your pet?

Small dog breeds have a lot going for them. Beyond their extreme cute factor, small dogs enjoy smaller spaces, shorter walks, and less food (and other gear) than their larger relatives. What’s more, small dog breeds pack a lot of personality onto those little paws! While they can definitely be loving and easy-going, small dogs have a reputation for being little terrors. What’s behind small dog aggression, and what can be done to prevent behavioral problems?

Cats appear to be tapped into some next-level cosmic enterprise, but it’s equally possible that they’re just chilling out, living in the moment. Why humans project so much depth and mystery onto cats is not fully understood, but it’s a fact that the feline species absolutely captivate us. That being said, there are some relatively creepy cat behaviors that utterly unnerve the uninitiated and we’re here for it.

It’s inaccurate to say that all domestic felines detest getting wet, but it’s not far from the truth. Sure, there are some delightful cats out there that, we can only assume, never got the memo about hightailing it far, far away from a running faucet. But for the most part, cats experience intrinsic, and often hilarious, reactions to the elixir of life.

Just when you thought you had them all figured out, we offer some insight regarding why cats hate water.

The great circle of life is profoundly evident every time we say goodbye to a beloved pet, and for many pet owners, knowing when to choose humane pet euthanasia is one of the most difficult decisions they ever have to make. As your pet progresses through her lifecycle, it’s natural to wonder how you’ll know when it’s time to discuss pet end-of-life options with your veterinarian.