Posts in Category: You & Your Pet

If you’ve been following our pet care blogs, you know that we have an eye on pet behavior. The health and well-being of our patients is always top of mind, and their behavior is often one of the best clues to their general health.

Prevention of illness and injury is a top priority for Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital. To that end, we want to provide relevant information each month to our readers and clients though our blogs. 

Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital loves our animals just as much as the next person. Pets are a huge part of what we do, and we can understand the impulse to allow your furry family to grow unbounded. 

Although the right number of pets can vary from person to person, there are some limits on how many animals you should bring into your home. How many is too many? Is there really such a thing?

The Right Number of Pets

If you own a pet, you are not alone. Current estimates show that about 84.6 million households in the United States include at least one pet. Over 60% of those homes house more than one. 

The holidays are a time for loved ones, family, and friends, and our pets are included in the love. After the weeks of shopping, wrapping gifts, and going to parties and gatherings, we may not always take the time to include our four-legged friends. After all of the busy, busy, the holidays can be exhausting. Why not take a moment to think up ways to include your pet during the holidays, though? 

The team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital are here to help with these festive, creative ideas for merriment for your furriest pals.

Who gets the kids? The house? The car? And…the dog? For over 70% of pet owners, our animals are considered to be part of the family. So it’s natural to assume that if the family separates, that the pets will be part of custody hearings. 

Research shows that in 38% of divorce proceedings, neither party wants to give up their four legged “children.” Because the law views pets as property, just as furniture or real estate, this has caused a legal crisis which begs the question: who gets the pets in a divorce?

Times, They Are A-Changin’

It’s likely that the case of who gets the pets in a divorce would be up to the interpretation of the individual judge. Although the laws in Texas primarily consider pets to be nothing more than property, in certain states the laws are being challenged and updated.  

Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital is pretty sure that when it comes to the most enjoyable things in life, pizza and pets top the list. But do they go together? We would like to think so, but there are some things to take into consideration.

Anatomy of a Pizza

Baked dough, cheese, and delicious toppings  – what could be better than pizza? Our pets most likely agree, but pizza is not necessarily totally benign when it comes to our animal friends. 

When it comes to pizza and pets there are definitely some things to think about.

Breaking it down into its mouthwatering little parts, consider:

When it comes to dog training, the most common method of positive reinforcement is with the use of treats. And why not, when most dogs tend to respond well? But extra treats and food, if not monitored carefully, can lead to the battle of the bulge –  a common problem among U.S. pets. 

As a healthy alternative to treats, we thought we’d look deeper into positive reinforcement for dogs and give you some ideas for how to “treat” your dog – without the “treat.”  

5 Ideas That Don’t Rely on Food

First things first. Positive reinforcement is the idea that you reward your dog when he does something you want. So it stands to reason that your reward can be anything that your dog finds enjoyable and fun. Spend some time observing to find out what he likes best. 

Most of us know that large wild cats, such as tigers, lions, jaguars, and leopards, can definitely roar. But did you know that because they can roar, they lack the ability to purr? Conversely, the domestic cats we know and love purr their hearts out, but they cannot roar. 

The fact that our feline friends purr is one more reason to love them, but that doesn’t mean the mechanism is fully understood. A closer look at why cats purr, and how they do it, may generate an even greater appreciation for these amazing animals.

Ah, cats! They are fun, playful, loving, and fiercely independent. And, they often confuse us with their antics and behavior. Whatever the personality of your cat, there’s no denying they are endlessly fascinating.

Maybe that’s why at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital, we never tire of hearing fun cat facts, and we have a feeling you don’t either! 

Physical Prowess

The physical abilities of cats is nothing short of incredible. Did you know that:

We may be biased, but at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital, we think dogs are amazingly cool. That may be why we’re so interested in learning more about them. From details about their mental and physical capabilities, to interesting facts about their behavior and tendencies, we are constantly entertained and wowed by fun dog facts. 

Keep reading as we share some of what we’ve learned about dogs over the years!

Why Do They Do That?

There are so many fascinating dog behaviors that it was difficult to select just a few. Here are our favorites:

It’s that time of year again! Whether you’ve been stocking up on decorations since they hit the shelves or you’re just now figuring out costumes and trick-or-treating routes, there’s no doubt that the Halloween season is upon us. 

It’s only natural to want to include your furry friends in on the fun, but not all pets are as excited about lit jack-o-lanterns and tiny ghosts and goblins as we are. Not to mention, Halloween can be a scary and dangerous time of year for our animal companions.

Your team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital has come up with some safe, fun, and decidedly non-spooky ways to celebrate Halloween with pets!