Hicks Animal Clinic

04/25/2025

Spring is here! 🌸 With the warmer weather comes an important reminder about Leptospirosis, a disease caused by Leptospira bacteria.

All dogs can be at risk. However, certain factors increase that risk:
➡ Drinking from or exposure to stagnant or slow-moving water (ponds, lakes, rivers, streams)
➡ Roaming in rural areas, where they may encounter wildlife, farm animals, or contaminated water
➡ Contact with wild animals (especially rodents) or farm animals, even in the backyard
➡ Social interactions with other dogs, including in urban areas, dog parks, boarding, or training facilities

Learn more about the signs, prevention, and risks of leptospirosis here:

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/leptospirosis?fbclid=IwY2xjawJS5O5leHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRe1kp0XGjPlcc8TMaRutUIHbL4RfnLemlhvW5z9ap4k3PYuUz4IJDJCkA_aem_64aDc0vfTZVhKbaJu6BMmg

04/23/2025

📚🐾 Happy World Book Day! 🐾📚

Celebrate with a great read about our furry friends! Here are some must-reads for animal lovers:

🐕 The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein
🐕 A Dog’s Purpose – W. Bruce Cameron
🐈 A Street Cat Named Bob – James Bowen
🐈 Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World – Vicki Myron

Have a favorite pet-themed book? Share in the comments! 📖🐶🐱

04/21/2025

Did you know cat whiskers are more than just facial adornments—they serve critical functions in a cat's daily life!

Whiskers frame a cat’s face, accentuating their eyes and highlighting their muzzle. But beyond looks, they’re finely tuned sensory tools that help cats navigate their surroundings. 🐾

Whiskers act like a bugs antennae, detecting subtle changes in air currents and movements around them. They don’t "feel" things like we do, but when they touch something, the whisker vibrates, sending signals to the cat's nervous system to interpret the size, shape, and speed of nearby objects. 🐱

04/17/2025

Hicks Animal Clinic will be closed tomorrow 4/18 for Good Friday. We will return to regular business hours on Monday!

We wish everyone a Happy Easter 🐰💐

04/17/2025

April is National Heartworm Awareness Month! 🦟❤️

The bad news - Did you know that heartworms are transmitted through a mosquito bite?
The good news - Heartworm disease is completely preventable with monthly prevention or ProHeart 12 month injection!

Don’t take the risk—protect your pup with prevention and annual heartworm testing. Questions regarding heart worms, prevention, or testing? Give us a call! 💙

04/16/2025

🐾 April 13th-19th is National Dog Bite Prevention Week! 🐾

At Hicks Animal Clinic, we believe education is key to fostering safe and positive interactions between dogs and people. Whether you're a pet owner, parent, or simply a dog lover, understanding canine body language and responsible pet handling can help prevent bites and create a safer community for everyone.

Check out this great resource from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) on dog bite prevention!

Any dog can bite—big or small, male or female, young or old. It’s not a dog's breed that determines whether it will bite, but rather the dog's individual history and behavior.

04/15/2025

Oliver never misses a chance for belly rubs during his vet visits! 🏥🐶

Regular vet visits help keep pups like Oliver happy and healthy—and belly rubs are always complimentary! 🥰

04/11/2025

🐾 Happy National Pet Day! 🐾

We’re celebrating all the wonderful dogs and cats who bring love and joy into our lives! 🐶🐱 A huge thank you to our amazing clients for trusting us with their pets' care—it’s an honor to provide them high quality veterinary care.

04/09/2025

This little GSP is full of energy, wiggles, and kisses, and Deanne is soaking up every moment of snuggles. 💕

Whether it’s scheduling appointments, answering questions, or sneaking in some puppy cuddles, our Client Service Representatives goes above and beyond to make sure every visit is a great one!

04/07/2025

April is Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month 🐶

Protect your pup with flea and tick preventatives, vet-recommended vaccines, and regular tick borne disease testing depending on your pets lifestyle. Learn more by checking out the AVMA link below!

Transmitted through tick bites, Lyme disease can be hard to detect and cause serious, recurring health issues. It's best to prevent it by preventing tick bites.

04/03/2025

Fred the Pomeranian Enjoying His Laser Therapy Session! 🐾

Laser therapy is a fantastic, non-invasive treatment that helps with pain relief, inflammation, and faster healing—perfect for keeping our senior pups comfortable or aiding in recovery from injuries.

04/02/2025

🚨 Important Security Notice 🚨

We want to alert our Hicks Animal Clinic family that our clinic recently experienced a security breach. A hacker attempted to send fraudulent emails impersonating us, which may include a shared folder link. If you receive an email like this, please do NOT open it—it is spam from a hacker.

✅ What to do:
⚠️ Delete any suspicious emails claiming to be from us with unexpected attachments or shared folders.
⚠️ Do not click on any links in these emails.
⚠️ Reach out to us if you’re unsure whether an email is legitimate.

We take your security seriously and have already taken steps to fix the issue. Our systems are now secure, and we’re working diligently to prevent further incidents.

If you have any concerns, please call us at (252) 443-5994 or email us directly at [email protected].

Thank you for your understanding and for being part of our Hicks Animal Clinic family! ❤️🐾

04/02/2025

🌸🐾 Pet Safety Alert: Watch Out for Toxic Flowers! 🐾🌸

Spring brings beautiful blooms, but some flowers commonly found in indoor arrangements can be toxic to pets. Lilies, tulips, azaleas, and other seasonal favorites may look lovely in a vase, but they can pose serious health risks if curious pets decide to take a bite.

With Easter approaching, a Texas A&M veterinarian reminds us that lilies, as well as other springtime plants, are toxic to pets.

04/01/2025

Renovation Update! 🚧✨

Last time, it was all about digging—now, the concrete has been poured, and we’re ready for the next steps!

Can’t wait to share more as the progress continues! Stay tuned for the next update! 🔨

As a reminder we will remain open our normal business hours throughout renovations 🐾

03/28/2025

🐾 What’s cuter than 1 puppy? 7 puppies! 🐾

Our clinic got an overload of cuteness today with a litter of 7 puppies — and we can’t get enough! 🐶✨

Reminder: If you have a new puppy (or a whole litter of them), we’re here to help with puppy exams, vaccines, and all the care they need to grow up happy and healthy.

03/26/2025

🐾 Springtime Shedding: Tips for Managing Your Dog’s Coat 🌷

As the seasons change, many dogs start shedding their winter coats—meaning more fur on your floors, furniture, and clothes! Regular grooming, a healthy diet, and the right tools can make a big difference in managing the extra fluff.

The right tools and grooming routine help make caring for a heavy shedding dog easier. Heavy shedding breeds usually have an undercoat, but most breeds shed.

03/24/2025

🚧 Construction Update at Hicks Animal Clinic 🚧

Progress is well underway on our renovations! 🛠️ As you can see, there’s been a lot of digging, but it’s all part of creating a better space to provide high quality veterinary care for your pet.

We appreciate your patience during this process and will continue to keep you updated as things move forward. We will remain open during our normal business hours throughout this process.

Stay tuned for more progress photos!

03/20/2025

🐾✨ Cutest duo alert! ✨🐾

Vet Assistant Ashley got some snuggles with sweet Kirby, the Golden Retriever puppy, during his visit to Hicks Animal Clinic! 💛🐶 From puppy kisses to top-notch care, our team is always happy to make visits a positive experience for our patients.