Our Blog

It is such an important part of your pet’s preventive and wellness care program to be sure they come in to see us at Androscoggin Animal Hospital regularly. Visiting the vet can be worrisome for some pets, though, and nerve-wracking for pet owners, too. Not to worry, though! We have some great tips to prepare you and your dog for a successful vet visit. 

Cats have some pretty adorable behaviors. Head-butting, keyboard-napping, eye-squinting, and printer-prowling top the list, but above all else, the rhythmic front paw kneading truly takes the tuna-flavored cake. Cats knead as a holdover from infancy when their bite-sized paws stimulated the let-down of their mother’s milk for a well-timed snack. That explains a lot, but why do they continue to do this well beyond kittenhood?

One of the most meaningful ways that people connect with others is through food. We break bread, dine together, and share in wonders of taste and tradition. Pets know our rituals well, and are rarely unmoved by the sights and smells of savory meats, glistening gravies, and crusty dinner rolls. Their cuteness and persistence turn even the stingiest pet owners into big pushovers. Giving a pet table scraps might feel generous and fun at the time, but can actually have some terrible consequences.

You’re positively smitten with your kitten and beguiled by your bulldog, but can your pets experience feelings of love the same way you do? In a nutshell: absolutely! 

At Androscoggin Animal Hospital, we appreciate that the love you have for your pets runs deep, and we believe that our animal sidekicks, in their own special ways, can return that love to the people (and other pets) in their lives. 

Half of all people make New Year’s Resolutions, and yet only a small percentage keep them going. It’s great to be optimistic about the future, but it’s equally important to keep our goals realistic. Luckily, when it comes to pet wellness, objectives are not only straightforward, they’re attainable to boot! Join us in discovering and supporting New Year’s Resolutions for our pets.

This holiday season, show your furry companions how grateful you are for their unconditional love by treating them to a jolly good time! Your friends at Androscoggin Animal Hospital have put together some suggestions for safe holiday fun you can have with your pets.

While most store-bought pet treats are perfectly fine for your pet, sometimes you want to go the extra mile and make something from scratch to show your love. This way, you know all the ingredients that your pet is consuming, and can feel good about giving your pet something homemade. 

The overlap between safe and spooky isn’t impossible, but it does take some forethought to accomplish both. When it comes to your pet’s Halloween experience, it can be a tough sell to get them to wear a festive outfit. In fact, pet costumes can be the scariest part of the entire holiday! However, great timing, good choices, and loads of patience (from both you and your pet) can make all the difference. 

Panting is perfectly natural for pooches. They pant when they’re happy, pant when they’re thirsty, and pant in your face when they just want attention! 

Cats, on the other hand, are rarely caught with their tongues hanging out. It’s perfectly normal for a cat to indulge in a few deep breaths after a bout of active play, but if your cat starts panting heavily for no discernable reason, a call to your pet’s doctor may be in order. 

Chewing and playful biting are fun and cute when your pet is a puppy, but what happens when she grows up to be a destructive dog? These behaviors can demolish property and impact your ability to trust your pet at home. 

Know that your dog is not doing this to you out of spite or to get revenge for leaving them all day or not sharing your pizza crust. This behavior comes from a place of anxiety or unbridled energy levels.