VCA Brighton Animal Hospital

04/09/2025

Does your dog bark non-stop? It's time for an attitude check! We're sharing some must-knows to see if your dog is experiencing medical or behavioral issues.

04/07/2025

Medical emergencies can occur suddenly and without warning, so it's best to be prepared. A Pet First Aid Kit allows you to have important items available to care for your pet in one area. No one can be prepared for all emergencies, but it's still important to have the basics.

If the emergency is severe, get your pet to your local hospital as soon as possible.

04/04/2025

Meowzart...Bark Twain...Mary Puppins? We love meeting pets with names just as special as they are.

Is your pet's name unique? Let us know in the comments!

04/03/2025

This Heartworm Awareness Month, make sure that your pet has the proper protection against heartworms. Year-round parasite prevention is always the best form of protection.

04/01/2025

It's not every day that you hear the wildest pet stories, but at VCA, it's a daily occurrence!

03/31/2025

What is anesthesia, and why is it so important?

Anesthesia can seem intimidating, but it can help your pet be treated without pain, stress, or discomfort. We're sharing the importance of anesthesia and how it may be necessary to make sure your pet is cared for.

03/28/2025

Pup quiz time! How did you score? Comment below and tell us how many you got right!

03/26/2025

Blood work is an important step in helping your pet get better. It can help diagnose hidden ailments, expose parasites, or uncover what's affecting your pet.

We're sharing a few reasons on how a little bit of blood can make a difference in their care plan.

03/25/2025

While it can cause severe illness in pets, leptospirosis is preventable through routine vaccination for all dogs.

Contact your local VCA to schedule your vaccine now.

03/24/2025

Watch out for this hidden outdoor danger! 🌾🐾 Foxtails may look harmless, but these pesky grass seeds can cause serious harm to your pet on your next hike. Learn more about the risks and how to avoid them!

03/24/2025

We want to introduce you to our friend, Weller, a very happy and friendly 6-month-old golden retriever puppy. After his first visit with us, Weller's owners were interested in pet insurance and activated an exam day offer for Trupanion pet insurance, which provided Weller with immediate pet insurance and no waiting period. This was super important because shortly after, Weller was found to have a heart murmur. This happens sometimes in young puppies- they are found to have a small murmur that goes away in the first few months of age. We call these "innocent" murmurs. Because Weller was insured, it was nothing for his owners to get him set up with a cardiology consult just in case. Sure enough, by the time of his appointment, Weller had no murmur- but it sure was nice to know that pet insurance was going to be there every step of the way if treatment was needed.

Now, let's fast-forward. Weller came to see us just this week for his neuter appointment. When Weller's mom dropped him off, she mentioned that they had found a bump on Weller's rear end that seemed to appear suddenly and out of nowhere! Since Weller was already here for surgery, our team and Weller's parents decided that it was best to remove the mass and send it out for histopathology to double-check nothing nefarious was going on. This is where Trupanion yet again stepped in to help out Weller and his family. The cost of the mass removal was covered at 90% after Weller's deductible was met, helping Weller's mom and dad out with just under $900 in payment. What a relief! For our staff, it felt so good to let Weller's family know that this was a portion of their bill they didn't have to worry about and for Weller's parents, it was a huge peace of mind to know they could say "YES" to every recommended course of action.

Weller exemplifies the exact reason why we urge pet parents to get their new family members on an insurance plan right away before any health conditions are noted. In fact, Weller has exemplified this twice! Once when his heart murmur was discovered and his family wanted to pursue consultation for a second opinion and now again when his mass was discovered. And with Trupanion insurance, now that Weller's deductible for this new mass has been met, they will continue to help cover medical costs regarding it for life. So no matter what happens, his family knows they have help along the way to make sure Weller gets all recommended care.

We are wishing Weller and his family a very speedy recovery from surgery! Thanks for helping us be able to provide your puppy boy with the gold standard care we strive for!

03/23/2025

There's no greater love than puppy love! Celebrate National Puppy Day with the best gift for your new furry friend—a FREE first exam at participating VCA Animal Hospitals!

