Blood tests are an easy, safe, and relatively inexpensive way to peer inside your pets and find potential health problems. Analysis of the numbers and structure of blood cells is important in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease and infection. These tests can help us identify a problem before clinical signs or symptoms appear. But what exactly are we looking for when we do a blood draw on dogs and cats?

One benefit of our quarantine time during this COVID-19 pandemic is that many of us are getting more physical activity, and our dogs are getting more exercise, too. After all, getting moving outside is nearly the only thing to do for leisure at this point! The downside is that this is the time of year that many of us need to be hyper-vigilant about snakes when taking walks or hikes.

It's safe to say that most of us are bored these days. It seems forever ago that we could grab dinner or a drink with our friends; go to concerts or to the theater; or enjoy one of the many markets, festivals, or other events.

But have you considered that your pet may be bored as well? Maybe they used to accompany you to a market or brewery, or they were used to hanging out with their own pet pals when you went to the park. Sure, they’re happy you’re home more, but that can lead to even more frustration for you if you’re working from home with a bored dog.

One silver lining during this pandemic is how many people have been adopting dogs. In fact, one Chicago shelter recently declared themselves cleaned out of adoptable dogs for the first time ever. Doesn't that just bring a smile to your face? Some people, however, might agree that this time of home quarantine is an ideal period to adopt but they are hesitant due to certain negative things they've heard about shelter pets. As veterinarians, we've seen firsthand how the love of a shelter pet has changed lives for the better.

Life has definitely changed in the past several weeks. We hear daily of more and more stores, restaurants, beaches, and parks being closed, along with a ton of event cancellations. "Social distancing" has become part of our everyday vernacular. In most states, we are allowed only to go out for essentials, to get gas, to walk our dogs, and to get exercise. We're generally allowed to walk outside freely (with the very strong recommendation that we endeavor to keep a distance of at least 6 feet from another person).

Imagine a doctor that diagnoses medical conditions and dispenses medical advice for FREE! You don’t even have to leave the house. Where do we sign up, right? BUT, the doctor is never available for an appointment to follow up on what they told you; they won’t even pick up the phone when you try to call with additional questions. In fact, they don't really care if you follow their advice or not—or if said advice actually causes harm. This has widely become known as consulting "Dr.

As members of the veterinary community, we've been monitoring the situation with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) from the beginning. At a time when people are understandably prone to panic, it's more important than ever to separate fact from fiction. Pet owners want to know the straight truth about the possibility of pet infection and the spread of this virus, and we share the latest information on that in this blog post.

Your pets, just like you, will be experiencing spring fever this season. What can you do to protect your pet in your yard and protect your yard from your pet? Besides providing food, water, and shelter for your pet, here are a few ideas to get you started.