Melrose Veterinary Hospital

12/17/2025

November is Pet Diabetes Month!

Dogs and cats can develop diabetes, just like people. With early detection and proper care, diabetic pets can live long, happy lives!

👀 Common signs of diabetes in pets:
🐾 Increased thirst or urination
🍽️ Increased hunger with weight loss
😴 Low energy or fatigue
👁️ Cloudy eyes (especially in dogs)
🧼 Changes in grooming habits (especially in cats)

If these symptoms are noticed, an appointment should be made and the pet should be tested. A simple blood or urine test can detect diabetes early and get your pet on the right track to feeling better.

💙 This Pet Diabetes Month, let’s spread awareness and help every pet live a healthier, happier life.

12/17/2025

🎄🕎 Holiday Safety Tips for Pets — From Your Veterinary Family and TVC! 🐾✨

The holidays bring joy, light, and plenty of tasty treats…but they also come with a few risks for our furry friends. Here are some quick tips to help keep the holidays safe for our furry family members:

🎄 Christmas Tree Caution
• Secure your tree to avoid curious climbers toppling it over
• Keep tinsel, ribbon, and breakable ornaments out of reach

🕎 Hanukkah Hazards
• Place lit menorah candles far from paws and wagging tails
• Keep chocolate gelt and fried treats away from hungry noses

🌿 Seasonal Greens
• Holly, mistletoe, lilies, and poinsettias can be toxic—choose pet-safe décor instead

🍽️ Skip the Scraps
• Skip table scraps—no chocolate, xylitol, grapes, onions, or fatty foods
• Remind guests not to feed pets without checking first

🎁 Pet Appropriate Gifts
• Watch out for string, bows, and plastic packaging
• Avoid giving pets toys with small, swallowable pieces

✨ With a few simple precautions, the holidays can be merry, bright, and safe for everyone—two-legged and four-legged alike!

10/08/2021

Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) Outbreak - New cases in California (as well as FL, IN, NY, OH, PA, SC, & TX)
CIV also known as Dog Flu is a newer virus (less than 20 years old) that dogs have little to no natural immunity to. CIV has 2 strains (H3N8 and H3N2) that terrified the animal community in California in 2017 and in the last 2 months despite a bivalent vaccine that is readily available. This respiratory disease is highly contagious with 80-90% of dogs exposed will become infected, and for about 2 of every 25 dogs, that infection will be fatal.
THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT YOUR PET:
- Vaccinate your pet yearly especially if he/she attends dog parks/beaches, groomers, boarding facilities, or has a weakened immune system.
-Never let your pet drink out of community water bowls or share food dishes with other pets without properly cleaning them in between.
-Know the symptoms: loss of appetite, dry or wet cough, thick runny nose, fever, lethargy and call your veterinarian immediately and isolate your pet if you are concerned your pet has become infected.

**DOG FLU CANNOT BE SPREAD BETWEEN HUMANS AND PETS**

Sources to check out:
CDC Key Facts on Dog Flu:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/other/canine-flu/keyfacts.html
Cornell University Outbreak Map: https://www.vet.cornell.edu/animal-health-diagnostic-center/veterinary-support/disease-information/canine-influenza-h3n2-updates

03/10/2021

Enjoy the great outdoors with confidence. Protect your dog against fleas and ticks throughout the spring. Just 1 chew of BRAVECTO® (fluralaner) from does it. Hurry in for your first dose!

*BRAVECTO Chews for Dogs kills fleas, prevents flea infestations, and kills ticks (black-legged tick, American dog tick, and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks. BRAVECTO Chews also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks.
View Safety and Prescribing Information at letsplay.bravecto.com.

04/30/2020

Details of COVID-19 transmission in dogs and cats are still unknown, but it is important to stay calm in this time of uncertainty. We will update our page as more information on the spread of the virus comes in!

The pug experienced a mild case of the virus and reportedly recovered within a few days

03/21/2020

We would love to share some tips to our clients on how to make the best of social distancing while spending time with your pets! It is still safe to take your dogs on a walk outside and do enrichment activities indoors without coming in contact with others! Here is a fun & informative training video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soY1HbsJDz8

03/17/2020

Clients,

We will continue to stay open as a veterinary hospital that provides medical help to pets in our community but will continue to implement precautionary measures to help against the spread of COVID-19.

With that being said, we advise against any non-essential examinations, nail trim, grooming services (nail trims, a**l glands, annual exams) until further notice.

If you are coughing or feeling sick, please call us to reschedule your pets appointment or so that we may recommend alternative options to get your pet the medical attention they may need. Clients that are here for an appointment, we encourage calling us from the parking lot to check in as we are trying to decrease the amount of clients in the lobby at one time.

If you need any of your pets medications refilled, you can pay over the phone, call us from the parking lot and we will bring out any food or medication. In extreme cases and for those who are immunocompromised and considered high risk, one of our employees has volunteered to deliver medication or food to clients after work and leave them outside the front door.

We appreciate your patience during this difficult time and hope you understand we hold the best interest of the people and pets of our community.

03/14/2020

We have been receiving many questions regarding COVID-19 and pets. The American Veterinary Medical Association has put together a FAQ sheet that may be able to answer your questions.

We are currently open for business until further notice. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for any updates on closures or changes to our office hours.

As a hospital, we are increasing our cleaning and sanitizing protocols in an effort to help public safety. If you or anyone in your household are experiencing any symptoms, please let us know when making your appointment for your pet so we can make the appropriate recommendations.

“Can SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infect pets?”

The AVMA has developed a series of frequently asked questions we’ve received about . You can find more information about this question and more at our FAQs for Pet Owners here ➡️ http://bit.ly/38WbgFi

03/01/2020

Please help Oscar Watanabe (Dr. Watanabe’s Cat) congratulate his mom and new dad on their wedding day! They are getting married today in Waikiki. The Melrose team wishes them the absolute best on this day and their future.

02/07/2020

11/17/2019

Liz Palika’s kiddos won the costume contest!
Stop by anytime to receive your prize of a Starbucks gift card, 2 doggie toys, and a bag of Chicken Chips!