Today is National Specially-Abled Pets Day. This day educates the public about caring for disabled pets. It also encourages animal lovers to consider choosing a disabled pet as a family member. Whether it’s an injury, birth defect, or disease, these animals deserve the best veterinary care Gainesville, FL has to offer.

General Information Lyme disease is zoonotic meaning that it can affect both humans and animals. Lyme’s disease is transmitted through tick bites and primarily the Deer tick. Lyme disease cannot be transmitted from one animal to another only through a tick bite. Deer ticks are found in forests or grassy, wooded, marshy areas near lakes or oceans. Lyme disease can be difficult to detect and can cause serious reoccurring health problems. A map of the reported cases of Lyme disease can be found at the website for CDC. Prevention The best prevention is to avoid areas where ticks are possible. Around the house shrubbery should be cleared and keeping a well-maintained lawn is important. Once inside check for ticks. Be sure to check areas such as between toes or the pads on the feet as well as around the ears. Using reliable tick prevention such as Nexguard is recommended. You can also vaccinate your canine companion for Lyme disease. Discuss with your veterinary professional as to whether a Lyme vaccine is appropriate for your pet. Factors such as lifestyle, where you live and your pets overall health are contributing factors as to whether a Lyme’s vaccine is appropriate. Symptoms There are usually no signs of Lyme disease for the first 2-5months after infection. Some signs of Lyme disease include fever, decrease in appetite, lameness, joint swelling and decreased activity. Lyme disease is diagnosed by a blood test Treatment Patients that are diagnosed with Lyme disease are placed on an antibiotic for treatment. Please feel free to contact any of our doctors at your closest location of Newberry Animal Hospital for more information!

The weather is getting warmer and your four legged best friend is ready to get outside to play. It's a great time to incorporate new activities for you and your pet to get into shape. Whether your pet is perfectly trained and plays fetch, or just likes to run around in the back yard, there's plenty of things you can do together. Gainesville has several dog friendly parks to visit and romp with other active dogs. Long, slow walks are great for older dogs and helps them keep their muscles toned. Younger dogs might enjoy an obstacle course or a controlled run. If you have a ladder around your house, you can place that flat on the ground and have your dog walk over the rungs. This works his muscles in a controlled manner and can help with coordination. How about playing hide and seek? You can play a more traditional hide and seek game where you hide and he comes to find you, or try hiding his favorite treat in places around the yard or park so he has to use his nose to find his treat! Enjoy this beautiful spring weather with a run and a good, strong leash. We at Newberry Animal Hospital encourage excellent pet health by staying active, so they live a long and wonderful life!

So many people use Google Reviews or Facebook recommendations when choosing to be a patron of a local business. For some people, the service element is the most important factor involved in choosing a local veterinarian in Alachua County. They might want to know if our animal hospital does cat declawing, or how much do we charge for a pet exam, or what is the cost for a dog teeth cleaning? Others may want to know if we have the Nexg ard rebate available, or whether we give discounts on flea and tick medicine in 2019. Whatever the question, choose a pet care specialist in Gainesville that is transparent in price and service. Choose one that will allow tours of the facility with very little notice, up to an including the kennel and dog park or play areas, if applicable. Choose a Gainesville Animal Hospital that takes care of challenging pets and medical situations in a professional manner, holistically or not, without hesitation. Choose Newberry Animal Hospital because they have the best veterinarians in Gainesville, Florida based on the Gainesville Sun Reader's Choice for Best Veterinarian for two years running. Ask your friends and neighbors who will take care of YOUR babies in a manner that is sensitive to their health, your goals and lifestyle, and your budget. They are still giving away free t-shirts for new clients in 2019!!

We have seen a few snake bite patients treated at our facilities, so Dr. Stanley sat down and created a graphic to help everyone understand what should be done. Keep this infographic if case you are ever confronted with this situation. Please feel free to contact us with questions, should you have any!

March 13 is National K9 Veterans Day!  ​​ ​This day is​ set aside to salute all our American veterans with four legs. Trained canines or K9 Corps have played a crucial role in our military for many years. The American military did not use canines prior to Pearl Harbor. During the first World War,​​ soldiers began noticing the European use of canines as message carriers and sentries. Dogs for Defense was the original organization that provided dogs to our military. Founder Arlene Erlanger saw the need and started training dogs with several breeders ​with the help of​ the American Kennel Club. By late 1942​,​ the first Dogs for Defense were trained and ready for duty in North Africa. As time went​ ​on​,​ Dogs for Defense couldn't keep up with the need for Military Dogs​, ​so the Remount Branch​ (Service Installations Division​)​ took over training the dogs. There have been over 30,000 dogs in the military​,​ to date. There were over 5,500 deployed during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. More recently​,​ there have been more than 600 dogs deployed to Ira​q​ and Afghanistan. Many have received medals of honor​,​ and some have become quite well known​!​ Next month,​ a new movie about one of the first famous military dogs​, '​Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero​'​ will be released​ in major theaters​. It is the true story of a stray dog that became very loyal to a young soldier back in 1917. He was the first canine to be ranked as ​Sargeant​​​​ in the U.S. Army and was one of the most decorated dog​s​ in America. While most of us don't have military dogs as part of our family,​ take a moment today to remember​ all of the ​four legged soldiers that ​have ​serve​d​ our country. ​If you would like to know more about local recognition for our K9 Veterans, please visit our website at www.NewberryAnimalHospital.com/rescue-partners page where you will find information on the K9 Veterans Memorial Foundation here in Gainesville.  ​

