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As temperatures soar, the Texas summer brings a host of seasonal challenges and dangers, especially for our four-legged friends. At Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital, we know that prevention is key to enjoying a safe and enjoyable summer with your pets. 

This blog explores crucial summer pet hazards, focusing on recognizing and preventing the dangerous condition of heatstroke in pets.

Living with a bossy dog means that you are not in the driver’s seat when it comes to your daily routines. When your dog thinks he is the boss, he might bark a lot to get his way, mark his territory by urinating inside your house, or even bite when he feels like he is not being heard. 

While this can cause some tension at home, there are ways to exert your own dominance over your dog and show him who is the true boss of your household:

Some dogs (and cats) simply live to eat, and enthusiastic eaters can often demolish their meal in mere seconds. Luckily for these fast foragers, there are a great many options to choose from that can help them to savor their supper a bit more. Stick with us to learn more about slow feeders and how this strategy can benefit your ravenous pal.

Many businesses have adapted incredibly well to changes presented to their industries, but the widespread, long-lasting effects of Covid-19 are still being tallied. As essential businesses, veterinary hospitals have made important strides over the last year. Every day we must find a balance between promptly serving our patients and meeting all the necessary safety protocols per our local and federal leaders. As a result, pet owners end up waiting for veterinary appointments longer than ever before. 

There are various illnesses or injuries that befall pets throughout their lives. Sometimes they’re sneaky and don’t arouse suspicion. Other times, obvious symptoms ring the bell that a pet emergency is unfolding right now.

When faced with a sick or injured pet, it’s easy to panic. Knowing what to do for them isn’t always clear, but when you train for this eventuality you’re doing a favor that benefits both you and your pet.

To that end, we offer 5 things to remember when dealing with a serious, potentially life-threatening situation.

Veterinary surgery has come a long way in recent years. Routine procedures, such as spays, neuters, or dental cleanings, are remarkably commonplace now, and advanced surgeries, necessitated by sudden illness or injury, can be complete life-savers. 

Regardless of a surgery’s complexity, keeping animals safe, still, and free of pain requires anesthesia. This understandably triggers stress and anxiety for pet owners. While pet anesthesia is very serious, our team takes every possible safety precaution.

There are many great reasons to adopt an older dog. Perhaps not surprisingly, the absence of housetraining ranks pretty high. Sure, there might be accidents in the very beginning of your new relationship, but once you train them to go at certain times (and only in designated areas!) a new-to-you adult or senior dog will find their way. 

But this brings up other questions about their behavior. What if you adopt an adult dog that is set in their ways; can you retrain or re-socialize them? Of course! Training an older dog is absolutely possible, and maybe even easier than with a much younger animal.

Like their human owners, cats and dogs can both experience asthma – shortness of breath, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. When your pet has an asthma attack, it can be scary and even life threatening. Fortunately, with good medical management, your pet can still live a relatively normal life.

Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital explores the ins and outs of pets with asthma.

Over the past several decades, our understanding of the aging process and the needs of senior pets has improved dramatically thanks to veterinary studies and research. Combine this with the never-ending love and devotion of dedicated pet owners, and you’ve got a recipe for longer, more fulfilling lives for today’s pets.

Whether you adopted your pet as a puppy or kitten or welcomed an adult dog or cat into your home, sharing your life with a senior pet can be a deeply rewarding experience. Providing them with the best in senior pet care will help keep the bond between you as strong as ever and give them the wonderful golden years they deserve.

When your dog displays signs of respiratory distress, what do you do? With the latest outbreak of canine influenza around Chicago earlier this year, and the spread of the same strain in our own backyards in 2011, it’s natural to conclude that your dog caught the nasty, contagious flu. However, while some symptoms (such as nasal discharge and the tell-tale coughing) are similarly unfortunate, your dog could actually be infected with common kennel cough. Continue…