Homestead Veterinary Care

05/30/2026

Happy Weekend!

05/29/2026

Great information here!

Tonight I ended up trying to help a friend whose puppy ate a kid's vitamin containing xylitol. Simple accident: kid dropped vitamin, puppy scarfed it down. (Note: this household is knowledgeable and is xylitol free, but a relative bought the vitamins, unaware of the risk to the dogs.)

The puppy only ate *one* vitamin. Which turned out to contain 1500 mg of xylitol.

100 mg/kg is the threshold for hypoglycemia which can be fatal. At 500 mg/kg, hepatic necrosis occurs -- destruction of liver tissue.

So just ONE chewable vitamin ended up creating a serious problem for a 30 pound pup (which is not quite 14 kg).

The emergency vet induced vomiting. Thankfully, the puppy had had a meal and so there was food in her stomach. In the vomit was the orange tablet, identifiable though dissolved.

Quick thinking on the owner's part (including grabbing the bottle of vitamins) and fortunately a nearby 24/7 emergency vet hospital meant that this pup received prompt treatment, and should make a full recovery.

Check your medications, vitamins, gum, candy, toothpaste, mouthwash, peanut butter and more for xylitol, also known as birch sugar.

This is useful information to have on hand:
https://www.calculatorsfordogs.com/health-nutrition-calculators/xylitol-toxicity-calculator

ALWAYS contact vet and ASPCA Animal Poison Control center immediately!

As for everyone (the non-vets) recommending the use of hydrogen peroxide, please update your understanding:
https://www.gsvs.org/woodbridge-nj/blog/hydrogen-peroxide-for-dogs-emergency/

Pass this along. I hope you never have to use it.

05/27/2026

Fun Fact! Did you know that contrary to popular belief, dogs aren’t color blind; they can see shades of blue, yellow, green and gray. The color red registers as gray in a dog’s vision.

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

This Memorial Day, we also extend our gratitude to the military service animals who served alongside them with unwavering loyalty and courage. Their dedication reminds us of the powerful bond between humans and animals—even in the most challenging circumstances.

Our office is closed today in observance of the holiday, but our hearts are full of gratitude. Wishing everyone a peaceful and reflective Memorial Day.

05/20/2026

Hey guys what! It’s National Rescue Dog Day! Share a photo of that special pup in your life….

05/18/2026

‼️Attention Spring Cleaners‼️

Has anyone been cleaning their closets out this spring and thought “Wow, we have a lot of towels!”? 👉🏻 We want them!

We are looking for donations of towels (bath or beach size) in decent shape for the clinic. We are also looking for throw blankets.

What we are not currently accepting:
-hand towels or wash clothes
-crochet or knit blankets
-bed linens
-large quilts
-very loved items (holes, frayed, etc - stains are ok)
While we appreciate your generosity, we are not able to utilize this items and they may be better suited for donation elsewhere! ☺️

If you are able to help, please drop them by the clinic any time we are open - Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm.

Thank you! 🐾

05/18/2026

Great guide for this time of year. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PtF1Ng281/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Oh no! You’ve found a baby bird on the ground, apparently alone and in distress. 🐥 Its tiny chirps may pull at your heartstrings, and it can be tempting to spring into action—but, not all baby birds need rescuing. That's why it's so important to stop and assess the situation.

If they do need your help, how to help them depends on a few factors: does this bird need immediate medical attention? And is it a nestling or a fledgling? Take a look at this graphic to determine how and when to assist baby birds—then click the link in our comments to learn more!

🖌️: Julie Rossman/Audubon

05/17/2026

Tick Check Day! How is it looking where you are? Finding many ticks?

05/14/2026

We were taste testers for Rosati’s pizza! We all approved! It was delicious! Thank you for bringing us all this delicious food! Can’t wait for you to open so we can eat it regularly! ’s pizza

05/11/2026

They are popping up rapidly! But be careful with pets as Lily of the Valley are considered toxic.