Upleash Veterinary Hospital

Upleash Veterinary Hospital Exceptional Veterinary Care Rooted in Compassion and Expertise

08/12/2026

Winnie Wednesdays 🐾

If you have young kids and a puppy at home...welcome to the minefield. 😅

Every day is a game of “What did she find now?”

This week alone, Winnie decided a crate pad and part of her kennel stand looked like a pretty good snack. Fortunately, we caught it before it became a much bigger problem.

One of the most common emergencies we see in young dogs is foreign body ingestions, socks, toys, underwear, rocks, corn cobs...if it fits in their mouth, there’s a good chance they’ll at least consider swallowing it.

Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and when little kids are involved, there always seems to be another toy, stuffed animal, or stray sock waiting to be discovered.

That’s why management is so important.

When we can’t actively supervise Winnie, she goes into a puppy pen or her crate. It’s not a punishment—it’s simply the safest place for her to be until she learns what belongs in her mouth and what doesn’t.

And if you think your puppy swallowed something they shouldn’t...
Don’t wait.

Getting them to your veterinarian early may allow us to safely induce vomiting before that object reaches the intestines. It’s safer for your puppy, much less stressful for everyone involved, and far less expensive than an exploratory surgery.

A little prevention, and a quick phone call when you’re worried, can save a whole lot of heartache.

08/05/2026

Winnie Wednesdays 🐾

One of the questions I hear a lot this time of year is:
“When should I switch my puppy off large breed puppy food?”

The answer isn’t a specific birthday.

It depends on the dog.

In general, the larger the dog’s expected adult size, the longer I recommend staying on a large breed puppy formula. These diets are designed to support controlled growth by balancing calories, calcium, phosphorus, and other nutrients while your puppy’s skeleton is still developing.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is switching too early because hunting season is approaching and owners worry their young dog will need more calories.

Here’s how I think about it:

🐾 If your puppy is still growing, they probably shouldn’t be working hard enough to require a performance diet.

🐾 If your dog is mature enough to truly need a performance formula, they’re probably no longer benefiting from a large breed puppy diet.

There’s also very little downside to staying on a large breed puppy formula a little longer. I’d much rather see a puppy transition a month or two late than rush the process while they’re still developing.

Remember, you’re not just feeding today’s puppy.

You’re building the dog you’ll have for the next 10–15 years.
Take your time, build them well, and let them grow into the athlete they’re meant to become.

First, if you need a photographer you will not find a better one than Little White Dog Pet Photography I have been blown...
08/03/2026

First, if you need a photographer you will not find a better one than Little White Dog Pet Photography I have been blown away by all of her images and you will not meet a nicer person. Second, these pictures and the captions are probably the best thing on the internet!!!

07/23/2026

Winnie Wednesdays 🐾

Parasites are one of the few health problems that are almost entirely preventable...yet we’ve diagnosed quite a few positive f***l samples recently.

One of the biggest reasons? Puppies don’t stay puppies for long.
Since we brought Winnie home, she’s already moved into her third size of parasite prevention. As our puppies grow, it’s easy to forget their medication needs to grow with them.

The other thing many pet owners don’t realize is that not all parasite preventatives are created equal. Different products protect against different parasites, and some provide much broader coverage than others.

That’s why it’s important to have a conversation with your veterinarian about which product is the best fit for your dog’s lifestyle—not just grab the first option you see online.

At Upleash, we’ve chosen Credelio Quattro because we believe it offers one of the broadest spectrums of protection available with an excellent safety profile. An added benefit is that when purchased through your veterinarian, manufacturers often stand behind their products, helping cover the cost of diagnostics and treatment if a covered parasite infection occurs despite proper use.

The takeaway is simple:
✔️ Keep your puppy on the correct weight range.
✔️ Make sure you’re protecting against the parasites your dog is actually exposed to.
✔️ Don’t be afraid to ask your veterinarian why they recommend one product over another.

A few minutes of prevention today can save your dog—and your wallet—a lot of trouble tomorrow.


07/16/2026

Winnie Wednesdays 🐾

One of the biggest obstacles in dog training isn’t the dog.
It’s our own confidence.

Winnie learned “hup,” “place,” and “here” surprisingly quickly. And that’s where many of us make the same mistake, we assume because our puppy understands a command in the backyard, they’ve truly learned it.

They haven’t.

Learning a behavior and performing it consistently in new places, around distractions, and under excitement are two very different things.

For puppies born in late winter and early spring, we’re entering an exciting time of year. Fall isn’t that far away, and if you’re hoping to hunt, compete, or simply have a well-mannered companion, now is the time to start gradually increasing the challenge.

Take those commands to a new location. Add a few distractions. Increase distance. Ask for a little more.

But don’t lose sight of the goal.
Keep it fun.
Keep building confidence.

And remember that this first season isn’t about creating a finished dog, it’s about laying the foundation for the next ten.

Too many young dogs are asked to be veterans before they’ve had a chance to simply enjoy being puppies.

Slow down, enjoy the process, and celebrate the small wins along the way.

After all, they grow up far faster than we’d like.

07/14/2026

The temperature changed nearly 40 degrees in just a few feet.

During this current heat wave, I’ve seen people biking and running on the trails with their dogs, even during the hottest parts of the day.
So I grabbed a temperature gun and stepped outside the back door of Upleash.

