Our Blog
Firehouse is committed to keeping your pet happy and healthy while preventing disease.
Firehouse’s 4 Pillars of Care
The core beliefs that guide your pet’s care: wellness, nutrition, dental, and fear/anxiety/stress
8 min readPets bring us immeasurable joy and companionship. Firehouse Animal Health Center’s mission is to prevent your cat, dog, and exotic pet from getting sick so they can stay by your side – healthy and happy – for as long as possible. Our care guidelines are...
Ease Your Pet’s Stiff Joints in 2024
3 tips for cold weather days
3 min read "Before starting Librela, Dizzy wasn't using all four legs to go up and down the stairs," says Firehouse 183 Client Service Coordinator Lisa Berletch of her 8-year-old Sheltie. "She was also hesitant to jump and run at full speed." Dizzy started...
Why Do Cats Knead?
Here’s why cats “make biscuits.”
3 min read “Simply put, kneading brings cats peace and comfort,” says Georgie Chadwick, Hospital Manager at Firehouse Westlake. Kneading is when cats rhythmically push their paws against a soft surface, often with a kneading motion like the way dough is kneaded. A...
Cats and dogs hate New Year’s Eve fireworks
Your pet’s ears are sensitive to sound
Loud bangs and pops scare pets and can make even the most well-behaved pet misbehave or run away. We have tips.Bruno is one of the few cats who doesn't scare easily during New Year’s Eve and July 4th fireworks. “When I first adopted Bruno,” says Dr Sherry Hill,...
How To Manage Diabetes in Pets
Early detection and solutions make life easier for pet parents
7.5 min read Dr Luke Rivas at Firehouse Westlake helped a cat whose owners didn’t understand why she was urinating outside the litter box. “We drew blood and diagnosed feline diabetes,” he says. “We put her on insulin and I could tell she was feeling better at her...
Caring for your deaf dog
Advice for owners of deaf and hearing-impaired pets
Franklin’s family realized he was hard of hearing soon after they adopted him. “We learned he might have hearing issues when he was just a puppy,” says Katie, Franklin’s mom.
The grass-eating habit in dogs
7 reasons dogs eat your landscaping
3 min read Milo is a 6-month-old mini Bernadoodle who really likes to chew on grass in his mom’s lawn. “I think Milo eats grass for...
When should you spay or neuter your kitten?
Research shows cats stay healthiest when procedure is completed by 5 months
We first reported new recommendations for spaying and neutering cats by 5 months in January 2021. We continue to support these guidelines from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). Research shows the...
Avoid Dr Google: Don’t Be Misled
Vet Consultation is Always Recommended
2 min read “When I was 18, my first pet Bella was scooting and licking her butt a lot, says Hope Amidon, a Vet Tech at Firehouse Westlake. “I was concerned and Googled for answers. I was told it was anal gland/butt cancer. Google told me my pet was dying. Luckily,...