NorthPaws Animal Hospital

06/28/2024

We are SO VERY EXCITED to welcome our newest doctor to NorthPaws... Dr. Chloe Bellerive!!

Dr. Bellerive recently graduated from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Some of our NorthPaws patients may recognize her from previous time she spent assisting here at NorthPaws. Our team is ecstatic to have her join us to further our mission of providing exceptional care to our community and help further her career. Dr. Bellerive will officially start seeing patients next week.

Please help us give a warm welcome to Dr. Chloe Bellerive!

06/26/2024

We have recently had to implement at 24-hour policy regarding medications. Unfortunately, we have an increase for clients requesting same-day refills on daily medications. With our growing practice, we have found we were disrupting our doctor's appointments more frequently with these requests and negatively impacting the clients and patients' visits scheduled by pulling the doctors away from their active appointments.

To try our best to respectful to all parties we are now implementing the 24-hour policy (next business day pick up) for all prescriptions requiring a doctor to authorize them, including written prescriptions. This does not apply to preventatives or food products as our receptionists are authorized to refill these for patients with valid doctor-patient relationships with NorthPaws.

Should a situation arise where you find yourself without your pet’s daily medication, or will run out on the weekend and it is a Friday, please alert our staff. We will honor these requests; however, a $20 rush fee will be applied to expedite the refill. We will waive this fee for any rescue seizure medications as they are not used daily and are used in emergency situations.

Thank you for your understanding. - Team NorthPaws

06/24/2024

Our office will be closed Thursday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day.
We will reopen on Friday, July 5th at 8am.

Please ensure you plan ahead for your pet's food, medications, and preventatives. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need refills; we kindly ask for a 24-hour (one business day) notice to ensure we can accommodate your requests. A rush medication fill fee will apply for refills with less than 24-hour notice.

If you have a medical emergency with a cat or dog, please contact:
Mountain View Animal Emergency at 301-733-7339 located at 13810 Crayton Blvd,, Hagerstown, MD 21742
Partners Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center at 301-770-5225 located at 7330 Guilford Dr, Frederick, MD 21704

If you have a medical emergency with a bird or exotic patient, please contact:
Pender Exotic Veterinary Centre at 703-654-3100 located at 4001 Legato Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033

06/17/2024

Our office will be closed from 11:30am-2pm today for a staff meeting.
On the third Monday of each month, we will close from 11:30am-2pm to allow our staff to meet and discuss ways to serve you better!

06/10/2024

Microchips are so important to keep our pets safe. Make sure your pet's microchip information up kept up to date. In the event that your pet is lost, your correct contact information is crucial to being able to reunite you with your furry family member.

We offer microchip implantations by appointment and perform scans to ensure your pet’s microchip is still transmitting properly. Microchips provided by our office come with pre-paid registration and you'll receive an email to confirm your information is correct to finalize the process.

If you are unsure if your pet's microchip is registered, you can use AAHA's microchip registry lookup. **This is not a database to update or edit your information - only to confirm registration was completed and to identify what company the microchip is registered with.**

06/04/2024

We are currently experiencing some phone issues. If you are unable to reach us via phone, or are unable to hear us when the call connects, please either email us at [email protected] or text us via PetDesk at 240-261-1515. Please do not send us a Facebook message as it is not a monitored communication platform. We apologize for any inconveniences.

- Team NorthPaws

06/03/2024

Summer fun is just around the corner and before you know it firework season will be in full swing. If you have a beloved pet that doesn't enjoy the festivities - please reach out to our office, now is the perfect time to prepare a treatment plan.

Some basic tips include
" Keeping your pets indoors in a secure area. Leash walk dogs for potty breaks.
" Make sure your pets have on an ID collar and/or microchip.
" Be with your pets to offer comfort.
" Cover windows to block bright flashes from fireworks.
" Use a white noise machine or utilize a TV/Radio to help mask the loud noises.
" Over-the-counter Nutraceuticals or synthetic pheromones such as Composure Pro or Adaptil and Feliway can be beneficial.
" Some pets may benefit from prescription medications- NEVER use your own prescriptions! Please call our office to discuss what makes the most sense for your pets.

Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios

05/31/2024

"May" we all enjoy these perfect pictures of our new friends😊 Looking forward to June! Have a great summer!

05/23/2024

Dear NorthPaws Clients and Community Members,

We wanted to bring to the community's attention an increased number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in our surrounding area effecting birds and cattle. Clinical signs of HPAI in poultry can include any of the following: sudden death, low energy/appetite, purple discoloration or swelling of various body parts, reduced egg production or soft shelled/mis-shapened eggs, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, lack of coordination, and diarrhea.

Due to the potential zoonotic nature (meaning it can affect humans in contact with infected patients), NorthPaws will be adapting a new protocol for farm fowl/poultry patients. For the following criteria, we will NOT be able to examine poultry patients and instead will advise you to call the APHIS toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. You may also call the Maryland Department of Health at 410-841-5810 or the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) emergency number at (717) 772-2852 option 1 for state specific concerns. This is so someone from the State Poultry Lab can come to your property to test your bird(s) for HPAI and make recommendations pending the tests:

1- Patients experiencing above clinical signs AND there has been a death on the property (avian or cattle) in the last 72 hours.
2- If there has not been a death in the last 72 hours, but the bird that is being called about or another bird on the property has gotten rapidly and severely ill in the last 12-72 hours.

It is important that to NOT move any sick birds off of your property and to separate any sick birds from the birds showing no illness. Again we urge you to call the toll-free hotline for recommendations.

Please know we are implementing this protocol in order to best protect and serve you, your flock, and the community. If you are unsure if your bird meets the criteria above, please call our office. Our team members will aid you in making the best decision regarding your individual circumstances.

We appreciate your understanding.

- Team NorthPaws

For additional information, please see the below articles from the USDA website.

- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks

- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/defend-the-flock

Image: Adobe

05/22/2024

As a reminder, our office will be closed on Monday, May 27th. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 28th at 8am. Please ensure you plan ahead for your pet's food, medications, and preventatives. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need refills; we kindly ask for a 24-hour(one business day) notice to ensure we can accommodate your requests. A rush medication fill fee will apply for refills with less than 24-hour notice.

If you have a medical emergency with a cat or dog, please contact:
Mountain View Animal Emergency at 301-733-7339 located at 13810 Crayton Blvd,, Hagerstown, MD 21742
Partners Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center at 301-770-5225 located at 7330 Guilford Dr, Frederick, MD 21704
If you have a medical emergency with a bird or exotic patient, please contact:
Pender Exotic Veterinary Centre at 703-654-3100 located at 4001 Legato Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033

05/20/2024

As the summer heat approaches, extra care should be taken to ensure your pets stay safe. Every pet is susceptible to heat related illness, especially brachycephalic breeds- or flat faced dogs and cats. Always provide fresh water, adequate shade and take your pets inside with air conditioning in the heat of the summer!

05/18/2024

In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, our office will be closed Monday, May 27th. We will reopen on Tuesday, May 28th at 8am.

Please ensure you plan ahead for your pet's food, medications, and preventatives. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need refills; we kindly ask for a 24-hour (one business day) notice to ensure we can accommodate your requests. A rush medication fill fee will apply for refills with less than 24-hour notice.

