Posts in Category: The Great Outdoors

Tennessee summers can get pretty toasty, so it’s important to provide extra protection for your pet’s paws when encountering hot surfaces like sidewalks, pool decks, and pavement. 

Without a doubt, your pet’s furry feet deserve plenty of pampering year-round, but special precautions are needed when the mercury rises. At Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital, we want you and your pets to enjoy a summer filled with plenty of time outdoors, so we’ve compiled some of our favorite summer paw care tips. 

As fall sets in here in Tennessee, many of us have autumn fun on our lists of things to do. Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital wants to be sure that all of our pets are included in the fall festivities, and that they are able to stay safe while doing so. Autumn pet safety is important, and we want to be sure that potential hazards are on your list.

Tennessee is home to breathtaking waterfalls and thousands of miles of trails, many of which are dog-friendly trails near Nashville. If you have an outdoorsy canine companion, the following tips from our team at Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital can help you and your dog have a safe and enjoyable time exploring Tennessee’s scenic trails. 

Ah, Nashville in the springtime–green grass and sunny weather. And pollen. Lots of pollen. Just like people, pets can have seasonal and environmental allergies. Also just like in people, allergies in pets are often not much fun. Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital has the best tips for you to make it through spring allergies in pets, though. 

Nothing like a big ole whiff of skunk perfume at 10 p.m. just as your pet is coming in from its “last call” potty break, right? If you are unlucky enough to have been skunked, not to worry, Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital knows just how to help. 

Skunk Perfume

If you’re not the one smelling it, skunk spray is actually pretty interesting. Skunks, much like dogs and cats, have glands on their behinds. Unlike dogs and cats, though, skunks have voluntary control of how and when they express these glands. They have been known to spray quite forcefully and very accurately up to 15 feet! 

When a skunk sprays, it is a form of self defense. The spray is not in unlimited supply, either, so the skunk often gives several warnings and tries to escape before unleashing its pungent perfume. When it comes down to it, though, a skunk can spray as many as six times in a row. 

We know getting out and exploring Nashville is probably on your agenda this spring, but why not kick it up a notch and bring your pet along? Of course, pets aren’t allowed everywhere, but the Music City is brimming with fun, interesting places to take your four-legged crew.

The team at Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital wants to highlight some of our favorite pet activities in Nashville to get your feet (and paws) moving. Enjoy!

Veterinarians routinely hear questions about the necessity of monthly parasite prevention, but this question is more common in the colder months.

Sure, December-February are pretty chilly in Nashville, but that doesn’t always mean that all the bugs die off. Most parasites become dormant in winter, but with rising temperatures they wake up – and begin the search for their first blood meal of the season.

Tempting, but Risky

It’s not unheard of for some pet owners to stop monthly parasite prevention as soon as it starts to get cold outside. This practice might save a few bucks, but it leaves pets completely exposed to the life cycles of different parasites.

The lack of buzzing, whining mosquitoes does not mean that pets cannot be infected with heartworm disease. In fact, they can still survive in temperatures under 50 degrees. Monthly parasite prevention protects your pet from a single bite from an infected mosquito, but also kills off any worms that may be deposited into their bloodstream.

A single missed dose can leave the door wide open for these sometimes deadly parasites.

Many of us have seen a wandering pet from time to time. Maybe we’ve been able to get them to safety or maybe we’ve wanted to, but weren’t sure how. Unfortunately, running after a loose dog or cat isn’t the best way to catch an escaped or lost pet. Harpeth Hills Animal Hospital has some tips on what to do if you encounter a lost dog or cat.

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