Tips on making it easier to get your cat to the vet Many cats are fearful of car rides and veterinary visits, which makes it harder for us to give them good medical care. It also makes it difficult for cat owners to decide to take their nervous cats to the veterinarian for routine care [...]

Veterinarians anesthetize animals on a daily basis. At least once per week in any clinic, a pet owner expresses concern about anesthesia: Is it safe? Will my pet survive the procedure? Modern anesthesia is very safe. The risk of a pet dying under anesthesia is less than 1%. The rare patients that are lost under [...]

Our dentistry services include full ultrasonic scaling of teeth, treatment for periodontal disease, Oravet barrier sealant, and extractions and/or radiographs as needed. After treatment we discuss preventative maintenance techniques to help reduce the advancement of dental disease in your pet. Dental disease is painful! Luckily, it is preventable. 80% of pets over the age of [...]

Pets with good body condition experience fewer diseases and live longer, more comfortable lives. We can help you achieve an ideal weight for your pet with individualized diet and exercise plans. We can advise you on the ideal weight for your pet. Generally, both dogs and cats should have a slight waist behind the ribs [...]

Our policy is to minimize vaccines to only those needed for your pet. We provide protection based on an individualized assessment of life style and medical history. Vaccinating your pet against commonly transmitted diseases can reduce the risk of infection, leading to a long and healthy life for your cherished family member. Puppies and kittens [...]

Why should I spay or neuter my pet? Everyone knows how cute puppies and kittens are, but did you know that there are numerous benefits to having your pet spayed or neutered? Males Male dogs and cats are neutered. This surgery removes the testicles through a skin incision. Pain medication is given at the time [...]

Cat behavior naturally includes scratching. This is important for keeping their claws in shape, allowing them to shed old upper layers of their claws, leaving behind healthy nails. Scratching also serves as a territorial marking Behavior. There is some thought that cats are more likely to mark their territory with their urine when they are [...]

External Parasites - Fleas Myth: Cats and dogs will scratch when they have fleas. This is false! Only pets with flea allergies will scratch. Only one third of pets have a flea bite allergy, therefore, the majority of pets will not feel the need to scratch when bitten by a flea. The flea bite allergy [...]

About Microchips The microchips we utilize at Hart Road Animal Hospital are made by Avid, and can be read or detected by all different types of scanners. All shelters and veterinary clinics have scanners and should be able to scan your pet’s microchip if he/she is brought in as a lost or stray pet. Microchips [...]

What Kind of Litter? Most cats prefer fine-grained litters, presumably because they have a softer feel. The scoopable litters typically have finer grains than other clay litters, and are very popular, but clay litters are also relatively fine-grained and may be perfectly acceptable to your cat. Fragrance free is the key. Although a “rain mist” [...]