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Friendship Hospital Archives

May 08

Spay and neuter surgery at Friendship: What to expect

The General Surgery department at Friendship Hospital for Animals offers a wide range of surgical procedures, both on an elective and emergency basis Monday through Friday. Ovariectomy is the surgical removal of the ovaries in females and orchiectomy is the surgical removal of the testes in males, these procedures are commonly called referred to as... Learn More

Apr 10

April is National Heartworm Awareness Month!

Heartworm disease, caused by the parasite Dirofilaria immitus, is an all-too common and potentially devastating disease of dogs and cats.  It is estimated that approximately ONE MILLION dogs and cats in the US are infected with this parasite, and many may not have symptoms of the disease until the damage has been done.  This parasite... Learn More

Feb 13

Treating Luna’s Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

Meet Luna:  A young Rat Terrier who presented to Friendship Hospital for Animals for evaluation of urinary issues with the Internal Medicine service.  While being evaluated by Dr. Stephanie Skinner, a loud heart murmur was heard and Luna was referred to see our Board-Certified Veterinary Cardiologist, Dr. Chris McLaughlin. Dr. McLaughlin performed a heart ultrasound,... Learn More

veterinary technicians practice CPR on canine mannequins
Dec 15

RECOVER Initiative – CPR for pets

What is CPR? How helpful is it from a pet owner’s perspective? Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, also known as CPR, is an emergency first aid technique that sustains blood flow to the brain and heart in the event of cardia arrest. CPR entails chest compressions, assisted breathing, and advance life support measures including medications and defibrillation. Cardiopulmonary... Learn More

Apr 23

The Dog Aging Project

Logan is a participant in a study called the Dog Aging Project. To enroll him in the study I had to complete information on Logan’s physical and nutritional health, and his lifestyle. Today I signed up to participate in the “access to stairs” survey as part of the study. The Dog Aging Project is looking... Learn More

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Apr 09

Pet Poison Prevention Q&A

Dr. Sara Lister is a veterinarian with ASPCA Animal Poison Control.  Her previous work includes Oklahoma State University (class of 2007), followed by internship at Friendship Hospital for Animals. She continued to practice emergency medicine and general practice for the past 10 years, before joining Poison Control. If you think your pet may have ingested a... Learn More

Gray shorthair with yellow eyes looking up from garden next to to lilies
Mar 30

Lilies and Cats: The Lethal Lily

It is quite an unfortunate fact that most cat owners are unaware of the health hazards of lily plants. Flower shops typically do not ask if the recipient of a floral bouquet has a cat in the house and despite educational campaigns from veterinarians, the public is still mostly unaware of just how dangerous lilies... Learn More

Overweight-Cat
Sep 10

Treats – How much is too much?

Showing love through food can quickly become a problem for some pets. Commonly pet owners start off with a few small additional treats which over time expands to high calorie treats given more frequently. This quickly contributes to pets becoming overweight and even obese.  In 2018, an estimated 60% of cats and 56% of dogs... Learn More

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Jul 31

Do Pets Grieve?

Survivor Pet Your survivor pet may exhibit signs of intense stress after the loss of a housemate. It can be two pets that have been together their whole lives, yet it can also be pets who have only been together a short period of time. This can also occur to a dog after the passing... Learn More

dog and cat cooking
May 12

Cooking for Your Pet

You asked: I would love to know more about how to feed my dog unprocessed or minimally processed food. I’d like a guideline for calorie-density and appropriate volume, balanced sources of protein. What is the importance of variety of nutrition sources? For example, hard cooked or scrambled chicken eggs, salmon, red meat? What grains might... Learn More

woman working from home with her dog
May 05

Preventing Separation Anxiety

A record number of new pet adoptions have happily taken place during the current pandemic.  With ample time at home to train and care for a growing puppy, many have determined now is a great time to adopt.  Additionally, dogs and cats that previously spent hours each day home alone, are undoubtedly a little perplexed... Learn More

Amur Tiger at the Bronx Zoo
Apr 15

Coronavirus & Cats

With the recent report of a tiger at the Bronx Zoo testing positive for coronavirus, there may be renewed fear about the spread of coronavirus between humans and domestic cats. Multiple cats were showing symptoms The tiger at the Bronx Zoo that tested positive for coronavirus displayed symptoms of a dry cough. Several other tigers... Learn More

Apr 10

Dangers of Blue Green Algae

In the late summer of 2019, news reports and Facebook accounts from around the country were describing acute neurological signs and even death in dogs that had been out swimming in bodies of water.  Even here in the DMV, there were accounts in northern Maryland of dogs falling ill. Blue Green Algae, also known as... Learn More

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Mar 16

COVID-19 – Client Guidelines & Updates

Updated March 2023: Masks are OPTIONAL inside the hospital. Clients may use the first floor lobby and front patio to optimize social distancing Scheduled specialty appointments will remain curbside but clients are welcome to use the lobby and facilities, as needed. If you have questions about your pet’s specialty appointment, please contact the department directly.... Learn More

Jan 21

Drs. McMurphy and Moore take on VMX

Did you know that Friendship’s veterinarians are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education each year?  In fact, our board-certified specialty doctors provide free continuing education lectures for all DC-area veterinarians (and beyond!) every month at our hospital. In order to practice the highest quality of medicine, the majority of Friendship’s staff doctors actually... Learn More

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Oct 07

October Wellness Plan Giveaway

PetlocityAt Friendship, we believe great pet parents should be rewarded for taking care of their pets.  That’s why we’ve partnered with Petlocity, a program that lets us reward our clients for providing great pet care. Track Your Pet’s Health: Petlocity helps you stay up-to-date with your pet’s health, like prescriptions, vaccinations, and exams.Earn Rewards: Receive... Learn More

Canine Rabies Vaccine
Sep 28

World Rabies Day 2019

September 28 is World Rabies Day World Rabies Day was established in 2007 in an effort to raise awareness about rabies, highlight rabies prevention efforts, and facilitate cooperation in efforts to fight this disease.  Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease spread by scratches or bites from infected animals.   “Rabies: Vaccinate to Eliminate” is the... Learn More

dog in ER
Sep 10

What is a veterinary criticalist?

What is a criticalist?  Veterinary Criticalists are specialists in emergency and critical care medicine.  The American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care is an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organization that approves residency training programs, sets standards for training, and administers the rigorous 2-day examinations required for board certification.   How does a veterinarian become a criticalist?... Learn More

Golden Retriever in a puddle.
Aug 28

Leptospirosis

What is leptospirosis and why is it so important to be knowledgeable about this prevalent zoonotic disease? Leptospirosis is a disease of mammals caused by a spirochete bacterium that is unfortunately becoming quite prevalent. Leptospirosis is currently the most common infectious cause of acute kidney failure in dogs. Leptospira affects the kidneys and liver most... Learn More

Maine Coon cat with tear stains
Aug 08

My Cat Has Chronic Teary Eyes

You asked: Is there a cure for my Maine Coon of 10 months who is having a chronic teary eye accompanied with a blocked nostril? We have tried antibiotic treatment (which worked but that is clearly not a long term solution), homeopathic treatment and inhalations of essential oils, as well as topical antibiotic cream. She... Learn More

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