In the wild, parrots and many birds spend a lot of time interacting socially and foraging. When we bring them into our homes, it is important to provide our feathered friends items to help keep them busy and entertained to help discourage, or rather, not allow time for negative behavior such as feather picking or [...]
“I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race; for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double [...]
Ferrets can make excellent, fun, and entertaining pets. Just like dogs and cats, ferrets need regular veterinary care. When you first bring home your new ferret, we recommend scheduling an appointment to go over housing and diet recommendations, vaccinations, common medical and behavioral problems seen in ferrets, and wellness diagnostics such as fecal parasite exams. [...]
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) Rabbit hemorrhagic disease is a highly infectious viral disease of domesticated and wild rabbits in Europe. Morbidity and mortality rates are high in unvaccinated animals. Since this is a foreign animal disease, it is of high concern at the state and federal levels. Until recently, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus-2 was not [...]
Nobody anticipated a new year and new decade starting out so badly—with the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has thrown daily life into turmoil, for you and your pet, and sticking to a normal routine can be tough. But, a regular schedule not only keeps your mind off your troubles, but also reduces stress and anxiety [...]
Most tortoises are strict herbivores, and many are primarily grass-eaters. In a sense, they are reptilian version of horses or guinea pigs, because they use hindgut fermentation to digest fiber. In order to most closely replicate the diet that the grassland tortoises forage for in the wild, a low protein, high fiber, low fruit diet [...]
With parts of the world shutting down to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the Loving Family Animal Hospital team is also doing their part to keep pets, their owners, and our community safe and healthy. As the situation rapidly changes, we are staying up-to-date on the latest research and information available, and doing everything we [...]
Loving Family Animal Hospital was recently designated as a Cat Friendly Practice® by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). Over several months, our cat-loving team has worked hard to gain additional feline behavior and medical training, and our veterinarians have created new protocols designed specifically for cats. The AAFP has determined we demonstrate an [...]
Pet breath—the unpleasant oral odor may be common, but it isn’t healthy. In fact, it’s a good sign that your furry friend may have dental disease, or other trouble brewing in her oral cavity. What can you do about it? A healthy mouth starts with a regular oral-hygiene regimen, a dedicated owner, and regular veterinary [...]
In the wild, parrots and many birds spend their days with a variety of activities including social interactions, grooming, foraging and sleeping. Since our feathered friends are caged, or at least housed in some type of enclosure other than being free (i.e.- our houses), the foraging for food that would normally take them hours throughout [...]