At Clairmont Animal Hospital, one of our top priorities is to give you a pleasant experience any time you visit our facilities. We know there have recently been increased wait times for phone calls and appointments, and we want to give you an inside look into our new reality to help you understand what’s been happening. Covid-19 has changed all our lives, and it has also impacted the way we see patients.

You’re grooming your pet and you feel a lump. You run your hand through the fur until you locate the lump, part the hair, and gasp! It’s a tick! You know it’s a tick because the mouth is stuck in your pet’s skin. Ticks and other parasites can harm your pet and cause some unexpected health issues. At Clairmont Animal Hospital, we want to help you keep your household animals healthy by learning to identify parasites that may be thriving on your animals:

Here in the twenty-first century, we are all about having things at our fingertips. With just a click of a button, we can schedule a doctor’s visit, have our groceries delivered, or start our robot vacuum from miles away. The appeal of being able to order our pet wellness products and medications online for direct delivery is strong.

Clairmont Animal Hospital knows how convenient this is, but we also see some pitfalls and even dangers in the online pharmacy option. We want to be sure that our clients know how to keep their pets safe when using this option and avoid dangerous consequences like counterfeit drugs.

If you have never heard a reverse sneeze, you might be alarmingly triggered by its signature sounds. Generally speaking, a dog that suddenly begins to honk, wheeze, and snort might require emergency veterinary help. However, a reverse sneeze isn’t usually a cause for concern. Sure, it’s weird and uncharacteristic for many animals, but this mechanism is employed for specific reasons. What’s more, if you know what it is, you can help your dog regulate their breathing and interrupt this strange breathing.

At this time last year, most people had probably never heard of a “zoonotic disease,” which is one that can be passed from an animal to a human. After losing twelve months and counting to the global pandemic, however, we are all thinking differently about disease prevention and what we can do to keep our families safe.

The team at Clairmont Animal Hospital is here to help you keep your pets happy and healthy and to make it easier to avoid issues with zoonotic diseases that could potentially infect your family.

Our pets are the joy of our lives, but sometimes they can present some challenging behaviors we’d like to avoid. Most cats and dogs have behavior problems here and there, but if your pet is engaging in destructive behaviors like chewing, scratching, or having accidents in the home it may be time to take action.

There are a number of common pet behavioral problems we hear about at Clairmont Animal Hospital. Let’s take a closer look at what you can do to help redirect your sweet fur friend.

Bringing a new pet home is exciting. Whether they’re young and need lots of training or are a bit older (there are many adoptable senior pets out here), all new pets require a safe introduction to their new environment. Introducing your new pet to your friends and family members (including other pets) is a priority, and managing first impressions is key to lasting trust and confidence.

Whether they’re suffering from an illness or injury, cats instinctively hide symptoms. Hardwired to appear strong and stealthy at all times, cats know they may be easily targeted by predators if seen as weak. 

Of course, indoor-only cats may not experience a specific risk from predators, but they’ll still hide under the bed or in the darkest corners of the closet when they’re not at their best. When cat owners are carefully tuned into the signs that their cat is sick, they not only ensure immediate help but may also prevent long-term complications.

The pitter patter of tiny feet is often a much loved sound that reminds us of how much we cherish those we share our home with. Our pets’ paws are important, and as their caretakers it is important that we care for and pay attention to them. 

Whether most animal lovers realize it or not, there are several paw diseases in pets that can affect our friend’s comfort and function. At Clairmont Animal Hospital we are happy to be able to help you to look out for your pet, paws and otherwise.

We’ve all heard the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It’s an understandable approach to home or car ownership, but it really doesn’t have a place in the realm of pet care. Instead of only reacting to emergency illness or injury, the quality of a pet’s life utterly depends on a dozen daily habits. Optimal, age-appropriate nutrition, for example, or opportunities to get their blood pumping add vitality and contribute to contentment. 

Additionally, to bolster long-term, full body fitness, upholding excellent pet dental health is part of the longevity puzzle.