mom and child with cat

Your pet relies on you everyday for its happiness, health, and well-being. Brushing, bathing, nail and teeth care, and attention to your pet's nutritional needs are important parts of daily pet care. And what do you do when you are thinking about taking your pet on a trip?  Some pets travel better by car, whereas others travel better by air. Still other pets are better off remaining in familiar surroundings. In any case, advance planning and preparation are necessary when traveling with your pet. Want to know how to help your special companion in an emergency?

Here's some practical advice: keep your veterinarian's phone number handy with your other emergency numbers, just in case! Taking care of your pet is a job that lasts all year long.  As the seasons change, preparations should always be made for the change in weather and  climate.

In this section you will find some great tips and ideas on how to make your pet happy, healthy and comfortable at home and on-the-go.

  • Fatal Rabies Disease is Preventable

    Pets need to be vaccinated to prevent against rabies. Rabies is a fatal viral zoonosis and veterinarians believe that all mammals are susceptible to it. This disease puts the public at risk and prevention measures are urged. Rabies is transmitted through saliva. It enters the body of person or pet through

    Read more
  • Chronic Pain in Pets

    It's hard to see your pet in pain day after day, particularly if your formerly energetic friend has now become lethargic and withdrawn due to a health condition or disease. Unfortunately, pets suffer from chronic pain just like people do. Learning about types of chronic pain and treatments can help you keep your pet more comfortable.

    Read more
  • Do You Know the Facts About Canine Lyme Disease?

    If your dog shows signs of stiffness or begins limping, you may assume that arthritis is to blame. Unfortunately, joint pain can also be a sign of canine Lyme disease. Learning the facts about this tick-borne disease can help you ensure that your pet receives prompt treatment. How is Lyme Disease Transmitted? People

    Read more
  • When Is a Goopy Eye a Problem?

    Many dogs have thick eye discharge. Sometimes it is just in the morning; sometimes it has to do with a dog’s breed. Some breeds of dogs have eyes that sit differently in their skull, causing more discharge. And, sometimes, the goopy eye is a sign of a severe, chronic and painful condition called keratoconjunctivitis

    Read more
  • What to Do When Your Pet Goes on the Carpet

    Straining to urinate, frequent urination, blood in the urine, and accidents in the house are common symptoms that pet owners report to their veterinarian. Many times the signs come on suddenly, as people find urine spots on the floor, often near the door where the dog goes outside. Cat owners may notice

    Read more
  • Vomiting Versus Regurgitation

    When you come home to find a mess on the floor, it is easy to assume that the dog vomited. Vomiting is very common in dogs, as they often eat weird things! There are actually many other causes of vomiting, including parasites, kidney disease, liver problems, pancreatitis, and food allergies. Overall,

    Read more
  • Understanding Canine Compulsive Disorder

    If your dog has developed a tendency to pursue the same pointless activity -- sucking on his flanks, chasing his own tail, barking or snapping at thin air, et cetera -- he may be suffering from canine compulsive disorder, or CCD. Fortunately, treatment and training can help him overcome his obsession. Defining

    Read more
  • Types of Diabetes in Dogs

    Most people have heard of diabetes and associate it with needing to administer insulin. But actually there are two different kinds of diabetes: diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus. Their symptoms can be similar, but their causes are totally different and thus their treatments are completely different. Diabetes

    Read more
  • Staph Infections & Your Pet

    You may have heard of MRSA infections in people discussed in the media in this last year. Otherwise known as Staph or Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, this type of bacteria is resistant to most antibiotics. People infected with this dangerous bacteria can become quite ill or even die if an

    Read more
  • Quick Facts About Cancer

    Family pets are often described as our "best friends" and news that they are sick can be devastating. Cancer is a disease that can affect family pets like dogs and cats. Through the years, research has developed many cures and treatments for use in improving or sustaining the health of pets that present

    Read more
  • Pets Can Show Warning Signs Before Cancer Diagnosis

    Warning signs can be present in your family pet before the veterinarian makes an actual diagnosis. You'll want to be alert and watch for warning signs as preventative measures, and at the same time provide your pet with the best nutrition, exercise program and lifestyle possible for his or her activity

    Read more
  • Pet Vomit - You Just Received a Message!

    Animals may vomit when something irritates, inflames or causes an infection in their intestinal tract. The location of the irritation, inflammation or infection may also determine the color of your pet's vomit and the reason for the upchucking. Many things can irritate, inflame or infect an animal's

    Read more
  • Managing Your Pet's Diabetes

    "Heart conditions can be inherited in dogs as they are in people. Dogs can also be victims of cancer, tick-borne diseases, autoimmune conditions, arthritis, liver, or kidney disease, thyroid disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and even diabetes," indicates Norma Bennett Woolf, editor of Dog Owner's Guide:

    Read more
  • Nothing Heartwarming about Heartworm

    Heartworm is a long, string-like parasitic worm that has the scientific name Dirofilaria immitis. It earns its common name by living in the host’s heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Heartworm can cause severe lung disease, heart failure, organ damage, and death. It is transmitted only through mosquitoes

    Read more
  • Matters of the Heart

    Many diseases of people also occur in pets. A problem that is common in people, dogs, and cats is heart disease. While these disorders have some things in common, many ailments of the heart in pets are completely different than what occurs in people. Recent surveys have shown that 11% of all dogs have

    Read more
  • Lyme Disease & Your Pets

    How to Prev­ent and Remove Ticks Lyme disease is a top concern for dog owners who enjoy walking with their dog in grassy and wooded areas. Transmitted by deer ticks, Lyme disease can result in fever, joint lameness, fatigue, and general discomfort for your pet. While treatment is available, Lyme disease

    Read more

Dakota Pet Hospital

20136 Icenic Trail Lakeville, MN 55044 **For Afterhour Emergencies, Contact South Metro Animal Emergency Care at 952-953-3737**