What is a coronavirus? Coronaviruses are named for their crown-like appearance. Most common coronaviruses cause mild symptoms of runny nose, sore throat, fever, and cough. Some can descend deeper into the lungs and cause pneumonia. Animals have their own common set of coronaviruses. It is rare but possible for a coronavirus infecting an animal to... Learn More
It is that time of year again, and winter is approaching! We want to make sure that you are able to enjoy this cold weather with your furry family members worry-free, so we have compiled the following list of recommendations to help you do just that! More dogs are lost during the winter than during any... Learn More
Did you know that Friendship’s veterinarians are required to complete 20 hours of continuing education each year? In fact, our board-certified specialty doctors provide free continuing education lectures for all DC-area veterinarians (and beyond!) every month at our hospital. In order to practice the highest quality of medicine, the majority of Friendship’s staff doctors actually... Learn More
Who doesn’t love Halloween? Dressing up, trick-or-treat, pumpkin carving; so much fun. But the ringing doorbells, unfamiliar people, and frightening masks can create high anxiety for some pets. To help reduce your pet’s stress, try disconnecting your doorbell and using a motion sensor for the night. Or you could bring the fun to the trick-or-treaters... Learn More
PetlocityAt Friendship, we believe great pet parents should be rewarded for taking care of their pets. That’s why we’ve partnered with Petlocity, a program that lets us reward our clients for providing great pet care. Track Your Pet’s Health: Petlocity helps you stay up-to-date with your pet’s health, like prescriptions, vaccinations, and exams.Earn Rewards: Receive... Learn More
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Dr. Bolch joining the Friendship family! Growing up outside of Pittsburgh, Dr. Bolch attended Penn State University, where she received her degree in Animal Bioscience. During that time, she worked at a veterinary hospital in her hometown with a veterinarian who encouraged her to pursue her dream. “The... Learn More
Georgie, a 4 month old Yorkie puppy, acutely became lethargic with vomiting and a decreased appetite. Initial lab tests performed with her primary care veterinarian were within normal limits. She was hospitalized to receive supportive care. Over the next 48 hours her health took a dramatic turn for the worse. Georgie became anuric, hyperkalemia, and... Learn More
All medication refill requests are now processed and filled entirely by our in-house Pharmacy staff. What you need to know:The most efficient way to request a medication refill is by contacting our pharmacy directly. Calls made into our main line will be transferred to our pharmacy. Prescription Refill Line: 202-363-7301Website: friendshiphospital.com/refillsEmail: refills@friendshiphospital.com Please allow up to 72 hours for refill processing.... Learn More
In our previous posts, we have talked about Fear Free Certification and helping our pets to become more comfortable prior to veterinary visits. This time we’ll take a look into the Practice Certification process itself. Practice Certification takes the components of the Fear Free certification one step further and asks the entire practice to work... Learn More
Previously, we discussed an overview of the Fear Free Certification program for veterinary professionals, including what the program is, how to find a certified professional, and why the program is valuable. This time, we will look into how we as owners can help to make our pets more comfortable prior to their appointments. I have... Learn More
When you make a commitment to an animal to be their caretaker, advocate, and have them become a member of the family, you make them a promise that you will do everything in your power to do what is best for them. That means having the best doctors and technicians involved in their care, gathering... Learn More
The Fourth of July is almost upon us, and as we prepare to celebrate America’s Independence Day, it is important to remember the potential dangers this holiday poses to our pets. The most notable of these dangers relate to fireworks, which may result in noise phobia/anxiety, poisoning upon ingestion, foreign body obstruction upon ingestion, and... Learn More
Spring is upon us and many of us are starting to think ahead to the warmer days that are coming! With the increasing temperatures comes more time outside, going to the beach, campfires and the dreaded scourge of mosquitos. Heartworm disease is a potentially fatal condition in pets, spread by mosquitos, in the United States... Learn More
Dog are the most common pets owned by families. Our beloved pets bring much joy to our lives through companionship, physical exercise and their endless love and loyalty. On the other hand, our cute and cuddly four-legged friends can also cause harm, especially to young children, when we fail to recognize signs that a dog... Learn More
