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Friendship Hospital Archives

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

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

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

Aug 01

Friendship Successfully Treats Smallest Hemodialysis Patient

Georgie, a 4 month old Yorkie puppy, acutely became lethargic with vomiting and a decreased appetite. Initial lab tests performed with her primary care veterinarian were within normal limits. She was hospitalized to receive supportive care. Over the next 48 hours her health took a dramatic turn for the worse. Georgie became anuric, hyperkalemia, and... Learn More

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Jul 29

Medication Refills at Friendship

All medication refill requests are now processed and filled entirely by our in-house Pharmacy staff.   What you need to know:The most efficient way to request a medication refill is by contacting our pharmacy directly.  Calls made into our main line will be transferred to our pharmacy. Prescription Refill Line: 202-363-7301Website: friendshiphospital.com/refillsEmail:  refills@friendshiphospital.com Please allow up to 72 hours for refill processing.... Learn More

Dog alone in car
Jul 26

Beat the Heat! Avoiding Heat Stroke

With the summer in full swing, one of the more common emergencies seen by the Urgent Care service at Friendship Hospital for Animals is heat stroke.  Heat stroke is an illness that develops when the body temperature rises to dangerous levels. This increased temperature has effects on the entire body—it can cause shock, difficulty breathing,... Learn More

Friendship provides state of the art, comprehensive services for our clients and patients. But, more than that, we provide a caring team who understand the unique human-animal bond. View Our Services