If you have a medical emergency with a cat or dog, please contact:
Mountain View Animal Emergency at 301-733-7339 located at 13810 Crayton Blvd,, Hagerstown, MD 21742
Partners Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center at 301-770-5225 located at 7330 Guilford Dr, Frederick, MD 21704
If you have a medical emergency with a bird or exotic patient, please contact:
Pender Exotic Veterinary Centre at 703-654-3100 located at 4001 Legato Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033

05/14/2024

Yesterday we talked about checking your pets for ticks. Today, let’s talk about what to do if you find a tick and how to remove it! If you find a tick on your pet, follow these instructions to safely remove it. As always, if you have any questions, please give our office a cal

05/13/2024

It only takes one tick bite for your pet to contract Lyme or other tick-borne diseases. It can take up to 9 weeks from a tick bite for a dog to test positive for contracting a tick disease.
Dogs may not show any signs of illness for a few weeks, or even months after an infected tick bites them.
Some dogs may never show signs of illness which makes routine testing so important.
Some common symptoms may include:
-Fever
-Swollen joints and limping
-Loss of appetite
-Lethargy and/or depression
-Kidney problems

Check your pet for ticks!
This can become a simple, daily routine that allows you to bond with your pet while greatly impacting their health

05/06/2024

We will be closed from 12:45 pm until 2 pm today for a full hospital meeting. We apologize for the short notice. The lobby will be closed during this time and we will not be able to answer calls. We will return any calls as promptly as we are able following the meeting.

If you have a medical emergency with a cat or dog, please contact:
Mountain View Animal Emergency at 301-733-7339 located at 13810 Crayton Blvd,, Hagerstown, MD 21742

Partners Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center at 301-770-5225 located at 7330 Guilford Dr, Frederick, MD 21704

If you have a medical emergency with a bird or exotic patient, please contact:
Pender Exotic Veterinary Centre at 703-654-3100 located at 4001 Legato Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033

05/06/2024

The weather is warming up and the ticks are alive and well!
There are 3 major tick diseases that we diagnose in our patients. Those diseases are Lyme, Anaplasma and Ehrlichiosis. All of these diseases can be deadly if left untreated. Luckily we can perform a simple in-hospital test to check your pet for these in the event an attached tick is found.

We offer various topical and oral preventative products to protect your pets from the dangers of ticks and the diseases they carry. Call us to discuss what options are best for your pets

04/30/2024

April showered us with some of the most perfect new friends! Can't wait to see everyone in May!🐾🩷

04/26/2024

Today we are celebrating Karen!! Karen is our newest face, joining the team this month, she has previous experience in emergency medicine. Let’s give her a warm NorthPaws welcome as she is learning the ropes. We appreciate all her hard work greeting clients, answering phones, collecting payments, scheduling appointments, responding to messages, and so much more! Karen enjoys horses, hiking, and all things cats. Thank you for all your hard work, we appreciate you!!

04/25/2024

Today we're celebrating - Mikayla!! Mikayla joined North Paws in August 2021. Mikayla is there to greet with a warm smile. She efficiently handles emails, texts, or calls with expertise and care. You might also find her snuggling “bottle baby” kittens, she volunteers to care for them from the local humane society. German Shepherds are her jam, so you may see her in the lobby sneaking some love. She enjoys hiking, fishing, and is a big foodie at heart. Thank you for all your dedication and hard work.

04/24/2024

Today's highlighted receptionist is - Ariana!! Ariana joined the NorthPaws Team in 2020. She is a cat lover at heart but enjoys all the furred and feathered critters that come in to visit us. She has been active in the veterinary field since she graduated from Penn State in 2017. Her favorite pastime is curling up on the couch with a cat in her lap and a book to read. When she isn't at the front desk answering your calls, she can often be found tinkering with the computers and printers as our "back-up IT girl". Thank you for your efforts to help the office technology keep up with our teams.

04/23/2024

Today’s receptionist spotlight – Missy!! Missy has been with NorthPaws since November 2019, her positivity and humor is contagious and helps keep everyone calm. You might find her some days multi-tasking with a post-op pet snuggling in her arms (poms and bunnies being her favorites). Missy loves spending time with her family/friends, her pomeranians, camping, and eating at Il Canale in Georgetown. Thank you, we appreciate all your hard work and dedication every day.