As a small business, and leader in comprehensive animal healthcare, we pride ourselves on our commitment to community engagement and social responsibility. Friendship is proud to support these organizations throughout the year. Food & Friends 219 Riggs Road NE Washington, DC 20011 Food & Friends’ mission is to foster a community caring for men, women... Learn More
What should I think about when deciding to travel with my pet? Make sure your pet is comfortable with travel. Some pets cannot handle travel because of illness, injury, age or temperament. If your pet is not good with travel, you should consider a reliable petsitter or talk to your veterinarian about boarding facilities in... Learn More
Give a Slice of Life this Thanksgiving Now in it’s 12th year, Slice of Life has become a tradition in the Washington region and Friendship has once again teamed up with Food & Friends to ensure that our neighbors facing life-challenging illness enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. Each pie purchased through the Slice of Life pie sale will deliver a... Learn More
Halloween is a fun day filled with candy and costumes, but your pets may see things differently. Halloween can be traumatic and even dangerous to pets. Follow these Halloween pet safety tips to keep your pets happy and healthy. Lock candy safely away. Kids love to stash candy in their rooms, but a dog’s keen... Learn More
In honor of Check the Chip Day, Friendship will be doing free microchips (up to 60). Call today to schedule an appointment. Learn More
Take Your Dog To Work Day’s first inaugural celebration was in the UK in 1996, and the first observance in the US was in 1999. It is now celebrated in 6 different countries: United States, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, United Kingdom, and Canada. This year, Take Your Dog to Work Day will take place this... Learn More
Each year, kitten season creates an abundance of homeless kittens and mother cats. Local shelters and rescue groups are often spread thin caring for the influx of cats, in addition to their more established residents. You can make a difference this season by adopting a new feline friend into your home. Cat Adoption Event June... Learn More
You asked: I have a Boxer mix that was put on Trazadone for fear aggression. It worked! A blessing – but why does it work? Humans have the DSM for psychiatric issue does veterinary medicine have the same? Dr. Schultz answered: Often, dogs bite as a result of a fear or anxiety response to certain... Learn More
Disaster preparation: Disasters can be anything from fire, flood, tornado, snow storm or terrorist attack. Preparing your family and pets for emergencies now will help determine your future success in such of an event. Know what disasters could affect your area and which that could call for an evacuation and when to shelter in place.... Learn More
Spring is here, and nature is waking up from hibernation to greet the sunlight and warmer temperatures. This also means other creatures are crawling out: fleas and ticks. These creatures can actually be a problem year-round, especially in warmer climates like the DMV area. Knowing that fleas or ticks are on us or on our... Learn More
An update on traveling with your emotional support animal. If you’ve been following the news you know that there has been an increase in disruptive incidents caused by emotional support animals on airplanes. There have also been incidences in which airline passengers have been injured by emotional support pets. As a result, many airlines are... Learn More
Patent Ductus Arteriosus in a Puppy Lady presented to Friendship Cardiology Specialists for evaluation of a heart murmur noted by her vet at her first puppy exam. An echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) was performed, and she was diagnosed with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) causing severe heart enlargement. A PDA is a birth defect involving the... Learn More
Canine Influenza You asked about the flu in dogs….. The ‘dog flu’ is caused by the canine influenza virus, a dog specific virus. The virus causes sneezing, coughing , and fever and leaves the dog’s respiratory tract vulnerable to secondary bacterial infection. The cough can last for days to weeks. The virus is spread via... Learn More
Winter Tips for Your Pet’s Paws We’re all waiting for spring, but in case March comes in like a lion, we wanted to share some pet paw winter safety tips. The New York Times recently noted the desire to “winterize” our dogs with clothes. Not every dog will tolerate boots, and not every dog will... Learn More
Remembering Donal McKeown Friendship clients from the 60’s and 70’s will be sad to learn of the recent death of Donal McKeown. Dr. McKeown was a co-owner and partner of Dr. William Ready and Dr. Harvey Cowan. He practiced at Friendship from 1958 to 1974. Following his service at Friendship, Dr. McKeown returned to his... Learn More
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