📍 Find a hospital & book today. New clients only. Terms and conditions apply.

Visit Now: vca.mobi/NationalPuppyDay

03/22/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: animal poisons

Check out these facts about two types of rodenticides- anticoagulant rodenticides and bromethalin rodenticides:
☠️ Anticoagulant rodenticides kill rodents by preventing blood clotting. It comes in forms such as bait blocks, soft baits, pellets, powder, grain, and liquid.
☠️ Pets may become poisoned either by eating the bait directly or, more rarely, through secondary poisoning by eating an animal killed by the poison.
☠️ These types of rodenticides cause excessive internal bleeding. It may take 3-7 days before symptoms appear and bleeding is not usually noticed directly although in some instances, the pet may bleed from the nose or mouth.
☠️ Symptoms of internal bleeding include: weakness, depression, increased respiratory rate or difficulty breathing, coughing (which may produce blood), pale gums, decreased appetite, distended abdomen, vomiting, bloody or tarry stool, swelling or pain in the joints, and bruising. If bleeding in the brain occurs, neurological symptoms may be present. Death is likely to occur without treatment.

☠️ Bromethalin rodenticide targets the central nervous system and causes brain swelling. It comes in the same types of forms at anticoagulant rodenticides. Secondary toxicity is unlikely to occur from eating affected rodents.
☠️ Neurological symptoms occur in 2-5 days. Onset and severity of symptoms depend on the amount of rodenticide ingested.
☠️ In sub-lethal amounts, delayed paralytic syndrome occurs in 1-5 days and progresses over 1-2 weeks. Symptoms include a subtle onset of mild lethargy and decreased appetite and progress to limb weakness, incoordination, and paralysis.
☠️ In doses greater than the lethal amount, acute convulsant syndrome occurs in 2-24 hours. Symptoms include: severe tremors, hyperthermia, agitation, and running fits.
☠️ If seizures, paralysis, or coma occur, prognosis is poor. Pets with more mild symptoms may improve after weeks of treatment but are likely to continue to suffer some degree of neurological symptoms.

03/21/2025

Safety first! Whether you're out for a walk or relaxing at home, the right pet safety gear is a must. We've rounded up our top picks to keep our pets protected. Watch to see our favorites!

03/21/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: NSAIDs, which can affect both cats and dogs. The most popular NSAID exposure last year was to ibuprofen.

Check out these facts:
💊 Dogs and cats are most commonly exposed to NSAID toxicity when owners give medications at home in an attempt to be helpful without realizing the danger.
💊 Ibuprofen toxicity in dogs results in over 4,000 calls to pet poison control each year.
💊 NSAIDs are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and then released by the liver back into the blood stream repeatedly. It is this "recycling" that prolongs poisonous effects, even if only one dose is given.
💊 NSAID toxicity results in greater effects in puppies, senior dogs, dogs that are already on pet-safe, prescribed NSAIDs, and in dogs with liver or kidney disease.
💊 Symptoms include: decreased appetite, GI upset (vomiting or diarrhea with or without blood present), abdominal pain, dark and tarry stools, pale gums, incoordination, changes in thirst and urination, yellow discoloration of the skin, agitation, tremors, seizures, and even comas.

❗ Please note that NSAID toxicity can result even from prescribed medications like Carprofen if your pet consumes too much or receives a dose not meant for them.

03/20/2025

Spring is in the air 🌼 Next time you stop and smell the flowers, make sure they're safe for your pet to sniff too!

What's your favorite Spring activity with your pet? Let us know in the comments.

03/20/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.

Check out these facts:
🍭 Xylitol is a popular sugar substitute in reduced sugar, low sugar, and "no sugar added" foods. But, it may also be found in oral care products and some pharmaceuticals.
🍭 Xylitol may also be listed as wood sugar, birch sugar, or birchbark extract.
🍭 Even small amounts of xylitol can cause hypoglycemia, seizures, liver failure, and even death.
🍭 Early symptoms you may see following xylitol exposure include: vomiting, weakness, loss of coordination, lethargy, tremors, and seizures.

