Mapleshade Animal Hospital

09/08/2025

Great photos of hot dogs 🐩🐕🐕‍🦺 and cool cats 🐈🐈‍⬛ living their best lives in the summer sun! ☀️
Dogs wearing life preservers is a great idea, gives them confidence and you piece of mind. They can become tired especially if caught in a current.

Larger Breeds especially after a day of swimming can suffer from Drop tail (also known as Limber tail syndrome) it’s because they used their tail as a rudder and it’s actually sore from over use. This is usually something that happens in cold water; It’s not permanent and will resolve in a few days.

The Brachiocephalic (snub nosed dogs) especially English Bull dogs, Frenchies, Boston Terriers, Pugs etc, have a more difficult time keeping their heads above water due to their short noses, and getting enough air. Never seen a round the neck float but that would help keep the head above water.

Most dog life preservers that you see the others wearing have a flap that can be kept out to keep the head above water or just tucked around the chest. If not needed. You would have to test which type would work best with your dog and their breed. The regular dog vests also come with a great handle on the back that you can literally lift your dog out of the water with. Share photos of your pets enjoying summer. Would love to see them!

09/04/2025

❤️When you have a fur baby it is one of the hardest thing you go through, the loss of them in your life. You can’t ever replace them but sometimes the best therapy is giving that love to another pet in need. They are family and their loss is agonizing, but our hearts were made with an abundance of love we just need to share it. Not everyone feels that way and it’s understandable, but if nothing else find a way to share that abundance of love you do have.

The saying that “it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all” is true, though in the beginning it’s questionable. The pain is almost unbearable but when you compare the days and years of that love to the days of pain the wonderful days out weigh it. It’s the cost of loving something on this precious earth. Many of us know walking this earth alone would be terribly lonely, it’s worth the price to pay for their companionship and love even if for just a little while. Just remember “till will meet again.”

Hearing their pitter patter when you come home, the joy they have upon seeing you is the same as 5 minutes to 5 hours they greet you the same. Who else acts like that when you come in? 🥹.

When Lori Watson adopted Ringo, the brother of her late dog Scout, she didn’t expect his first gesture home to mirror Scout’s in the most touching way

08/31/2025

🇺🇸🇺🇸 This Labor Day we honor all those in the labor movement and work force who made America 🇺🇸 the great country she is today. The two legged and four alike, some worked harder🦮🐕‍🦺 than others and some were supervisors. Ahem…🐈🐈‍⬛ though we can’t forget some kitties are employed as great rodent control experts. 🐭🐭
Mapleshade Animal Hospital will be closed Monday, September 1st, Labor Day and will have normal hours on Tuesday September 2 nd. Stay safe and enjoy your day.

08/22/2025

Some helpful reasons to help you decide when or if it’s time for a check up. Cats are masters at healing and hiding. They heal so fast they can heal right over bacteria and later erupt with an abscess and infection. If you are ever are unsure or it’s time for their yearly exam don’t hesitate to give us a call at Mapleshade Animal Hospital a call at 703-670-7668 with any questions.

08/19/2025

This video is heartbreaking but it does have a happy ending. Amazing how technology of a different sort can save our pets as well.

Whiskey, a local dog in Arkansas might need a sip of his own namesake after this harrowing ordeal. After Whiskey went missing, his family hired a drone pilot...

08/08/2025

🐈🐈‍⬛🐈❤️ As scary as this is to see it’s a huge reminder to never use dog flea products on cats. It’s not just a weight difference, different species metabolize drugs differently. Some are unable or like in cats they metabolize so much slower. So remember just like weight and age are critical with medications and products, but specie is just as important. Any questions or if you need recommendations for flea products give us a call at Mapleshade Animal Hospital -703-670-7668

07/30/2025

Ever wonder how much chocolate is dangerous for your dog. First to note is milk chocolate is less toxic than dark or unsweetened baking chocolate. Unsweetened baking chocolate is very concentrated and the highest toxicity in smaller amounts. Milk chocolate has been diluted with milk and other ingredients is why it is less toxic. It will usually be dogs as cats are not usually the ones breaking into the candy bag. This chart will help you figure out if you should be concerned, Please contact us or if unable the Animal poison control center for a fee. You will need to use a credit card card. It could save you a large fee from an animal Emergency room and the ER may have you call them anyways,

The treatment course is usually giving an emetic (cause vomiting) but depends on time of ingestion. We may have you give peroxide at home to cause vomiting or if unable to come in for stronger medications depends on time of ingestion, symptoms etc.

