Blog

In the third and final of our series "Thanks for the Thankless Jobs", we'd like to thank our men in brown.  You guessed it, the UPS men.  We count on these guys daily to deliver the supplies we need to keep our businesses running.  For us this means medicines, vaccines, bandages, and surgical supplies. ...Read More...

Don't get me wrong, I love Walt Disney.  His creativity, imagination, and perseverance have inspired many across the globe.  He hasn't, however, done the dog catcher any favors.  From Lady and the Tramp to 101 Dalmatians, Disney not only vilified the dog catcher, but made him out to be of below average ...Read More...

Studies on the most thankless jobs in the US rank farmers, teachers, and military as the top three.  Sadly, I have to agree that we do take for granted those that feed us, educate us, and protect us.  So to kick off Thanksgiving week, I want to give a shout out to our farmers who we work together with ...Read More...

Sometimes pets have diseases, disorders, or traumatic injuries causing significant blood loss that requires a blood transfusion in order for the pet to survive.  The most common reasons for a transfusion are autoimmune hemolytic anemia, trauma from being hit by a car, and parvovirus infections. Here ...Read More...

What is Administrative Professionals’ Day, really?  It used to be called Secretaries’ Day back in the day when we called flight attendants airline stewardesses.  Wikipedia says, “Administrative Professionals' Day (also known as Secretaries Day or Admin Day) is an unofficial ...Read More...

Do you think you pet is at a healthy weight?  Try this simple test:  Run your fingers down your pet's sides from the shoulder to the hip.  Can you feel ribs easily?  If you have to push in to convince yourself that your pet even HAS ribs at all?  When you look at your pet ...Read More...

Rosie came in all dressed up for her wellness exam last week.  She was looking great for Valentine's Day!  Everything was looking great and she is healthy.  Some pets have underlying health conditions that can be picked up on physical exam.  For example, have you ever wondered ...Read More...

Maggie was my everything.  She was best friend, my comfort, and a big part of my life.  A wonderful birthday gift from my husband, she arrived in our arms in January of 2009.  When we went to meet her, she was so excited to see us, she had an accident.  My husband and I took that ...Read More...

Imagine for a moment that you stopped brushing your teeth.  Not just for today, but for the next 5 years.  Do you think it would change the look of your pearly whites when you smile?  Affect how close people stand to you when you talk?  Maybe alter the taste of your food?  Well, ...Read More...

Did you know that keeping your pet well involves more than vaccinations?  Though vaccinations remain the most important way to protect your pet against serious infectious disease such as parvo and feline distemper, in adult and senior pets there are many other health issues that can cause serious ...Read More...

“Roomba” is well into six months of age and progressing on track.  This month, we thought that we might answer some questions that have been posed over the last few months and familiarize everyone with what the future holds for our team. Q: Let's start with the #1 question that ...Read More...

Roomba has had an eventful and active fourth month and is rapidly absorbing the training necessary to make him a quality service dog.  As part of puppy raising, we try to expose our youngsters to all sorts of distractions so that life is a bit less surprising for them as adults in service.  ...Read More...

Another month goes by and we watch as Roomba turns four months old and really begins to blossom!  He has gained over ten pounds and added two and a half inches to his height in less than thirty days Each day I see his brain turning on more & more...and with each new experience, he grows more ...Read More...

  AAHPA has a history of being a proud partner with the Kansas Specialty Dog Service (http://www.ksds.org/) and has recently embarked on yet another adventure!   “Roomba” will be making Abilene & the Morton house his home for the next eighteen to twenty four months, after ...Read More...

As a third year veterinary student, I was looking for a summer externship at a mixed animal practice. I wanted to work at a clinic that offered a variety of experiences, including a diversity of species and clientele, veterinarian mentorship opportunities, hands-on experience, and exposure to new areas ...Read More...

Dear Friends and Family: It is with great sadness to tell you of the passing of my service dog "Hailey".  She was 13 years old and had been with me for 11 years.  What a joy she was and what great healing she brought to me. After all the Doctors, nurses, psychiatrist's, medicine, ...Read More...

My Beloved Roxy- 10/31/97 - 3/29/12 I always wanted a dog of my own but my son was terribly allergic to animals, so when he moved out on his own, I decided to adopt a dog for my daughter's 15th birthday. One day we were cruising the beach in Oceanside, CA where we lived and saw a sign, "Puppies ...Read More...

Did you know that fleas can suck up to 15 times their body weight in blood every day? Fleas are nasty little bugs that like to hang out on wildlife and sometimes our pets. What can we do to help our little pet friends rid themselves of these nasty little critters? It's a good idea to educate yourself ...Read More...

Pheromones are natural chemicals emitted by animals that help them to communicate with others of the same species. In mammals, the vomeronasal organ, a structure close to the nasal passage, receives these pheromone signals. When animals receive pheromone signals, there is an involuntary behavioral effect ...Read More...

If you read our last blog, you know that Abilene Animal Hospital generally takes in 12-15 student interns per year for 1 to 3 week blocks.  This summer, we had the pleasure of hosting Yue (pronounced yoo-ee) Gong, a senior veterinary student from the University of Melbourne in Australia for 3 weeks.  ...Read More...