our blog

Annual Exams vs. Semi-Annual Exams

Posted 10.25.17 by Raelyn Pirtle, DVM

Did you know that if your pet is over 7 years of age, they are considered a “senior citizen?” Since our pets age much faster than we do, it is important to perform twice a year exams once they reach this milestone. Clients often ask what the difference is between a traditional annual exam and a senior exam, also called...Read More

How Dedicated Ownership Impacts Patient Healing

Posted 10.03.17 by Melanie Barnett-Fisher, DVM

Titan is 3 year old Chihuahua that presented to The Pet Hospitals- Midtown after being attacked by a large breed dog.  The dog was aggressive and before anyone could intervene, Titan was suffering severe trauma to his neck.  When Titan presented to our hospital, he was found to have scleral hemorrhage in both eyes (ruptured blood vessels) and severe trauma...Read More

So What Can My Dog Really Chew On?

Posted 09.28.17 by Drew McWatters, DVM

I answer this questions on a daily basis with my clients. Appropriately directed chewing not only satisfies a dog’s desire to chew, but also serves as enrichment and can aid in the maintenance of good oral health. Though choosing what to allow your dog to chew on can be a daunting task. Every pet store is filled with dozens of...Read More

How Ginger’s Senior Exam Saved Her Life

Posted 08.31.17 by Drew McWatters, DVM

Ginger is a 9 year old spayed female German Short Haired Pointer who came to The Pet Hospitals- Germantown for a routine Senior Wellness Exam. Everything had been normal at her Annual Wellness Exam 6 months prior, but since she is older than 7 years old, her owners followed the recommended guidelines of biannual exams for dogs over 7. She...Read More

Can My Pet Watch The Solar Eclipse Safely?

Posted 08.18.17 by Pamela Chandler, DVM

For a few minutes on August 21, 2017, darkness will descend across the United States as a historic total solar eclipse. It is already predicted that this eclipse will be the most witnessed sky-watching event in human history. According to some biologists, humans may not be the only ones reacting to this event in the sky.  During an eclipse, the sky darkens...Read More

How To Train Your Dog To Enjoy Running With You

Posted 08.10.17 by Ellen Buco, DVM

Running is a great form of exercise for us and our dogs. Dogs can make motivated enthusiastic running partners that also encourage you to get in shape and enjoy the outdoors. So how do you get started running with your dog? There are several factors to consider 1) overall health of your dog, 2) breed and age of your dog...Read More

Oh No, My Dog Has Diarrhea

Posted 08.03.17 by Amanda Shoemake, DVM

He was fine yesterday, but now he’s running outside frequently and having very loose or watery stool.  Diarrhea…an all too common problem that many owners deal with in their dogs.  So what causes this and what can you do about it? The causes of diarrhea in our canine patients are vast.  Some are not concerning and may even resolve on...Read More

Curiosity That Almost Killed The Puppy

Posted 07.27.17 by Kassie Newton, DVM

Taz was a happy normal little puppy without a care in the world. His one vice: he loved to eat things, just as many puppies do. However, one day his curiosity got the best of him. Taz came to see us at The Pet Hospitals when he was not acting himself. He had vomiting, diarrhea, wasn’t eating, and had very...Read More

Mange! The Dreaded 5 Letter Word

Posted 07.20.17 by Kassie Newton, DVM

It’s like a horror movie, you can basically hear the suspenseful music playing in the background when you suddenly think to yourself, I wonder if this could be mange! Ever had this happen to you? Well, if not, consider yourself lucky. But what really is all the dread about? Dogs and cats can both suffer from what is referred to...Read More

Canine Influenza– What You Need to Know

Posted 06.22.17 by David H. Wright, DVM

As you have probably heard in the media recently, outbreaks of the dog flu (canine influenza) continue to occur across the US, in our neighboring states, and in Tennessee. We had hoped the dog flu outbreaks would be short lived but this virus is proving to have staying power and continues to grow in prevalence. Unlike the common cold that...Read More