Health & Wellness
Your Dog’s Nails Are Probably Too Long
The Click Test: Are Your Dog’s Nails Too Long? Here’s a simple test every dog owner should try: listen to your dog walk across a hard floor. If you hear clicking, their nails are too long. It’s one of the most common — and most overlooked — grooming issues our veterinarians see at Community Animal…
Read MoreWhy Your Cat Keeps Throwing Up (And When to Worry)
When Vomiting Isn’t Just a Hairball If you live with a cat, you’ve probably cleaned up your share of vomit. Many cat owners assume it’s just hairballs — a normal part of feline life. But here’s what our veterinarians at Community Animal Hospitals want you to know: frequent vomiting in cats is not normal, and…
Read MoreFlorida’s Tick Population Is Already Surging
Why Ticks Are Already a Problem in March If you think tick season starts in summer, think again. Here in St. Petersburg and across South Pinellas County, our mild winters mean ticks never truly go dormant. By mid-March, lone star ticks and brown dog ticks are already in full force — and they’re hungry. At…
Read MorePet Allergies in Florida: Signs Your Dog or Cat Needs Veterinary Help
If your dog can’t stop scratching or your cat keeps licking the same spot raw, allergies might be to blame. Florida’s warm, humid climate means allergens are present year-round — from pollen and mold to fleas and grass. Unlike seasonal allergies in northern states, pets in St. Petersburg and South Pinellas deal with triggers that…
Read MoreGiardia in Dogs and Cats: What St. Petersburg Pet Owners Should Know
What Is Giardia? Giardia is a single-celled protozoal parasite that infects the intestinal tract of dogs and cats. It is one of the most common intestinal parasites diagnosed in veterinary medicine, and our team at Community Animal Hospitals sees cases regularly throughout St. Petersburg and the surrounding Pinellas County area. Unlike worms that you might…
Read MoreCoccidia in Dogs and Cats: What St. Petersburg Pet Owners Should Know
What Is Coccidia? Coccidia are single-celled parasites (protozoa) belonging to the genus Isospora that infect the intestinal lining of dogs and cats. Unlike worms you can see with the naked eye, these microscopic organisms do their damage at the cellular level, destroying the cells that line the intestinal tract. While coccidia can infect pets of…
Read MoreHeartworm Disease in Dogs and Cats: Why Florida Pets Need Year-Round Protection
Heartworm disease is one of the most dangerous parasitic infections your pet can face, and living in Florida puts dogs and cats at higher risk than almost anywhere else in the country. At Community Animal Hospitals in St. Petersburg, our veterinary team — Dr. Leslie Block, Dr. Craig Mullenax, and Dr. Mark Williamson — diagnoses…
Read MoreDaylight Saving Time Can Throw Your Pet Off Too
If you woke up feeling a little groggy this Sunday morning, you’re not alone. Daylight Saving Time has us all springing forward — and while we can look at a clock and understand why we lost an hour, our pets don’t have that luxury. Dogs and cats are creatures of habit. They rely on internal…
Read MoreTapeworms in Dogs and Cats: What Every Pet Owner Should Know
If you have ever noticed small, white, rice-like segments near your pet’s rear end or in their bedding, you may be dealing with tapeworms. These flat, segmented intestinal parasites are one of the most common worms veterinarians diagnose in dogs and cats, and understanding how they spread is the first step toward keeping your pet…
Read MoreWhipworms in Dogs: What St. Petersburg Pet Owners Should Know
What Are Whipworms? Whipworms (Trichuris vulpis) are intestinal parasites that live in the large intestine and cecum of dogs. They get their name from their distinctive shape — thin at the head end and thicker at the tail, resembling a tiny whip. While they may be small (typically two to three inches long), the problems…
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