Millennials get such a bad wrap. They are THE hot topic in any employment related articles, and people love to talk about how sheltered they have lived, and how challenging they are to manage in the workplace. But here is what you don't hear: they are super connected with their pets. Like, super connected. To be specific, researchers and popular media typically define millennials as people born between early 1980s to early 2000s. According to MarketWatch, pet owners spent over $885 million dollars on their pets for Valentines Day. More interestingly, 45% of millennials say that their pet's approval of a new romantic partner matters more than their family's. How many days will you wait before you introduce them to your furry friend? Studies vary. Social outings that millennials tend to enjoy as a couple often include pets, such as dog parks, picnics, and hiking in good weather. They are often evaluating their pets approval from day 1. Two-thirds of millennials consider their pets comfort when purchasing a car. Where will they be the most comfortable during travel? Will multiple pets be safe and each have enough of their own vehicle room? With companies like Ford, Chevy, Honda, and Subaru, there are very few car commercials that don't include a pet in them. It’s no wonder. We will continue to love our pets, and we welcome any millennials that want to bring their pets to us! Whatever the future holds for Millennials, pets will undoubtedly be a large part of their life. And we want to be a part of their pet's life!

Have you visited our website page highlighting our efforts in the local community? Our hospital (and it's doctors) are individually and collectively involved in many wonderful student and non-profit programs in the Gainesville and Newberry area. Last month, Dr. Jessie Stanley, Director of Medical Services, went to Abraham Lincoln Middle School to speak to the students about on animal habitats: specifically, birds and ferrets. Would you like for us to visit your school? Visit here to learn more about what we do: www.newberryanimalhospital/community-involvement.

Happy National Pet week from all of us at Newberry Animal Hospital! This first week of May is dedicated to celebrating the impact our furry friends have on our lives. May 7th is specifically dedicated to encourage socialization between pets. These interactions with other animals, people and activities can better prepare your pet for the future. The recommended period, otherwise known as the “sensitive period,” to begin these interactions is between 3-14 weeks of age for dogs, and 3-9 weeks of age for kittens. If you are a new pet owner, there are a few things you can do to better prepare yourself and your pet: Creating a plan for your pet is a great way to gradually expose them to different environments, individuals, and animals. Each plan should be different depending on your type of lifestyle. Supplying consistent positive interactions can help alleviate some of the anxiety or aggression your pet might feel in a new situation. Applaud your pets progression with treats or play time. On the other hand, allow them the appropriate space if they have an uncomfortable interaction with a fellow pet. Contact your veterinarian in Newberry Florida to confirm your furry friend is fully vaccinated and able to attend social environments like parks or stores. (Some places even require documentation) Your veterinarian at Newberry Animal Hospital may also help you come up with a specific socialization plan for you and your pet, or offer recommendations based on your pets specific behavioral needs. The opportunity for socialization should be continued throughout your pets entire life (whether it's dog parks, or picnics and family events) to promote better well being and good temperament.

Whoops, we almost missed it. Here is it: almost 9pm. Making a post about National Love Your Pet Day....so, not to offend anyone, but I'm about to share a secret. Shhhhhhh......At Newberry Animal Hospital.... we love your pets EVERYDAY. There. I said it. So this just seems a little, um...I don't know--let's say CRAZY--that there would even BE a day that you didn't love your pet. And if you are busy, we will do it for you. But if you DO have a day where you didn't feel well, or had to work, or maybe your pet was not feeling it. Either way. Go love your pet. Like--RIGHT NOW. It's just a good idea, and no one needs to mark it on the calendar. It's like taking your vitamins. Reduces stress. Studies show that people that love their pets live longer. They have better life balance. And pets needs are super basic, in terms of NEEDS, anyway. Food, sleep, water, a good Vet...LOVE. That's about it. 1,2,3, 4, boom! ...and you're done. Or..... ....bring them here and let us love your pet. Either way. (Just sayin')

