The holiday season is a festive time for humans and pets alike. However, some of the things that make the season so enjoyable for us can be perilous to our pets. If you'd like to avoid a trip to the veterinary hospital during the holiday season, it's wise to educate yourself about common holiday items that can be dangerous to your cats and dogs.

Some Common Holiday Pet Dangers

Decorations like tinsel and ribbons can present a choking hazard to pets. Cats, especially, are drawn to the shimmering tinsel. Candles, too, can be dangerous; the flame and the hot wax can cause burns. Many holiday plants, like poinsettias and mistletoe, are poisonous to pets and are best kept in areas that are off limits to your cat or dog. Holiday food can also be a threat. Be careful with foods like chocolate, onions and garlic, raisins and grapes, alcoholic beverages and yeast bread dough.

Tips for Avoiding Pet Dangers during the Holidays

At North Suffolk Animal Clinic, we advise pet owners to be vigilant during the holiday season and avoid using decorations and plants that are hazardous to pets. Our Portsmouth veterinarian also suggests that you be careful not to leave food unattended and clear the holiday dinner table as soon as the meal is over.

Holiday time, when guests who are unfamiliar with pets are visiting, can also lead to pets slipping out the door unnoticed. To aid in their safe return, our veterinary hospital suggests that all pets be microchipped. This is a safe, painless and affordable procedure that can be performed at most any animal hospital.

Our Portsmouth animal hospital offers a wide range of pet emergency and wellness services. Our veterinarian serves pets and their owners throughout the Tidewater area, including those in Hampton Roads, Newport News and Norfolk.

What precautions do you take during the holidays to make sure that your cat and/or dog stays safe? Share your experiences with our readers by leaving a comment below.

You love your pet. You treat it as a true member of your family. And, like with any family member, you want your pet to receive the best medical care. That's why creating a wellness plan for your pet should be a priority.

Each veterinarian at North Suffolk Animal Hospital -- a full-service animal hospital providing care for pets in Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton Roads, Tidewater, Smithfield, Norfolk and the Western Branch of the Chesapeake area -- recognizes the importance of planning for your pet's wellness. In fact, you won't find any veterinary hospitals that place a greater emphasis on creating a pet care plan for your pet.

Working with a Veterinarian Who Cares

There's a reason why pet care planning is so important at North Suffolk Animal Hospital: The veterinarians at this hospital care about your pets. We're all pet lovers here. And, we know that the happiest pets are those with owners committed to wellness planning. Many veterinary hospitals will handle animal emergencies and issues as they arise. But, at North Suffolk, we take a longer-term view.

The veterinarians on our staff offer a host of preventative services for our patients. This includes dental cleanings, physicals, scheduled vaccinations and nutritional counseling. We even offer behavioral counseling from our staff of trained veterinarians.

We believe in a holistic approach to treating our patients. We've found that by addressing all of the facets of animal health -- from crafting a healthy diet to addressing behavioral problems -- we provide the best possible service to our clients and to their pets.

This approach has left us with a roster of happy clients and healthy pets. Too often, pet owners focus only on short-term emergency are. They'll take their pets to their local veterinary hospital if something is wrong: Their cat isn't eating or their dog starts limping. But, if their pets aren't showing obvious signs of distress, they won't think of a visit to their local vet.

We'd like to change this attitude. People need regular physicals and check-ups. Why wouldn't pets?

What steps do you take to ensure your pet remains healthy and active?

Animal Vet Clinic Provides Pet Care Tips, Tidbits and Expertise

Welcome to the premier blog post for North Suffolk Animal Clinic, a veterinarian in Suffolk with a full range of services for small animals in Chesapeake, Tidewater and Hampton Roads. With a sister clinic in Portsmouth, our two locations specialize in personalized care that meets our patient’s needs and our client’s expectations and our blog has the same intentions.

North Suffolk Animal clinic first opened in 1998 when Dr. Donahue and Dr. Yeatts joined forces to provide top-notch care to area pets. Dr. Donahue retired the following year, and Dr. Yeatts purchased the veterinary hospital. He has since been joined by an exceptional staff of knowledgeable and caring veterinarians, technicians, receptionists, and assistants. Each staff member brings a wealth of knowledge to our animal hospital and their expertise will be extended to our blog. Each staff member also has animal family members at home, which means they know all about quality care at work and beyond.

Wellness Plans, Spay and Neuter Services, and Dental Care

Animal wellness is at the top of our priorities and will be hot topic in our blog. Our animal hospital offers wellness plans for puppies and kittens that include a spay and neuter, allowing our clients to budget for their pet’s care. Preventative measures are another important feature of our veterinary hospital, and our topics may include vaccinations, primary care, healthy diets and exercise tips for our client’s pets.

Other topics may include information and tips regarding the host of other services our animal vet clinic provides. These include boarding, dental care, dermatology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, radiology/imaging, surgery and pain management.

We invite pet owners in Suffolk, Portsmouth, and the surrounding areas to check our blog regularly for current and insightful information about pet care and veterinary offerings.

What other topics should we discuss in our blog?