Posts in Category: You & Your Pet

The winter months already seem to be in full swing as we prepare for the big holiday season. Shopping for gifts, visiting family and friends, and preparing for those big traditional feasts define this time of year. But do you have your pet’s safety on the to-do list of priorities?

Holidays send many pets to animal emergency hospitals for a variety of reasons. Ingesting a toxic treat or a bite of mistletoe or escaping out of an open gate are some of the many risks to our pets. The team at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital want you and your furry one to have the most amazing season ever, and that includes holiday pet safety.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, a fact that has most Americans jumping for joy. Between the turkey, stuffing, casseroles, and desserts, there’s something on the Thanksgiving table for everyone. But wait – does that include our pets? 

Most of us have a hard time resisting those puppy dog eyes, but there are some things you should know about Thanksgiving. When it comes to Thanksgiving pet safety, we aren’t just talking turkey. 

Keep reading to find out about some of the common holiday pet disasters that can land you in the emergency animal clinic this year, as well as ways to keep your pets safe on Thanksgiving and beyond. 

Halloween marks the beginning of the holiday season, and kids and adults alike look forward to this fun time of year. After all, what could be better than costumes, pumpkins, and of course – candy? 

For our pets, this beloved fall holiday can be fraught with danger. Here at Volunteer Veterinary Hospital, we see cases of pet poisonings, missing pets, and other emergency situations every year around this time. Preventing dangerous situations for your pet means being aware of the many ways they can get into trouble, and we are here to help! Check out our Halloween pet safety tips for a healthier, safer, and less scary holiday for your furry loved ones.

In your experience, are great dogs born, or made? In our experience, the latter is true – especially if your best furry friend has been adopted from a shelter or rescue group. If this is the case, we couldn’t be more supportive. Shelter pets are wonderful, loving animals and in most cases with a little TLC, can become lifelong cherished companions. 

But a rehomed pet will likely have at least one behavioral “uniqueness” that may need to be addressed with behavior modification, training, or both. 

Come along as Volunteer Veterinary Hospital explores how to get your newly adopted pet started off on the right foot. 

We’re so fortunate to have spent the past year caring for so many incredible pets! As your trusted source for veterinary care in the Knoxville area, we pride ourselves on providing high-quality care and compassionate service.

Part of our commitment to you includes our educational pet care blogs, and we’re thrilled that so many of you are reading and enjoying these monthly offerings!

Because growing and improving are so important to us, we want to take a moment to highlight our most popular pet care blogs of 2018.

ENJOY!

There are few things more entertaining than watching a cat play, stalk, pounce, stare-down, and ambush their “prey”. Luckily, there’s an endless supply of funny cat videos online to keep us going throughout the day!

But, while everyone’s amused by the internet cats, what’s happening with the ones we know and love at home? Are they flinging themselves off dangerous heights, climbing into cardboard boxes three times too small, or cuddling a fellow feline? If so, it might be time to consider the ways you can improve cat enrichment.

The Link

There’s no question that a cat’s overall health is tied to their environment. Of course, there are other things that are just as important, such as vaccines and parasite prevention, nutrition, and dental care, but the link to feline happiness is undoubtedly their surroundings. Continue…

Summer has arrived, and if you have children in the home, this is likely a time of great rejoicing. Visions of running through the sprinklers, popsicles on the porch, endless crafts, and other summer delights fill the heads of the youngest family members, and, of course, the family pet must be involved in the fun.

Before diving into to your to-do list of activities and adventures this summer, take a moment to make sure pet safety is at the top!

Outdoor Fun

Nothing screams summer like playing outdoors with the family pet, especially if there’s a pool, sprinkler, or hose involved. While everyone is out soaking up the sun, it’s important to remember that pets can easily succumb to dehydration and heatstroke during the warm and humid months. Keep the following tips in mind to protect your pet this summer:

• Make sure pets have access to plenty of shade and fresh, cool drinking water at all times while outdoors.
• Keep pets inside as much as possible on very hot or humid days.
• Let your kids and pets keep cool in a shallow kiddie pool or sprinkler.

Continue…

While you’re busy writing your 2018 resolutions or working off those holiday pounds, the start of a new year is also a great opportunity to focus on your pet’s health and wellbeing. When we launched our pet blog in 2014, our goal was to provide top-notch information regarding all things pets.

Whether the topic is something health related, such as pet dental care, or something fun like exploring the great outdoors with your best friend, we hope you’re looking forward to another great year of pet health and wellness blogging!

Now, on to the blogs!

Continue…