As the brand new year stretches out before you, your mind likely is filled with lofty goals you plan to achieve before the end of the year. At the top of your list of resolutions? Sticking to a diet—again, squeezing in the recommended 150 minutes of cardio each week, or learning a new skill?. But, [...]
Your senior pet has spent their entire life giving you unconditional love and companionship, and you owe them the chance to age gracefully and maintain the highest possible quality of life (QOL). “Quality of life” sounds vague, so how can you determine where your pet stands, and monitor their changes? Homestead Animal Hospital explains what [...]
Pets provide us with unconditional love, unwavering loyalty, and endless support. Our pets also need us, especially if they have a disability from an injury, birth defect, or disease. While a specially-abled pet may require extra love and care, they are more than capable of enjoying a fulfilling life and forming a truly special bond [...]
Nothing prompts pet owners to call Homestead Animal Hospital faster than diarrhea—and with good reason. Diarrhea is one of the most unpleasant clinical signs for pets and their people and, more importantly, its presence can signal a serious underlying health issue. Whether your pet’s messes are sudden or chronic, minor or major, contained or explosive—we [...]
Preventive care is the foundation of your pet’s health and wellbeing, and vaccinations are an essential component. By following your veterinarian’s guidelines and ensuring your pet's vaccines are up-to-date, you can protect them from many dangerous diseases. Vaccinating your pet also helps protect other pets by reducing their exposure to disease. Our Homestead Animal Hospital [...]
Pet owners often think normal aging in their senior pet includes reduced activity, but changes in their behavior could also indicate chronic arthritis pain. Dogs and cats instinctively hide pain as a survival mechanism, so arthritis isn’t always obvious, even to their caregivers. Left untreated, arthritis may significantly affect your pet’s quality of life, but [...]
Pets have a habit of finding mischief, often in the middle of the night or during a weekend or holiday. To avoid running to your local veterinary emergency hospital for every pet mishap, we are here to teach you about the most common pet emergencies, and their prevention. Following are issues requiring urgent care that [...]
When your local celebration with a gorgeous fireworks display fills the sky, you likely “Ooh” and “Ahh.” But, does your pet go into a frenzy of howling and digging, or cling more closely at each cacophonous boom? They likely have a noise aversion to loud sounds, which are common around July Fourth. Fireworks displays are [...]
Have you ever looked at your pet’s blood work results and thought, “Huh?” If so, you’re not alone. While blood work is an invaluable diagnostic tool for your veterinarian, to anyone outside the medical field, it’s a jumble of letters, numbers, and colors. Fortunately, you don’t have to go to veterinary school to gain a [...]
Seizures are frightening and disorienting for both pet and owner, but knowing how to respond and what to expect can remove some of the inevitable fear and stress, and help you take appropriate action to care for your pet. Pet seizures explained Seizures are the temporary disturbance of normal electrical signaling or activity in the [...]