Previously, we discussed an overview of the Fear Free Certification program for veterinary professionals, including what the program is, how to find a certified professional, and why the program is valuable. This time, we will look into how we as owners can help to make our pets more comfortable prior to their appointments. I have... Learn More
When you make a commitment to an animal to be their caretaker, advocate, and have them become a member of the family, you make them a promise that you will do everything in your power to do what is best for them. That means having the best doctors and technicians involved in their care, gathering... Learn More
The Fourth of July is almost upon us, and as we prepare to celebrate America’s Independence Day, it is important to remember the potential dangers this holiday poses to our pets. The most notable of these dangers relate to fireworks, which may result in noise phobia/anxiety, poisoning upon ingestion, foreign body obstruction upon ingestion, and... Learn More
Spring is upon us and many of us are starting to think ahead to the warmer days that are coming! With the increasing temperatures comes more time outside, going to the beach, campfires and the dreaded scourge of mosquitos. Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal condition in pets, spread by mosquitos, in the United States... Learn More
Dog are the most common pets owned by families. Our beloved pets bring much joy to our lives through companionship, physical exercise and their endless love and loyalty. On the other hand, our cute and cuddly four-legged friends can also cause harm, especially to young children, when we fail to recognize signs that a dog... Learn More
As a small business, and leader in comprehensive animal healthcare, we pride ourselves on our commitment to community engagement and social responsibility. Friendship is proud to support these organizations throughout the year. Food & Friends 219 Riggs Road NE Washington, DC 20011 Food & Friends’ mission is to foster a community caring for men, women... Learn More
What should I think about when deciding to travel with my pet? Make sure your pet is comfortable with travel. Some pets cannot handle travel because of illness, injury, age or temperament. If your pet is not good with travel, you should consider a reliable petsitter or talk to your veterinarian about boarding facilities in... Learn More
Give a Slice of Life this Thanksgiving Now in it’s 12th year, Slice of Life has become a tradition in the Washington region and Friendship has once again teamed up with Food & Friends to ensure that our neighbors facing life-challenging illness enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Each pie purchased through the Slice of Life pie sale will deliver a... Learn More
Halloween is a fun day filled with candy and costumes, but your pets may see things differently. Halloween can be traumatic and even dangerous to pets. Follow these Halloween pet safety tips to keep your pets happy and healthy. Lock candy safely away. Kids love to stash candy in their rooms, but a dog’s keen... Learn More
In honor of Check the Chip Day, Friendship will be doing free microchips (up to 60). Call today to schedule an appointment. Learn More
Take Your Dog To Work Day’s first inaugural celebration was in the UK in 1996, and the first observance in the US was in 1999. It is now celebrated in 6 different countries: United States, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, United Kingdom, and Canada. This year, Take Your Dog to Work Day will take place this... Learn More
Each year, kitten season creates an abundance of homeless kittens and mother cats. Local shelters and rescue groups are often spread thin caring for the influx of cats, in addition to their more established residents. You can make a difference this season by adopting a new feline friend into your home. Cat Adoption Event June... Learn More
You asked: I have a Boxer mix that was put on Trazadone for fear aggression. It worked! A blessing – but why does it work? Humans have the DSM for psychiatric issue does veterinary medicine have the same? Dr. Schultz answered: Often, dogs bite as a result of a fear or anxiety response to certain... Learn More
Disaster preparation: Disasters can be anything from fire, flood, tornado, snow storm or terrorist attack. Preparing your family and pets for emergencies now will help determine your future success in such of an event. Know what disasters could affect your area and which that could call for an evacuation and when to shelter in place.... Learn More
Spring is here, and nature is waking up from hibernation to greet the sunlight and warmer temperatures. This also means other creatures are crawling out: fleas and ticks. These creatures can actually be a problem year-round, especially in warmer climates like the DMV area. Knowing that fleas or ticks are on us or on our... Learn More