🌡️ In the shade: 87°F
🌡️ Concrete just a few feet away in the sun: 113°F
🌡️ Blacktop: over 120°F

Same day. Same location. Just a few feet apart.

It’s important to understand the microenvironment where your dog actually is. The temperature at your head level, the temperature in the shade, and the temperature where your dog’s body and paws are just inches above the pavement can be dramatically different.

I know the common response: “I’ve always run my dog in the heat and never had a problem.”

And that’s true.
You don’t have a fatal problem until you do.

Heat illness can escalate quickly, and if you’re several miles down a bike trail when your dog begins to struggle, you’re now facing an emergency a long way from your vehicle, shade, water, or veterinary care.
I’m a huge advocate for keeping dogs active.

Exercise is one of the most important things we can do for their long-term health and longevity.

But during extreme heat, be smart. Go early. Go late. Find shade. Bring water. Shorten the distance. And always pay attention to the environment your dog is experiencing, not just the temperature on your weather app.

Our dogs will often keep going because we ask them to.
It’s our job to know when we shouldn’t.

🎉 Happy Birthday, Sophie! 🎉While Sophie’s birthday fell over the holiday weekend, we wanted to wait until the whole team...
07/08/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday, Sophie! 🎉

While Sophie’s birthday fell over the holiday weekend, we wanted to wait until the whole team was together to celebrate someone who has been such an important part of building Upleash from the very beginning.

Around the hospital we call her our CEO (Chief Everything Officer) because there isn’t much she hasn’t had a hand in. From helping design workflows and build our inventory systems to coordinating specialty cases and keeping countless moving pieces together, Sophie has been instrumental in turning an empty building into the hospital our clients know today.

More importantly, she cares deeply about our patients, our clients, and this team. That commitment has helped shape the culture we’re building at Upleash.

Thank you for everything you’ve done, Sophie. We hope you had a wonderful birthday, and we’re grateful to celebrate with you today.

Happy Birthday Sophie! 🎂💐🐾

🇺🇸 Holiday Hours Reminder 🇺🇸 Upleash Veterinary Hospital will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of the Independenc...
07/02/2026

🇺🇸 Holiday Hours Reminder 🇺🇸

Upleash Veterinary Hospital will be closed Friday, July 3, in observance of the Independence Day Holiday.

We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend celebrating with family and friends. As you celebrate, remember that fireworks, summer heat, and holiday foods can all pose risks to our pets.

A few quick reminders:
🐾 Keep pets indoors during fireworks if possible.
💧 Make sure they have plenty of fresh water and shade.
🌭 Keep table scraps, alcohol, and fireworks out of reach.
🏷️ Double-check that collars and ID tags are secure in case a startled pet gets loose.

We will resume normal business hours on Monday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

If your pet experiences an emergency while we are closed, please contact the Veterinary Emergency Hospital at 605-335-4004.

From all of us at Upleash, we wish you a safe and happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

07/02/2026

Winnie Wednesdays 🐾

This week is a little bittersweet.

Winnie received her final puppy vaccinations, marking another milestone that reminds me she’s growing up far too quickly.

One of the questions I hear most often from new puppy owners is:
“When is it safe to start taking my puppy everywhere?”

While socialization is incredibly important, so is protecting your puppy from preventable infectious diseases.

Until puppies have completed their vaccine series, I generally recommend avoiding high-risk environments like dog parks, pet stores, and group training classes where vaccination status of the other dogs is unknown.

That doesn’t mean they should stay home.

This is the perfect time to introduce them to new sights, sounds, people, places, and experiences in lower-risk settings. Carry them through the hardware store, sit outside a coffee shop, visit friends with healthy, vaccinated dogs, or simply explore the world together.

Once that final set of vaccinations is on board, a whole new chapter begins.

More adventures.
More training.
More freedom.

As hard as it is to watch these little puppies grow up, it’s exciting to see them become the dogs they were meant to be.

Congratulations, Winnie, you’ve officially graduated from puppy vaccines. ❤️

06/18/2026

Winnie Wednesdays 🐾

One of the most common puppy exercise questions I get is:
“How much exercise is too much?”

The answer is a little more nuanced than most people expect.

I firmly believe exercise is one of the keys to a long, healthy, active life. The goal isn’t to keep puppies sedentary, it’s to exercise them appropriately.

For growing puppies, I try to avoid:
❌ Repetitive exercise on hard surfaces
❌ Long runs alongside people
❌ Repeated jumping from high places
❌ Exercising to the point of fatigue

Instead, I prefer to let the puppy set the pace.

Winnie and I go on two longer outings most days, but she’s the one deciding how those walks unfold. She stops to investigate smells, explores the world, runs a little, rests a little, and generally acts like a puppy.

On one of those outings, I also mix in a little training, recall work and “hup,” so she learns that future exercise sessions won’t always be a free-for-all. But the emphasis is still on keeping things fun and enjoyable.

The goal during puppyhood isn’t to create an endurance athlete.

The goal is to build strong bones, healthy joints, a confident mind, and a dog that loves being active.

What are your favorite ways to exercise your puppy?


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208 W. 37th Street
Sioux Falls, SD
57105

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