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The holidays are a wonderful time for family and friends to get together and celebrate, and most celebrations include a wide variety of delicious, mouth-watering food and drink. While pets are often included in the celebrations (I know mine are), be careful how you celebrate with them, and keep in mind that cats and dogs have much more sensitive bodies than humans and the simple foods we eat during the holidays can cause severe and sometimes life-threatening side effects. Below is a list of foods to avoid giving Fido and Whiskers this holiday season to keep them healthy and out of the animal hospital. Here are some holiday food safety tips for your pets: 

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August 10th is National Spoil Your Dog Day, a day for dog owners to spoil their for legged friends. In honor of this holiday Fairgrounds Animal Hospital has put together a list of ways you can make this holiday special for your pooch.  Continue…

Are You Going To Celebrate National Dress Up Your Pet Day?

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By: Jessica Groeneweg, DVM

The holidays are busy times. As you set up decorations, keep in mind that pets are curious about the new things around the house. Christmas trees can be distracting to your pets, especially cats. Cats may want to climb the tree, knock down ornaments to play with, or hide under or in the tree. Please make sure that you keep an eye on your animals as they may cause damage to decorations and sometimes to themselves. Continue…

    The big holidays are coming, which means special consideration should be taken for our pets and holiday pet safety, since they can experience something drastically different than we do during the merriment of our celebrations. Trick-or-treaters and loud parties can be scary, the thanksgiving turkey on the table can be tempting, well-intentioned guests can give scraps under the table, and Christmas tree lights can present a danger to our pets. Here are a few holiday pet safety tips to keep your cat or dog safe and happy during the holiday season! First, make sure your pet has a safe retreat for holiday parties and Halloween night. Pets are attached to their secure environment and having that intruded upon can sometimes be over stimulating or induce anxiety. Even if your pet is happy to join the festivities, keep a special calm, quiet corner or room available for them that has a comfy crate or bed to hideaway in, food and water, and familiar toys and treats. Visit them a few times during the bustle and give them some love. You are their protector and the leader of their pack, and if you show everything is ok it can help reassure your nervous pet. Continue…

Fairgrounds Animal Hospital wishes you and your feline friends a Happy International Cat Day!!!

International Cat Day is a full 24 hours of recognition and veneration of one of humanity’s oldest and most beloved pets. This holiday was created  to celebrate the most popular pet on the planet.

An estimated 500 million cats are companions to people across the world. And that’s great, because owning a cat has been shown to improve mental health and to relieve stress, anxiety and depression. No matter what kind of cat you have black, ginger, Persian, Siamese, Burmese, Bengal, Shorthair, Munchkin, Balinese, RagaMuffin, cuddling your feline friend will always put you in a good mood.

Roll out the red carpet, cat treats and the catnip for your furry feline friend, because International Cat Day is a day to show your feline friends how much you appreciate having them in your life.

June 20th is Take Your Dog to Work Day !

Does your heart break a little every time you leave your dog at home during the workweek? Well, today is your lucky day! An organization called Pet Sitters International declared the first Take Your Dog to Work Day in 1999. The purpose of this unique holiday is to celebrate our furry best friends, and to encourage pet adoption. Each year on the Friday after Father’s Day, thousands of work places including Fairgrounds Animal Hospital participate in this nationwide event. Continue…

June 6^th through 11^th is National Pet Appreciation Week!

It is a great feeling to come home and be excitedly greeted by our pets!!  Our pets make us feel appreciated, and this week we can return that appreciation.

Showing your pet that you appreciate them benefits both of you. Studies show that owning a pet improves heart health and helps to decrease stress and anxiety. When you take your canine friend for a thirty minute walk every day, you’re also getting your daily amount of recommended exercise, which will extend both of your lives!

Show your pet a little extra love this week and let them know how much you appreciate them!!  They’ll sure feel appreciated and we bet you will feel pretty awesome about it too!!

Here are some ideas on how you can celebrate National Pet Appreciation Day with your pet.

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Guide dogs are some of the most amazing dogs on the planet!! Today is International Guide Dog Day!! This holiday celebrates the importance of guide dogs and how they help the blind and visually impaired live their daily lives.

Fairgrounds Animal Hospital works in partnership with Guide Dogs for the Blind. Did you know that Guide Dogs for the Blind trains 70% of Labradors Retrievers, 15% of Golden Retrievers, and 15% of German Shepherds to become guide dogs? After 2 years of formal training, a guide dog is matched with a blind or visually impaired person based on desired size, life style, and energy level. Learn more about this amazing program by visiting Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Today is National Kids and Pets Day!! Today we celebrate the special bond between kids and animals. This holiday brings awareness to animals in need of a loving home and educates the public about safety between kids and pets. It was created to recognize the strong bond that kids have with their pets. Children who grow up with pets learn about compassion, responsibility, and care giving. Continue…