03/19/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: toxic flowers, which primarily affects cats.

Check out these facts about lilies and tulips, the two flowers most commonly called about last year:
🌺 Lilies are commonly found in popular flower arrangements.
🌺 Even minor exposure to lily pollen or drinking water from the vase can cause extreme damage.
🌺 Lilies cause kidney failure in just 6-48 hours.
🌺 Immediate treatment after any type of exposure is critical. If treatment can be started before the onset of kidney damage, the prognosis is very good. But if treatment does not start before damage sets in, the chances of survival go down.
🌺 Early signs of exposure include vomiting, decreased appetite, and increased thirst and urination.

🌷 The ingestion of tulip leaves, stem, and flowers can cause stomach upset.
🌷 Topical exposure to tulips can cause skin irritation.
🌷 Chewing or ingestion the bulb can cause an increase in heart rate and drop in blood pressure.
🌷 Signs of toxicity can take place within minutes to hours of exposure.
🌷 Minor tulip exposure can be treated with minor symptomatic care. Larger exposure is treated with more critical care and often hospitalization.

❗ Lilies and tulips are far from the only toxic plants- please see a more inclusive list here: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/plants-that-are-toxic-to-cats

03/18/2025

Meeting your pet is one of the easiest hellos, but it's also one of the hardest goodbyes.

Jennifer Scanlon, VCA South Shore (Weymouth) Animal Hospital, spoke with Newsweek about pet grief and how important it is to help pet owners navigate these difficult times.

Read More:

An X-ray revealed my 12-year-old dog had hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer known as the "silent killer."

03/18/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: ma*****na, which can impact both cats and dogs.
⚠️ Small amounts of THC can be toxic to dogs and cats, especially to dogs who have more cannabinoid receptors in their brains compared to humans.
⚠️ Edibles may cause an increased risk of toxic exposure if chocolate or xylitol are present in the ingredients.
⚠️ Various factors such as age, health status, and body size can influence sensitivity, so there is no easily defined toxic amount.
⚠️ Ma*****na ingestion is seldom fatal but can cause loss of coordination, hyperactivity or lethargy, drooling, vomiting, urinary leakage, and tremors or seizures.
⚠️ Our vet team does not judge- we just need all the facts to help your pet through these types of ingestion events, so we always encourage honesty.

03/17/2025

We're feline lucky cause it's St. Cat-ricks Day 🍀!

03/17/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: vitamin D3, which can impact both cats and dogs.

Take a look at these facts:
💊 Pets may ingest vitamin D3 either by getting into your vitamin stash or by ingesting rodenticides that contain the ingredient.
💊 In small doses, vitamin D3 ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, abdominal pain, depression, and lack of appetite.
💊 In larger doses, vitamin D3 can result in kidney failure, increased respiratory rate, difficulty breathing, intestinal bleeding, abnormal hearth rate, and- without treatment- death.

03/16/2025

This week is National Pet Poison Prevention Week! Each day we will be highlighting a potential toxin that resulted in the most number of calls to pet poison control in 2024. As always, we recommend saving the ASPCA Poison Control contact information in your phone: 888-426-4435.

Featured today is: toxic foods (chocolate, grapes/ raisins, garlic, and onions/ leeks were the top contacted food items in 2024).

Take a look at these facts:
🍫 The theobromine and caffeine in chocolate can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure as well as agitation, tremors, and seizures. Dogs are more sensitive to these compounds than humans are.
🍫 The potential for toxicity depends on the type of chocolate- the more cocoa present, the more theobromine and caffeine.
🍫 Even in non-toxic doses, chocolate can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis.

🍇 Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs.
🍇 It is not known what component of grapes and raisins cause toxicity.
🍇 There is no well-established toxic dose. Instead, it is theorized that each dog has individual sensitivities which is why one dog may eat several grapes and be okay but another dog of the same size can eat just one or two grapes and be affected. This is why prompt action is necessary.

