Posts in Category: For The Dogs

April is Heartworm Awareness Month. Maybe—hopefully—you already give your dog or cat their heartworm prevention medication regularly. But we believe it’s important to learn what heartworm disease is and why this preventive medicine is critical to your pet’s health. 

Heartworm disease is a real and present threat to California pets, but one that is seemingly invisible. That is, until it affects your family.

Understanding what heartworm disease is and how we can help to protect our pets is an important part of good pet wellness care. MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital is honored to help educate our readers on this topic. 

Brushing your dog’s teeth might not be the highlight of your daily routine, but at MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital, we know it’s a cornerstone of good pet health. Just as in humans, plaque and tartar can build up on your furry friend’s teeth, leading to gum disease and other health issues. Regular brushing will keep your dog’s smile bright and healthy, and getting started is easier than you might think!

If your dog is taking his walks a bit slower these days or having a hard time navigating the stairs, he could be experiencing arthritis in his hips, legs, or back. Senior dogs and those who are overweight are particularly prone to developing arthritic joints, as are some larger breeds, such as labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and German shepherds. 

Reverse sneezing can be downright scary. There’s no darling ah-choo! sound to admire. Instead, your pet will suck air in through the nose over and over, almost as if trying to catch their breath. Your dog or cat may extend their head and neck and stand strangely still. Some pets will snort or gag. 

Most pet parents know that their dog or cat needs shots of some type, but few really understand what that means. Do you know what dog vaccines or cat vaccines your pet is due for and why they are important? MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital is here to break down for you. 

Whether you’re a cat or dog owner, there’s no denying that pets are an important part of our families. And just like any family member, they deserve our attention and love.

Here are our tips for pet owners to ensure your furry friends get off to a great start in 2023.

Keeping your playful pooch healthy and happy throughout his life means making sure he gets exercise, proper nutrition, plenty of belly scritches, routine checkups—and dog dental care. 

Did that last one surprise you? Plenty of pet parents don’t realize how critical oral hygiene is to a pet’s overall health, but the truth is, by the time your dog is 3 years old, he will likely have some form of dental disease. This condition is painful, and the bacteria that builds up in his mouth can travel to vital organs, like his kidneys, liver, and heart.  

At MarketPlace Veterinary Hospital, we want all of our doggie parents to understand the importance of pet dental care—both professional cleanings and at-home dental hygiene.

Getting pets to take pills is no picnic—with cats probably outranking canines when it comes to level of difficulty. Pill pockets can help the medicine go down, but eventually, your pet might get wise to what you’re doing, and you’ll have to pivot your strategy. If that happens, try making your own pill pockets! It’s fun; you’ll save money; and you can occasionally switch-up the flavor and texture to keep your pet interested in eating this special “treat.”  

Thanks to Pinterest and other social media sites, there are plenty of recipes for DIY pill pockets to choose from. Most recipes simply call for mixing a moist ingredient (like almond butter) with a thickening agent (like flour), and molding it into tiny morsels, making a cavity with a straw, and chilling (or sometimes baking depending upon the ingredients) until firm. 

Check out the tasty suggestions for DIY pill pockets for cats and pill pockets for dogs from our team at Marketplace Veterinary Hospital. 

Meeting the needs of a growing puppy can be a full-time job. While their needs are so great and abundant, the rewards are immensely satisfying and far-reaching and you will not regret the effort you put in.

When it comes to puppy potty training, mistakes, missteps, accidents, and exasperation are par for the course. The keys to your success? Love, patience, and respect will get you started, but effective methods hinge on consistency and repetition.