As summer temperatures heat up, you and your furry pal likely want to cool off with a swim. Although it’s in their name, not all dogs–or pets–know how to “doggy paddle,” so take proper precautions when you swim with your four-legged friend. Here are five tips to help your pet stay safe while swimming. #1:... Learn More
As cold winter weather slowly slips away and warm spring temperatures arrive, sluggish parasites wake up. This makes April the perfect time for Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month. Take action to reduce your pet’s likelihood of giving ticks a ride—or a meal—and learn how to spot common Lyme disease signs to ensure your... Learn More
Celebrate Take a Walk in the Park Day with your four-legged friend on March 30, but don’t let hazards ruin a perfect day. Keep your eyes peeled for the following issues when walking your pet. #1: Other dogs Running across another dog could spell disaster, especially if either dog is reactive and manages to slip... Learn More
In honor of National Animal Poison Prevention Week, which takes place March 19 to 25, our team wants to share some of the most common household products that are toxic to pets. #1: Medications One of the most common household hazards that pets ingest are medications—from an entire pack of beef-flavored heartworm preventives to their... Learn More
It has recently come to our attention that one of the major manufacturers and distributors of prescription pet food has issued a voluntary recall for potential excessive levels of Vitamin D. Nestlé Purina is voluntarily recalling select lots of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet Elemental EL dry (both 8-pound and 20-pound bags). Please see the... Learn More
Summertime comes with a host of hazards for pets, but colder weather also brings its own dangers. As the temperature drops, watch out for the following issues that can require emergency care for your furry pal. Antifreeze toxicity in pets Antifreeze is used to keep your car’s engine functioning in the winter, but it can... Learn More
As temperatures fall, so do humidity levels in your home and outdoors. A drop in humidity often leads to dry, itchy skin and can leave your furry pal uncomfortable during the winter months. Prevent excessive scratching and licking by soothing your pet’s skin with a combination of at-home and veterinary-approved therapies. At-home dry skin treatments... Learn More
Updated November 4, 2022: As of Monday November 7, 2022: One person per patient is permitted into the building. Masks are optional inside of the hospital – if you are experiencing symptoms of illness, we kindly ask that you remain masked. Clients may use the first floor lobby and front patio to optimize social... Learn More
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
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
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
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
Losing your pet can feel devastating at any moment in the year. At the holidays, your grief can appear even greater as you try to find joy amongst your loss and are often contending with added family stressors. It’s normal to wonder how you may ever find happy holidays again when missing your loved one.... Learn More
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
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
As the COVID pandemic picked up speed in mid-March, Friendship made the difficult decision to close our doors to our clients while leaving our doors open to our patients. We understood that this decision would change our daily routines with curbside check-in and without clients in exam rooms. What we didn’t expect was that it... Learn More
We write you today with some very exciting news. As of May 18th, Friendship has merged with Encore Vet Group. With notable cultural and philosophical alignment, and a shared passionate commitment to veterinary medicine, Friendship and Encore are excited to serve the DC community together. For the past 85 years, Friendship has been a Tenleytown... Learn More
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
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
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
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
For some time now, Friendship has been evaluating telemedicine as another layer of providing care to our patients. There are benefits and limitations to any new procedure and the launch of this service will be exciting and challenging. Technology is expanding in ways that allow us to better visualize and assess patients remotely, in real-time.... Learn More
A lot has changed in our country since we wrote about COVID19 and your pets last month. Read below for the most recent updates from Dr. Cohen. What’s the consensus? Can pets be infected or transmit COVID 19? If you are worried that COVID-19 may harm your pet, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the... Learn More
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
Ever since Winter was adopted at 7 weeks of age, she has dribbled urine. This leaking was constant- when she was sleeping but also when she was awake, walking, and playing. Spaying her produced no improvement in the incontinence, nor did any medication seem to help. Hoping to find a solution, Winter was presented to... Learn More
What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are named for their crown-like appearance. Most common coronaviruses cause mild symptoms of runny nose, sore throat, fever, and cough. Some can descend deeper into the lungs and cause pneumonia. Animals have their own common set of coronaviruses. It is rare but possible for a coronavirus infecting an animal to... Learn More
Einstein, a 12 year old pug, has had more bladder problems than most dogs. A year ago he was diagnosed with a bladder tumor that needed to be removed surgically. While the surgery was a success, it did take him some time to recover from anesthesia and get back to his normal self. Since that... Learn More
It is that time of year again, and winter is approaching! We want to make sure that you are able to enjoy this cold weather with your furry family members worry-free, so we have compiled the following list of recommendations to help you do just that! More dogs are lost during the winter than during any... Learn More
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
Who doesn’t love Halloween? Dressing up, trick-or-treat, pumpkin carving; so much fun. But the ringing doorbells, unfamiliar people, and frightening masks can create high anxiety for some pets. To help reduce your pet’s stress, try disconnecting your doorbell and using a motion sensor for the night. Or you could bring the fun to the trick-or-treaters... Learn More
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