A few years ago a tiny kitten entered our hospital with a bite wound on her leg.  Her owners did not know what bit her, and she was badly hurt.  Just a day or so later a male Husky was hospitalized for ongoing seizures.  We tried to symptomatically manage the seizures with heavy doses of anticonvulsants, but they were unable to be stopped.  What do these cases have in common?  They both had rabies.  Continue reading →

Christmas Eve: Closed

New Year’s Eve: Closed

We are open both Monday, December 26th, and January 2nd to serve our patients.  The staff at Hoschton Animal Hospital hopes you have a safe and blessed holiday season!

If you have an emergency, please call our office at 706-654-1111 and dial “0″ to speak to a live operator, 24 hours a day.  Our doctors are on call until midnight for emergencies.  Our answering service will direct your to An-Emerge between midnight and 6 AM.

Happy holidays from your friends at Hoschton Animal Hospital!  We hope that you find this season a fun time for friends and family, both fuzzy and not.  With all the decorating and parties that accommodate the season, you need to be conscious of the added risks for your pets.

Deck the halls with safe decorations!  Bringing plants into our homes can be refreshing and beautiful, but you need to know that some plants are better than others.  Poinsettias have always had a bad reputation, and it is true that they can cause gastrointestinal (stomach) upset, but it tends to be mild.  The Christmas cactus is similar to the poinsettia.  Don’t forget to kiss under the mistletoe, but don’t let your pet take a bite.  Both English mistletoe and American Holly are considered to be dangerous.  Lastly, the famed Christmas tree has to be fuzzy-proofed (similar to child-proofed for those with small children!).  Electrical cords for lights can light up your pet if chewed upon, and the tinsel and ribbons do more than decorate the insides of your cat.  If your pet loves to climb the tree, you may want to anchor it to the ceiling or get a sturdy stand.  For those with a live tree, don’t forget to keep the water off limits, as the preservatives within the water can cause gastrointestinal upset.

 ’Tis the season to…eat!  This is one of my favorite seasons for food.  The best turkey, chocolate, and baked goods are usually found this time of year.  If you have a sneaky dog like my Harley, then you know you’ll have to watch your counters close when you’re baking and cooking this season.  For those chocolateers out there, be especially careful with your confections.  The most dangerous ones for our pets are the darkest chocolate (compared to milk chocolate) and those with a liqueor center (alcohol).  White chocolates accidentally ingested do not contain the hazardous chemical, so they’re ok if scarfed up before you can get to them.  If you’re trying to stay awake to finish that last batch of cookies, keep the coffee away from the edge and dispose of the grounds appropriately.  Coffee is actually more of a danger than chocolate.  Cookies with macadamia nuts and raisins can pose a threat.  Grapes are also considered problematic.  Finally, when the turkey and gravy is ready, keep your pet away from the drippings, skin, and other fatty foods.  Not only will this make a mess on both ends, but it can give your fuzzy buddy pancreatitis.  This is a painful condition that, in many cases, requires hospitalization and antibiotics.  Schnauzersare especially susceptible to pancreatitis.

 With this holiday season, have a non-alcoholic toast to you and your pet’s health.  And if you find yourself with your pet under the weather, don’t forget that we have doctors on call until midnight for all your after hours needs.  Call our office any time, day or night, to reach our answering service.  They will direct your call accordingly.  If it is after midnight, they will direct you to An-Emerge in Gainesville.  Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah!

Please see this article for a more exhaustive list of Poisons and Other Holiday Hazards from the ASPCA website.  Click on the PDF file titled “Poisons and Other Holiday Hazards” to read the information.

As many of you are aware, our pets need help in the quest for a happy and healthy life.  The basic help all our cats and dogs need is a basic heartworm prevention, as the mosquito is the insect that can carry the young worm stage for up to a mile between feedings.  And, they can slip into the house any time the door opens.  Prevention is the best method to control this disease, as testing (in the case of the cat) and treatment (in dogs and especially the cat) can be difficult. 

Where can someone purchase their pet’s heartworm prevention?  Continue reading →

Are you excited about the last day of October, otherwise known as halloween?  Are you looking forward to making your hot dog into a hot dog or your feline friend into Puss ‘n’ Boots?  Here are some great tips to make your fall festivities more fun and safe. Continue reading →

Come one, come all!  It’s time to get your pumpkin carving game on!  This year, we will be having a pumpkin carving contest.  Canine or feline friendly prizes will be awarded to our winners.  We ask that you design your creation to celebrate pets.  Please like us on Facebook, and then upload a picture of your original creation, or e-mail us your photo at contact@hoschtonanimalhospital.com.  Deadline is Thursday, October 20th.  A vote will be tallied through our Facebook site and in the clinic October 24th-29th.  Come join in on the fun!