It’s important to get an approximate time you think they may have ingested the chocolate. We may need to coat the gi tract with charcoal, and possibly medications to counteract the caffeine and theobromine. This includes, charcoal coating of the intestines, fluids support, blood pressure and heart monitoring.

With non toxic amounts they may still get vomiting or diarrhea and worse case pancreatitis from the fat overload. Don’t hesitate to give us a call. Mapleshade Animal Hospital at 703-670–7668 with any questions.
Just remember the darker and more bitter the chocolate the more toxic it is to your dogs as well as the size of your dog. A 60 lb dog would have to eat 2.1 cups of milk chocolate. Which is quite bit, think how much would be melted down to fill 2.1 cups or 101 teaspoons. (That may give a better visual.)
5 lb dog would need to eat 8 teaspoons of milk chocolate to toxic. Best bet is to keep it away from them but don’t worry about a stray M&M.

07/23/2025

Hot outside….pool time of the year. Some good informations to keep your pets safe. Dog life preservers are great, they give your dog confidence, they keep them a float if they become tired, especially if swimming in creeks with a current. They can easily get caught in a current and it becomes like a treadmill they can’t get off. They usually have handles on them so you can lift them right out. Be cautious of brachiocephalic dogs (squished faces)as they don’t have the longer snouts to keep their noses out of the water. Many of the preservers have a flap you can use under their faces to keep them up, or in more confident dogs you can tuck it in. When in the ocean, be sure they don’t drink the water, have plenty of fresh water to keep them hydrated.
**With the larger breeds like Labs, Goldens etc with long tails you may find that they don’t want to use their tail the next day after playing in the pool. It’s call rudder tail, they just over did it and their tail is sore it does occasionally happen. You can make a visit to be sure that it all it is and get pain meds if needed.

Stay safe and have fun!

07/10/2025

Remember inside your car gets much hotter than the outside air, even with the windows down. Keep it safe and leave them home unless they are staying with you outside as well. Walk them in the early am or evening, if in doubt hose them before and after a walk better be safe than sorry.
Don’t forget how hot the asphalt gets as well it can burn the callous off their pads. Place the backside of your hand on the asphalt if it can not stay there for 3 seconds than it’s too hot for your pets as well. Stick to walking on the grass. ❤️

07/04/2025

🧨❤️🇺🇸Mapleshade Animal Hospital wishes everyone a safe and wonderful Fourth of July! Enjoy! 🧨🧨🎆🇺🇸🇺🇸 we will be closed July 4th, normal hours Saturday, July 5th!

07/04/2025

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/prepared-pets-go-missing-july-4-5-day/

More pets go missing during July 4th weekend than any other time of the year. However, with the right preparation and knowledge, you can keep your dog safe.

06/21/2025

https://www.directline.com/pet-cover/magazine/fireworks-and-pets

💊💊That time of year whether from thunderstorms or fireworks your pets may not handle it well. Here are some great tips and advice in this article, but if your pets need something more, either set up an appointment to discuss this with our Veterinarians or call for a refill on medications. Please start on that now. You don’t want to wait till the last minute. Please call Mapleshade Animal hospital 703-670-7668. We all know they don’t just wait till Fourth of July to set off those fireworks.❤️🐾

Fireworks can be overwhelming for pets, making them anxious and afraid. But you can make the experience easier for them - find out how to keep your pets calm on firework night.