Dogs need to do dog things, such as sniffing, chewing, foraging, barking, digging, and playing, to be emotionally fulfilled. Enrichment activities provide your dog the opportunity to perform these natural behaviors, to ensure their physical and psychological needs are satisfied. Six enrichment categories are important for a dog’s wellbeing. Social enrichment — This type provides [...]
Nobody wants to be left behind, including your pet. But, dogs and cats can’t explain their feelings in a greeting card or a tearful speech—instead their reactions are often mistaken for bad behavior, failed house training, or vengeance. This misunderstanding often leads well-intentioned owners to seek corrective training rather than veterinary care, thus failing to [...]
Some age-related changes in pets are easy to identify because they are similar to ours, including vision loss, “selective hearing,” frequent naps, and a shuffling gait. Other signs may be less noticeable, or hard to distinguish from normal dog or cat behavior, but may signal a significant change in your pet’s health. Knowing what to [...]
Is your pooch looking pudgy, or your cat a bit curvaceous? They’re not alone—nearly 60 percent of U.S. pets are considered overweight. That amounts to 56 million cats and 50 million dogs. Unfortunately, there’s no safety in numbers—extra pounds increase your pet’s risk for cancer, arthritis, kidney disease, and other devastating conditions. The team at [...]
Does your dog pump the brakes when you arrive at Town and Country Animal Hospital? Is your cat covered in stress-induced bodily fluids when you extract them from their carrier? Do you put off your pet’s preventive care when they seem healthy, simply to avoid the stress and anxiety caused by a trip to the [...]
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), about 25 percent of U.S. households have at least one cat. Considering the multitude of benefits they provide, it’s no wonder so many favor felines. From kittenhood to their grey whisker years, cats entertain you with their feisty antics, calm you with their gentle purring, and teach [...]
Consider the array of unsavory items your pet will devour—with impeccable timing, of course, such as the middle of your dinner party, when you are meeting the new neighbors, or the first time your teenager brings their boyfriend/girlfriend home for dinner. Yet, the moment you offer them a delicious morsel with the tiniest pill inside, [...]
We all appreciate a simple fix. That’s why we love duct tape, sticky notes, and microwave dinners. Convenience is exactly what the doctor ordered for filling a need or fixing a problem—not complex equipment, complicated skills, or lots and lots of time. At Town and Country Animal Hospital, our veterinarians want to ensure you know [...]
While cats are generally considered more low maintenance than dogs, they still require specialized care to ensure they remain happy and healthy. Here are five rules that will help your feline friend remain in tip-top shape. #1: Feed your cat a healthy diet More than half the United States pet population is overweight or obese, [...]
Pets have a habit of sticking their noses into places best left unexplored, and some of these spots can host hidden snakes. Approximately 40 snake species reside in Alabama, but only six are venomous. However, you want to prevent any snake from biting your pet, venomous or not, as the bite from a nonvenomous snake [...]