Joints. Most animals have them, with some being more flexible than others! While we all wish our four-legged companions could stay as flexible as a yoga instructor, there are a few inherited diseases that can cause immobility, pain, and inflammation in our pets’ hips and elbows. These diseases are commonly known as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. More common in dogs than cats, hip dysplasia occurs when the hip joint doesn’t develop properly as the animal grows. In some cases, it can also be caused by trauma to the hip resulting in a loss of cartilage elasticity. As a dog with hip dysplasia ages, they will typically experience pain, inflammation, stiffness, and potentially lameness of the hind legs. Elbow dysplasia has similar clinical signs, but affects the elbows rather than hips and is passed down genetically. Dogs with elbow dysplasia can usually be identified by their abnormal walk - transferring their weight to the inner part of their paws as a result of their lack of elbow mobility and as an attempt to reduce pain. While hip and elbow dysplasia can have serious effects on our four-legged companions, there are a number of treatment and management options as well as extremely accurate screening processes to diagnose these diseases. In fact, screening for hip and elbow dysplasia can be done for dogs as young as 2 years old - well before behavioral signs emerge! Most veterinarians, like the ones here at Newberry Animal Hospital, conduct their patients’ hip and elbow dysplasia screenings through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). The OFA has been conducting hip and elbow dysplasia screenings since 1966, and continues to lead the way in this type of diagnostic testing. So what happens when a dog owner or breeder wants to get their dog screened? First, we will need to make sure the dog has permanent identification on them such as a microchip number or spay/neuter tattoo number. Next, if the dog is female, we will need to make sure she hasn’t been in heat or had puppies within the last month. Both of these requirements come directly from the OFA, and can cause the pet’s test to be unexaminable if not followed. Once we confirm these 2 needs are met, then we are ready to schedule their appointment! All hip & elbow dysplasia screenings here at Newberry Animal Hospital are scheduled as a fasted sedation drop-off appointment. During this appointment, our staff and doctors will take multiple radiographic images (x-rays) of the dog’s hips and elbows in very specific positions in order to get the clearest view of the dog’s joints. The exactness needed for this imaging is why we usually sedate our pet patients for it - we want to get it right the first time! Once the dog’s imaging is complete and correct, it will be ready to send to the OFA for examination. Once the OFA receives the pet’s radiographs, the images will be reviewed by 3 separate board-certified veterinary radiologists. These radiologists will compare the images to what is normal for a dog of the same breed, sex, and age, and will determine the health of the pup’s joints. It can take up to 2 months for the OFA to conduct their examination, but once they do, they will send their findings back to us along with a grade of either Normal, Borderline, or Dysplastic. Our doctors will then be able to use this grade to create a customized treatment plan for the patient if needed. Want to learn more about hip and elbow dysplasia in dogs? Interested in more information about the OFA certification process? Visit www.ofa.org today!

While we occasionally see emergency cases where a pet ingested nicotine, there is no antidote for nicotine poisoning. Between 20-100 milligrams of nicotine can be fatal to your pet, but if discovered and transported quickly enough for veterinary care, intravenous fluids and anti-seizure medicine is often used to keep the pet stable enough to flush nicotine from their system. Symptoms for nicotine poisoning range from vomiting, unsteadiness, drooling and lethargy to fast heart rate, shaking and seizures. While the bulk of our statistical data on tobacco's impact comes from human health studies, more studies are being done to learn about the effects that tobacco smoke (both second and third hand) can have on the lives of healthy pets. The Federal Drug Administration has a large quantity of information about how harmful tobacco can be. Are your pets in the house when you smoke? It's crazy to imagine, but a single cigarette, when burned, can release over 7,000 chemicals. It's more alarming that we know for certain the chemical list includes ammonia, arsenic, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and Uranium-238. Inhaling second-hand smoke can cause coughing and breathing issues in both dogs and cats, but cats that live in smoking households have a significantly higher risk of oral (mouth) cancer because of third-hand smoke, which is the result of the chemicals that settle, and are no longer airborne. Because cats are such excellent groomers, the smoke particles that fall on their fur end up either concentrated under their tongue or ingested. For dogs, it's all about the nose. According to the FDA, we know that long-nosed dogs, such as Pinschers and Borzois, have twice the risk of nasal cancer because the nose acts as the filter for the ultra-fine particles that they inhale. This means that the nose also absorbs more cancer-causing particles and keeps them trapped in the nasal and sinus tissue. Alternately, short-nose dogs like Pugs or Bulldogs have a higher risk of lung cancer because their noses do not filter very well, which allows the tobacco smoke particles to go deep into the lungs. There is a huge amount of support through TobbacoFreeFlorida.com. If you are interested in quitting tobacco, or want to learn more about how to quit smoking, call (866)341-2730, or visit https://tobaccofreeflorida.com/how-to-quit-tobacco/