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We spend much of our time connected. Whether that connection is through an iPad, cell, or our busy life in front of computers, there’s no denying, we spend lots of time “plugged in”. But what happens to the rest of our lives, including our time with pets, when we are disengaged from them? 

The emotional lives of animals isn’t a new field of study. Our animals experience a wide range of emotions from joy to fear, grief to even depression.

Since we know from human studies that excessive smartphone use can cause depression, the question is can your cell depress your pet? The team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital is here to take a closer look.

It’s no secret that dogs, and to some degree cats, love to lick. Pets explore the world with their noses and mouths, and spend plenty of time each day grooming their fur and paws with their tongues. 

Licking is a natural behavior, but it can cause problems for a pet after surgery. While a wound is healing, skin can feel itchy or uncomfortable, prompting an irresistible urge to lick. Surgery site licking can severely impair healing, however, and may even lead to infection. Not only is this hard on the pet, it’s hard on the owner too. 

Your team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital has a variety of ways to prevent this type of licking, all of which are relatively inexpensive and simple to use.

In a perfect world, we’d be home earlier in the evening and have every chore done before sunset, so we can enjoy a late afternoon stroll with our pet. Or, to be a morning person so that we can  go on a walk with our favorite doggo before work. Unfortunately, most of us work long hours and can’t get outdoors with Fido until after dark.. 

Your dog needs, though, daily exercise and a chance to bond with their person while doing an activity together. Nighttime walks present some safety risks to be aware of. Your team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital is here to keep your furry one safe on their walks.

(and Why Your Pet Should Still be Microchipped)

In the age of the Internet, many of our old standbys are starting to take a backseat to smart technology. With humans now able to enjoy everything from smart watches, thermostats, doorbells, and lightbulbs, it only makes sense that the technology has seeped into the pet care industry. 

GPS collars, which enable pet owners to track a wandering dog’s (or cat’s) whereabouts, have been growing in popularity recently – are they the right choice for your pet?

Dogs have evolved alongside humans for thousands of years, but even the most well-mannered canines still have to answer nature’s call. For many dogs, eating something really disgusting they found on the ground or trash bin is an irresistible urge. This can yield exasperating responses from their people that have to clean up the unfortunate results of eating something weird. 

Diarrhea in dogs isn’t a rare occurrence but it can definitely signal something serious. Hang in there, we’ve got the top 5 things that can cause the runs.

Each spring, most pet owners turn their attention to the warmer weather, opportunity for outdoor reaction, and, of course, those nasty parasites that truly bug us. These fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes are the bane of most of our outdoor fun. These parasites also bother our pets, so it’s no doubt that the responsible pet owner will maintain parasite preventives to reduce their risk of vector-borne disease.

But what about those other parasitic pests that can harm pets? There are actually a few lesser known parasites that cause health problems for our four-leggeds, and sometimes for us, too.

Read on as the team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital explains other parasites that can harm your pet.

Does your pet start to heave about 15 minutes into every car trip? Are you cleaning the car upholstery each time? Dogs, like humans, can suffer from motion sickness, and puppies are more prone to this condition. Dealing with a sick puppy can be a drag when you are en route, but there are some things you can do to alleviate the nausea and make the ride more enjoyable for all.

The team at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital is here with some tips on reducing your pet’s car sickness through understanding the cause and treating it. “How can I help my pet’s car sickness?” Read on!

What could be more fun than owning a cat? How about adding a new puppy to the mix? Chances are that if you are expanding your furry family, your original four-pawed residents may have something to say about it. 

Integrating your cat and a new puppy can have its challenges, but Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital knows how to help. 

Nice to Meet You

First impressions mean a lot, and it’s no different for your cat. When introducing a new puppy into your home it is important to make sure that things go smoothly.

If you’re an animal lover, it may be that you have introduced a new pet into your family a time or two. And sometimes those introductions can go amazingly smoothly! In those cases, the adjustment period goes by quickly and everyone gets along, making your menagerie the happy group you hoped for. 

Sometimes though, there is more involved with helping your current pet adjust to a new pet. If things aren’t going well, keep reading for some ideas from your friends at Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital. 

Anyone that has ever owned a dog, or even watched classic cartoons featuring dogs, knows that dogs dig. Some like to do it more than others, and while your pup may not make it all the way to China like his animated associates, it can be a pretty destructive behavior. 

Digging dogs can be quite the challenge for pet owners, especially those who want to keep a nice yard. While we don’t have all the answers, Leon Valley Veterinary Hospital does have some good ideas to keep digging dogs redirected.