An update on traveling with your emotional support animal. If you’ve been following the news you know that there has been an increase in disruptive incidents caused by emotional support animals on airplanes. There have also been incidences in which airline passengers have been injured by emotional support pets. As a result, many airlines are... Learn More
Patent Ductus Arteriosus in a Puppy Lady presented to Friendship Cardiology Specialists for evaluation of a heart murmur noted by her vet at her first puppy exam. An echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) was performed, and she was diagnosed with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) causing severe heart enlargement. A PDA is a birth defect involving the... Learn More
Canine Influenza You asked about the flu in dogs….. The ‘dog flu’ is caused by the canine influenza virus, a dog specific virus. The virus causes sneezing, coughing , and fever and leaves the dog’s respiratory tract vulnerable to secondary bacterial infection. The cough can last for days to weeks. The virus is spread via... Learn More
Winter Tips for Your Pet’s Paws We’re all waiting for spring, but in case March comes in like a lion, we wanted to share some pet paw winter safety tips. The New York Times recently noted the desire to “winterize” our dogs with clothes. Not every dog will tolerate boots, and not every dog will... Learn More
Remembering Donal McKeown Friendship clients from the 60’s and 70’s will be sad to learn of the recent death of Donal McKeown. Dr. McKeown was a co-owner and partner of Dr. William Ready and Dr. Harvey Cowan. He practiced at Friendship from 1958 to 1974. Following his service at Friendship, Dr. McKeown returned to his... Learn More
Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV) One generally asks an emergency vet, “What is the most common or craziest thing you see?” And although this is an impossible answer, I would say one of our more exciting and truly urgent emergencies is something called, gastric-dilatation volvulus or GDV. What is GDV? GDV is the dilation or distension... Learn More
Why are patients with hypoglycemia given dextrose supplementation? There are a number of reasons why an animal’s blood sugar (glucose) may become low. Glucose is absorbed through their diets and then stored within cells as an energy reserve. It might be that they are not receiving/mobilizing enough glucose or that they are using/losing it too... Learn More
Warsaw VetCo Nephrology and Urology Conference Friendship Hospital for Animals internal medicine doctor, Dr. JD Foster, was recently lecturing in Warsaw, Poland about kidney and urinary tract diseases for the Warsaw Vetco Nephrology and Urology Conference. He and his colleague, Dr. Cathy Langston from the Ohio State University, gave a weekend-long seminar to advanced veterinarians.... Learn More
Guide to the DMV’s Most Loved Dog Parks If you own a dog in Washington, D.C. most likely, you have visited the numerous dog parks within and around the city. I have only heard about the varying dog parks and their advantages and disadvantages, so I decided to research each of the most loved dog... Learn More
Tips for Positive Aging Thanks to advancing medicine and better nutrition, pets live longer than ever before. However, with these added years of valuable life come more age-related health problems. Primary care doctor, Dana Kuehn, has some tips to help you keep your pet aging in a positive way! 1. A relationship with a primary... Learn More
Choosing the Right Pet and Breed for Your Lifestyle Are you looking to expand your family? Maybe of the furry, four-legged kind? Before you excitedly go running to the shelter, rescue, or breeder we hope that you take a moment to genuinely contemplate the species and breed type. It is always best to determine first... Learn More
Adopt a Pet. Save a Life! Welcoming a new dog or cat into your home is such an amazing thing. If you’re thinking about adopting a new family member, think about adopting a rescue dog. Adopting a dog from an animal shelter saves a life and according to the Humane Society of the United States,... Learn More
Why do I Have to Use Heartworm Prevention in the Winter? Our primary care team member, Dr. Boone, has responded: Heartworm disease is transmitted by the mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected animal, it transfers the microscopic organism (microfilaria) to the next animal that it bites. According to the American Heartworm Society, heartworms have... Learn More
I Thank You…… This Thanksgiving All year long, our furry friends shower us with their thanks and gratitude. So this holiday season take a moment to step back and assess just how much thanks our beloved companions gave us. Giving thanks from the dog: I thank you for always giving-up your bed for me to... Learn More
Grain Free Diets vs. Diets Containing Grain When taking your pet’s medical history one of the things I ask about is what you are feeding your pet. A nutritional assessment is an important part of the annual check up. One thing I am hearing more and more, is that dogs are eating grain-free diets. Grain... Learn More
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