🧅 Onions, garlic, and leeks can cause irritation of the mouth, drooling, nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
🧅 These foods can also damage red blood cell membranes, leading to anemia.
🧅 In extreme cases, kidney failure and even death may occur.

03/15/2025

There are inherent risks with allowing our feline friends to have the outdoor time so many of them crave - injuries, disease, and run-ins with other animals or cars are all things to consider if you're keen on allowing your cat their outdoor time. Enclosed spaces specifically for the purpose of allowing your cat enrichment with safety, like catios, can be a great compromise!

Do you have a catio at home? We would love to see it!

03/14/2025

When it comes to pet health, make sure you're in the know. We're debunking a few common myths that can put your pet's health at risk.

03/14/2025

Spring is just around the corner- can you believe it? With the arrival of warmer days, we anticipate an influx of calls requesting heartworm prevention. Please be advised that we will not be able to approve these requests if there is no record of your pet having a dose of prevention anytime in the last 6 months. This is because 6 months is the amount of time it takes for heartworm microfilaria to appear in the bloodstream and be detectable on a heartworm test. Giving heartworm prevention to a dog that is positive for heartworms can be dangerous and deadly for several reasons: first, because the prevention will begin to kill the heartworms, causing an accumulation of dead worms in the heart and lungs which can then cause a cardiovascular blockage. Second, your dog may have an anaphylaxis reaction to the dead worms, causing their body to go into shock. Lastly, as heartworms die, they release toxins that can cause further harm to the body. If you'd like to get your pooch back on track with prevention, give us a call so we can see them in for a quick blood draw: 810-227-4351.

03/13/2025

March 13th is

Today is dedicated to the incredible canines out there whose service and sacrifice help to keep us safe.

03/13/2025

It's World Kidney Day and we are celebrating by raising awareness about kidney disease in cats. We see so many cases of chronic kidney disease in feline patients over the age of 7, which is why we recommend your kitties start having annual blood work drawn in their senior years. Often, the majority of the kidneys are already damaged by the time our patients become symptomatic and we are alerted to something being wrong. By having your cat checked every year, we can help you enjoy more precious time with these special friends.

03/12/2025

Raise your hand if your timeline is just photos of the cutest pets! 😹🤚

03/10/2025

Check out these five featured pets currently looking for their purr-fect furever families! Contact the Humane Society of Huron Valley if someone catches your eye!
[email protected] // 734-662-5585

03/10/2025

Do you know about our Care Club All Access Plans? Think of it as the little sibling to our Junior Paws or Adult Paws Plans. If you've been interested in our wellness plans but just don't think you'd use all the vaccines and diagnostic options it comes with, All Access is perfect for you! For $19.99/ month, enjoy unlimited well and sick exams. This means that if your pet comes to see us just 3 times a year, you've already saved money on the exam fee! These plans are perfect for pets who are in to see us multiple times a year with eye, ear, or skin issues or for pets with chronic illness that require frequent monitoring and consultation visits. Plus, enjoy an annual microchip registration with HomeAgain, which includes access to missing pet specialists should your pet go missing and free consults with poison control (if you've ever had to call poison control in the middle of the night for something your pet ate, you know just how valuable this is!).

Any questions? Give us a call at 810-227-4351

03/08/2025

Happy Akita Day!!

03/06/2025

We've got great news! If your pet is enrolled in a Care Club wellness plan, they are now eligible to receive 20% off toenail trims. Additionally, we will provide you with a loyalty punch card- get your 10th nail trim and a**l gland expression on us! Stop by the clinic to pick up your cards or grab them next time your pet is in for services!

*Applies to Care Club patients only. Wondering how to take advantage of discounted vet services? Give us a call at 810-227-4351.

03/06/2025

Sweetheart Harper was in last week for an eye recheck!

03/05/2025

One of the reasons our team recommends year-round use of flea, tick, and heartworm prevention is because these oral medications also provide routine protection against intestinal parasites. Make sure you know these handy tips for making sure your pet is in top shape both on the outside and the inside!

03/04/2025

Check out these fabulous friends on the hunt for their forever families!