04/22/2024

She may not be our most productive receptionist, but no vet office is complete without a clinic cat. Eliza has been with NorthPaws since October of 2018 and has become a staple figure of our front desk staff. We like to call her our grumpy office greeter, but she really is a sweetheart. Happy Veterinary Receptionist Week to all the office kitty out there. Check back later this week for our next receptionist spotlight.

04/22/2024

We officially kick off Veterinary Receptionist Week today! Join us in celebrating our fabulous four: Missy, Ariana, Mikayla, and Karen. Thank You for all your hard work each and every day. These lovely ladies are so much, they are the start and finish of most things that happen in our office, the first voice or face you will see, and often the last. Answer phones? Yes. Schedule appointments? Yes. Greet, and hand you your receipt? Yes. Multi-task and juggle communications to the Doctor’s and Technicians? Yes. Your dedication and compassion make a world of difference! Thank you for everything you do each and every day, enjoy your week.

04/19/2024

Please excuse any additional dust and noise in the office today. We are having floor repairs performed. For any clients or patients checking in with noise or smell sensitivities please feel free to utilize our smaller lobby or wait outside, pending nice weather, while we get your appointment rooms ready. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We are hoping the repairs will be finished and our new reception area will be up running soon! Thank you for your understanding!

04/15/2024

AND THE WINNER IS:

Axel!! Congratulations! Not only did your pet parents' save big with their Nexgard purchase, but your family won our yeti cooler raffle. Our office staff will be reaching out to them regarding picking up your prize.

Even though our raffle has concluded, BI still has year-round instant rebates for 6 and 12 dose purchases for Nexgard, Nexgard Plus, and Nexgard Combo - eligible for established clients with valid doctor-patient relationships only. We recommend year-round preventatives for all cats and dogs. Call our office for more information.

04/12/2024

We highly recommended for dogs to be on a heartworm preventative year-round. Unfortunately, heartworms have been found in all 50 states and mosquito species are constantly changing and adapting to cold climates; with some species even successfully overwinter indoors. The safest method of protection is consistent administration of preventatives. Heartworm preventatives are highly effective, but only when given – a single missed dose can leave your pet vulnerable to infection. Here are some tips to help stay on track

04/10/2024

A heartworm test takes 3 drops of blood and approximately 10 minutes to run in our hospital.
The American Heartworm Society highly recommends any dogs over 7 months of age and previously not on a preventive to be tested prior to starting heartworm prevention, and then retested 6 months following starting the preventatives; then annually tested. Puppies under 7 months can be started on preventatives immediately, but should be tested within 6 months; then annually. It is also recommended to retest 6 months following any missed doses or when changing preventatives to ensure your pet is still heartworm negative

04/08/2024

April is National Heartworm Awareness Month! Follow along as we share more information and discuss the risks for your pets. Protecting your pets from a heartworm infection is a matter of life and death.
For a more in depth discussion check out the American Heartworm Society’s basics webpage:
https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics

04/05/2024

April is a month to prepare your first aid kits! While first aid should always be immediately followed by professional veterinary care, basic first aid can help stabilize and save your pet until a veterinarian can examine your pet. The American Veterinary Medical Association has a great reference for what to do in a number of medical crises and what to keep on hand as a basic first aid kit.
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/emergencycare/first-aid-tips-pet-owners
Remember: Any first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate veterinary care. Please call our office if you feel you need to administer any first aid to your critters.
For after-hours care with cats and dogs, please contact:
Mountain View Animal Emergency at 301-733-7339 located at 13810 Crayton Blvd,, Hagerstown, MD 21742
Partners Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center at 301-770-5225 located at 7330 Guilford Dr, Frederick, MD 21704

For after-hours care with a bird or exotic patient, please contact:
Pender Exotic Veterinary Centre at 703-654-3100 located at 4001 Legato Rd, Fairfax, VA 22033

First aid is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it may save your pet’s life until you can get to a veterinarian.