Imagine…

Coming home from a long day of work and there’s no wagging tail to greet you. A morning without a cold snout in your hand to wake you. The sudden lack of soothing purrs and gentle head butts of acknowledgment. Ask any pet parent and you’re likely to find that no matter how and when they lose their furry family members, pet loss is just as hard, for them, as losing a human family member. As fellow pet parents and animal lovers, the staff at Bayside has compiled a list of helpful tips you can use when you meet a fellow pet parent who’s grieving the loss of a pet.

At Bayside, we love your pets as much as you do, and we’ve been doing some digging to help explain how those deep, loving bonds are formed. Do our pets feel the human animal connection as deeply as we do?! We’ve learned a lot on our journey and, to no surprise, discovered that 68% of US households are home to a pet (including four-, two, or no-legged varieties).

While cats and dogs are by far the most common choices for household companions—in studies and here in the clinic—it got us thinking: What is it about our furry friends that keep us coming back for more? And how important is the connection with pets to our health?

We’ve all heard the old wive’s tale that dogs have the “cleanest mouths.” But if you’ve ever met a dog, we’re sure you’ve questioned that more times than you can count. Every dog owner knows that their beloved pup will put almost anything in their mouth—from scavenged “food” finds and dirty toys to someone else’s waste. If you get our drift.

So, it would seem perfectly normal—natural even—that your dog would have a bad case of doggie breath, right? Wrong: Dog breath, while extremely common, can be a sign of larger oral health issues and may lead to more serious health complications as your pet ages.

Outside of regular, professional dog dental care, dog owners can turn to these vet-recommended preventative measures to keep their pup’s pearly whites clean and dog breath smelling oh-so fresh.

Holidays are a time of joy, festive gatherings, and gift-giving! And if you’re a pet owner, you know that your furry friends love to participate in all of the festivities, from snacking to unwrapping new toys. Here at Bayside Animal Hospital, we dive into our holiday decorating by keeping these simple dos and don’ts in mind. These will ensure that all of our clients have the best season yet— and holiday decorating with pets is filled with the ultimate care, love, and joy the season brings, as well as pet holiday safety.

Whether you’re a long-time cat owner or just bringing a kitten home for the first time, keeping your fur babies active and entertained is a top priority for ensuring their health and happiness—and, at times, your sanity. At Bayside Animal Hospital we encourage all our feline-loving clients to think outside the box when it comes to selecting kitten games, toys, and indoor cat activities to keep your cat playfully engaged.

Pet parasite prevention should be of the utmost importance to a pet parent. Taking precautions throughout the year to prevent pet parasites will extend your pet’s health & longevity. Every pet deserves the best health care possible, including year-round pet parasite prevention. It’s much less expensive and risky to prevent a parasite problem than treating a pet infected by a parasite. The staff at Bayside Animal Hospital is here to provide the best information so you can protect your pet’s health. After all, pets are family, and we want them to live long, healthy lives by your side. 

Hurricane season here in the Galveston Bay Area is June through November, with early fall being a highly active time. When Hurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, in 2005, experts believe that over 100,000 pets were stranded and approximately 110,000 died. Thankfully, we have learned a few valuable lessons since then about helping dogs, cats, and other pets survive hurricanes. There’s exponentially more support in place for pets in case of an emergency, as experts have created pet emergency plans. Our staff at Bayside Animal Hospital would like to pass on some helpful advice for being proactive about pet safety during a hurricane evacuation.

The busy days of back-to-school are upon us, and they can be stressful for everyone, including your pet. While dogs often feel the stress more than cats, the stress of spending more hours alone can affect everyone. You can take some proactive steps to reduce pet separation anxiety for your furry friend–here are some of our team’s top suggestions.

Heartworms and worms are a risk to all beloved pets. It’s important to have dogs and cats visit a veterinarian annually for a wellness visit, especially right after adopting a new dog or cat. Newly adopted pets have an increased risk for both heartworms and worms. Be sure to get a pet wellness check by an AAHA accredited veterinarian, like our expert team here at Bayside Animal Hospital.

If you recently adopted a new kitten or new cat, you’re probably wondering the best way to approach litterbox training. Being a new pet parent takes a lot of patience and know-how, and we’re happy to share these litterbox tips to help you on your journey as a new cat parent. We’re often asked for our advice about training your cat to use the litterbox here at Bayside Animal Hospital.