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Congratulations on adopting a sweet, fluffy, curious, adorable puppy! Your puppy’s first year is full of absolute delights, but they wouldn’t be nearly as wonderful without certain challenges or surprises. You take the good, you take the bad, and at the end of their first year, you’ll be amazed at their progress. Perhaps more amazing is the personal growth that happens among owners of puppies. For all concerned, adopting, training, and supporting a puppy’s needs is an incredible adventure.

Parvovirus, or parvo, is a highly contagious virus that primarily affects unvaccinated and incompletely vaccinated puppies. With treatment, 90 percent of puppies survive, but many others suffer a terrible death. Bayside Animal Hospital has compiled nine fast facts about this preventable virus. We want to keep puppies healthy, and make parvo a thing of the past. Here are the facts:

#1: All dogs are at risk

Parvovirus can infect any dog, but is most common in unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated puppies from 6 weeks to 6 months old. German shepherds, dobermans, American pit bull terriers, English springer spaniels, and rottweilers have a higher susceptibility, although the reason for that is not fully understood.

Coping with a cat who urinates outside their litter box can be extremely frustrating. You may suspect these mysterious creatures have some kind of vendetta against humanity (or at least against you)—after all we’ve done for them! Before you start sleeping with one eye open, let Bayside Animal Hospital unbox the messages your cat is trying to send, so you can tell your cat, “message received,” and take the appropriate steps to fix the problem.

#1: Your cat has a medical condition

Urinary tract disorders will cause the most fastidious cat to miss their litter box. Increased urgency can prevent cats from reaching their box. Painful urination may become associated with their box, which may cause avoidance. Cats will indicate their pain by vocalizing when urinating. Urinary tract conditions include:

Your insanely curious dog is constantly poking his nose in off-limits places. He also loves to join you on hiking and camping trips during warm spring and summer weather. Both situations place him at risk of encounters with rattlesnakes.

From April through October, these cold-blooded animals are most active in areas popular with hikers and campers. In warmer weather, rattlers look for places out of the afternoon sun. They frequently hang out in woodpiles and heavy shrubs. They’re also found under logs and good-sized rocks.

The Sacramento region has a higher-than-normal risk of rattlesnake bites, and dogs are often the unlucky recipients of the snake’s venom. Rattlesnake bites can cause bleeding, swelling, super-low blood pressure, and shock. Rattlesnake bites can be fatal for dogs.

When you leave your pet in someone else’s care, you want to ensure your furry friend is safe, comfortable, and well cared for. And if it’s your first time looking for pet care, you might not know where to find a pet sitter, what questions to ask, or how to tell if someone is reputable.

These are the qualities to look for and questions to ask when hiring a pet sitter.

Pet emergencies are never fun. Guessing whether your dog needs a same-day appointment or can wait for a little bit can add even more stress to an already stressful situation. Bayside Animal Hospital has a list of our top ten signs that your pet needs an urgent care appointment.  

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes a time of giving. But what do you get for the pet who has everything?

When it comes to gifts, these are some of the best trending pet care products this Christmas. Buy one. Buy two. Or get them all! Your pet will love and thank you for it!

Named after the sandy cove hugging the western shore of Folsom Lake, Granite Bay is an upscale community in Placer County, CA, that offers beautiful scenery and several pet-friendly trails to hike with your dog.

Here are some tips for an enjoyable hike with your dog near Granite Bay.

Pet wellness visits are a vital element of overall pet health and wellness because they give us the opportunity to create and monitor a health baseline throughout various life stages. When we first get to know your pet, these visits give us the best view of his or her “normal” when it comes to daily wellness. Keep reading to learn more about these visits and how we use them to keep your pets as healthy (and as happy) as possible.

Turkey, with all the trimmings, is a Thanksgiving tradition, but is it OK to pass the holiday bird to your cat or dog? Pets and people foods don’t always mix, so follow these tips from our team at Bayside Animal Hospital before caving in to your pet’s hungry eyes and sharing any Turkey Day table scraps.