Gate City Animal Hospital - Greensboro, NC

04/23/2025

Duke wants to talk about arthritis and what to watch for in your pet!

Diagnosing arthritis EARLY is very important to treat the disease prior to severe and chronic joint changes. This is particularly important for at-risk breeds or dogs with conditions like hip dysplasia or cruciate ligament injuries. Early intervention isn’t just about treating clinical signs; it’s about slowing the progression of the disease and preserving joint health.

Arthritis creates a vicious cycle: pain leads to inactivity, which leads to loss of fitness, which exacerbates arthritis symptoms, further discouraging activity. Breaking this pattern early in the cycle is key to successful long-term management

Red flags may be very subtle at home, such as unusual limb positions, strange postures, a reluctance to climb/descend stairs, slow to rise after laying down, or changes in sleeping habits. If these signs are noticed, please discuss this with us at your pet's next visit!

Adequan has been shown to slow cartilage deterioration and control clinical signs, meaning it treats the underlying disease of OA, not just its effects. Combining therapies helps you address all aspects of OA. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help with inflammation and pain, while anti-nerve growth factor monoclonal antibodies target pain. Therapeutic exercises, weight optimization, and physical rehabilitation also play a role.

04/22/2025

Millie is to tell you about !

are known for their keen sense of smell, vocal nature, and playful personalities.

Beagles have an incredible sense of smell, with around 220 million scent receptors, far exceeding humans. This makes them excellent at tracking and are often used for tasks like finding missing people or detecting contraband. Originally used for rabbit hunting.

Beagles are known for their vocal nature, especially their baying, a long, deep-throated sound used to communicate within a hunting pack or alert their handler.

04/21/2025

with Storm the puppy

Hope everyone had a fun and safe

04/20/2025

Happy Easter from our to yours!

Remember to keep up those (prevent chocolate and plastic Easter grass ingestion) and keep the Lilies AWAY from the KITTIES as they are severely deadly to cats.

We will be open on Monday to help you if you need anything. If you have an emergency today, please contact Carolina Veterinary Specialist or Happy Tail Emergency Clinic.

04/19/2025

Taylor is celebrating National with her Satin.

Let's see those photos!

04/19/2025

This guardian dog is also a hero dog saving a 2 year old toddlers life guarding him and brining him to safety after he had wandered 7 miles from his home on a cold desert night with tank top and pjs on!

The 6-year-old Anatolian Pyrenees came home Tuesday morning with a toddler who'd gone missing the day before in a remote part of Arizona.

04/18/2025

We are excited for the warmer weather but WATCH OUT for the snakes that follow! Of the 37 species of snakes in NC, only 6 are venomous and the Copperhead is the most common in this region.

Copperheads like to hide in piles of leaves or sticks/brush piles and commonly bite dogs on the muzzle when they are sniffing around these areas.

Tips to avoid snake bites:
1. Keep your dog on a leash.
2. Don’t let your dog put its nose where it doesn’t belong — places like bushes, thick ground cover and piles of dried leaves.
3. Stay on paths where you can see what’s in front of you.
4. Cleaning up areas around bird feeders. If there is too much feed on the ground, it could attract mice, which are copperheads’ prey.
5. Clean put tall grass and brush/woodpiles in yard carefully.

Copperhead bites are typically not fatal. The venom inflicts local effects such as inflammation, damage to blood vessel lining, clotting defects and localized tissue destruction. Occasionally these effects are severe enough to cause death. If you observe weakness, pale gums, severe bruising or collapse, please call us or an emergency clinic immediately.

Antivenin is efficacious up to 36 hours post-envenomation for clotting problem. It is very important if your pet is bitten by a snake, that they be seen by a veterinarian asap to determine if antivenom is recommended.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article303934501.html

04/17/2025

Murphy is showing off his tricks on National
and look how much he has grown from 9 weeks to 12 weeks old!

04/16/2025

Chloe was an angel for her on this

Maintaining healthy cat nails involves regular trimming AND providing scratching posts. Trimming nails helps prevent overgrown nails from curving into the footpads and causing pain, while scratching posts allow for natural shedding and maintenance.

As cats age, they may not use the scratching posts as much due to mobility/arthritis. If this occurs the nails grow quickly and can curl back and grow into the paw pads which is very painful and can become infected. For senior cats, like Chloe, it is very important to monitor nail length and have them trimmed more frequently if needed.

Do not let his adorable kitten face fool you, she is a wise senior cat at 10 years young!

04/15/2025

Happy with Max, who was able to partake in the

He is living his best life, but sometimes we all need a little 👀 for a smile to brighten the day!

04/14/2025

Finn wants to review some tips for week to keep your family and pets safe.

Millions of people are bitten by dogs each year, with the majority being children. Yet most – if not all – dog bites are entirely preventable. Even gentle, well-trained dogs are capable of biting when provoked, and it’s your job as a pet owner to help prevent dog bites whenever possible.

1. Never leave a baby or small child alone with a dog, even if it’s a family pet. They can climb on them or pull their ears/tail causing pain or a hug they do not want which can result in a warning bite. This is commonly to the face for children due to their size.
2. Don’t place your dog in an environment where it feels threatened and be sure to monitor all interactions between your dog and children. If they are walking away from the situation or go to their safe space/kennel, do not let the children follow as the dog is asking for space.
3. Use a leash in public at all times and exercise your dog regularly for their health and mental stimulation.
4. Be alert, if someone approaches you and your dog – caution them to wait before petting the dog, and give your pet time to be comfortable with a stranger.
5. For a strange dog, ALWAYS ask if you or your family can pet the dog. Not all dogs are familiar or comfortable around children or strangers.
6. Teach your children to not run up or away from dogs as this can trigger prey drive and a chase.

04/13/2025

Please help us thank our local Animal Control for protecting our community and rescuing these strays so they can have a second chance at an amazing life.

Remember there are amazing animals looking for homes everyday at our local Guilford County Animal Services. Dr. Heather personally adopted her fur baby from them after fostering her (then ) and she also does foster and Dog Day Out with the pups to take them for a hike outside of the shelter or take them into public to get them seen by their potential new family.

Fostering is easy and anyone can do it! There is even a free SniffSpot you can take them to spoil them for the afternoon!

Happy Animal Control Appreciation Week!

These 15 amazing cats and dogs were brought to us thanks to the dedicated Animal Control Officers who work tirelessly to protect the animals in our community. From rescuing strays to helping injured pets, they play a crucial role in giving these animals a second chance.

Today, we’re sending a huge shoutout to our Animal Control team for all their hard work and compassion. Your efforts don’t go unnoticed, and we appreciate everything you do to keep our community safe and help these animals.

Thank you for all that you do!

04/11/2025

Incorporating chewing into the daily lives of our dogs may be one simple yet important way to ensure they are living happy and healthy lives. Note that chewing ability is individual and advice on the type of chew and its suitability for your dog should be sought from your veterinarian.

We do not recommend antlers, Nyla bones (hard plastic), or bones/hooves. These objects are too hard and can actually break their teeth and require extraction or dental repair at a dentist.

Check out the link for 9 scientific reasons why dogs need to chew:

Chewing enriches the physical, psychological and emotional health of dogs in many interconnected ways.

04/10/2025

Siblings Gibbs & Nico are sharing the fame on National
Remember to show your some ❤️ today!

📸 cred: Ellery, veterinary technician

04/09/2025

Dolly is celebrating International with a little
What's your dog's favorite color? Or that looks best on them?

04/08/2025

A woman in New York has reunited with her beloved pet 11 years after the dog vanished, all thanks to a tiny internal identification called a Microchip!

A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and can be placed in the office anytime. This is permanent identification if your pet is lost. The first thing anyone does with a lost pet is bring them in to have them scanned for a chip.

Just yesterday one of our staff found a lost senior Labrador in their neighborhood, brought them in to be scanned since the pet had a collar but no tags. It turned out there was a microchip, the owner was immediately contacted and was relieved as the pet had been lost overnight in the rain storm Sunday night. They immediately came in to pick up their tired, but safe furry friend!

The American Veterinary Medical Association found in a study that lost dogs with microchips were returned to their owners 52.2% of the time, compared to lost dogs without microchips, who were only returned to their owners 21.9% of the time.

Does your pet have a chip? We can scan them anytime for free and can place a microchip quickly in office anytime!

https://people.com/woman-reunites-dog-11-years-after-disappearance-thanks-to-microchip-11703300

04/07/2025

DID YOU KNOW that a foreign body surgery (uncomplicated) can cost over $4000? Complicated (need removal of dead intestines from blockage or dehiscence post-op) can be over $10,000!

NEVER WORRY about how to cover a surprise sick or emergency visit when your has pet insurance!

Pet's get sick, they eat things they are not supposed to, they get into fights with other pets or wildlife or even cars, broken bones and broken hearts... COVERED. Pet insurance covers the small things from allergy meds and ear infections up to foreign body removal and orthopedic surgeries. Many even cover alternative or rehab medicine and even chemotherapy as they age!

The key to pet insurance is to obtain it when they are young when nothing is pre-existing. Remember to compare various companies to find the right match for your family (Pawlicity has great comparisons).

04/06/2025

Cleo the mix is celebrating National and we want to see your Siamese babies! Please share them!