<![CDATA[Eastview Animal Hospital, LLC - Blog]]>Tue, 05 May 2026 05:23:14 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[December Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Sun, 30 Nov 2025 18:00:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/december-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Special Days

December 2nd - National Mutt Day
December 9th - International Day of Veterinary Medicine
December 13th - National Day of the Horse
December 27th - Visit the Zoo Day

Katie T, RVT

]]><![CDATA[November Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:00:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/november-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Month Topics

Adopt-a-Senior Pet Month
Senior Pet Health Month
National Pet Cancer Awareness Month
National Pet Diabetes Month

Special Dates

November 2nd-8th - National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week
November 8th - Internation Human-Animal Bond Day
November 9th-15th - Practice Managers Appreciation Week
November 18th-24th -AntibioticAwareness Week

Katie T, RVT

]]><![CDATA[October Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:00:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/october-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Month Topics

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
National Animal Safety and Protection Month
National Pet Wellness Month

Special Days

October 1st-7th - National Walk Your Dog Week
October 8th - Pet Obesity Awareness Day
October 12th-18th - National Veterinary Technician Week
October 21st - National Pets for Veterans Day
October 29th - National Cat Day

Katie T, RVT

]]><![CDATA[Angel Fund]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:55:18 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/angel-fundHelp Us Help Those in Need - Support Our Angel Fund Picture
Most people are unaware of how much our staff and clients contribute to supporting our community. Recently, a local family was displaced due to a natural disaster. Our staff rallied together and donated over $250 to help them get back on their feet. Additionally, team members took turns covering their pets' medication fees for over a year.

This is our story—not to seek thanks, but to express our desire to do even more.
​Please help us continue to help others in need.
The Eastview Animal Hospital Angel Fund was developed in 2022 and became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2025 after partnering with myBalto Foundation.

Our mission is to provide critical medical care to animals whose owners or Good Samaritans are facing financial hardship. Unlike most charitable organizations, 100% of every charitable dollar contributed is used to directly fund the care of animals in our community. 

Donations of any size can be made online via the Direct Donations Links below; in person with cash, credit/debit card, or check. If mailing a check please make checks out to Eastview Animal Hospital and put “Angel Fund” in the memo line.
Checks can be mailed to:
Eastview Animal Hospital
11596 Bladensburg Road
Ottumwa, Iowa 52501

Who is eligible to receive funds? ​

Our Angel Fund criteria for use of donated funds are generally restricted (but not limited) to the following: 
- Good Samaritan Cases 
- Assisting pets whose owners are in financial crisis 
- Care for Military Service Animals 
- Funding for pets harmed or displaced due to local disasters (such as weather, fire, etc.) 

​*All Approved Fund Recipients Will Be Required To Sign A Release Allowing Use Of The Story For Continued Fundraising Purposes*

How do I request funds?

You can't.
Each case has to meet certain eligibility requirements from myBalto Foundation. This is based on your pet’s prognosis and financial situation. If your pet is eligible, a team member at Eastview Animal Hospital will bring it up to you as an option. Team members request the funds on the pet's behalf and serve as a patient care advocate.  Pet owners must exhaust all other means of payment including applying for CareCredit. 

Angel Fund Disclaimer: While we do everything in our power to assist, please remember that the availability of funds is based on donations and those funds may be limited.

]]><![CDATA[September Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:46:51 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/september-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Month Topics

Animal Pain Awareness Month
National Pet Insurance Awareness Month
Happy Cat Month
National Service Dog Month

Special Days

September 14th - National Pet Memorial Day
September 14th-20th - National Farm Health and Safety Week
September 21st-27th - Deaf Dog Awareness Week
September 28th - World Rabies Day

Katie T, RVT

]]><![CDATA[June Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Fri, 30 May 2025 21:30:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/june-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Month Topics

Adopt-a-cat Month
National Dairy Month
National Pet Preparedness Month
National Zoo and Aquarium Month

Special Days

  • June 1st-7th - Pet Appreciation Week
  • June 4th - Hug Your Cat Day
  • June 8th - World Oceans Day
  • June 10th - World Pet Memorial Day
  • June 20th - Take Your Dog to Work Day
  • June 28th - National Insuranc Awareness Day

Author: Katie T, RVT

]]><![CDATA[Puppy Vaccines]]>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 17:41:43 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/puppy-vaccines
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Puppies need vaccinations early in their life as the antibodies from their mother start to decrease around 6-8 weeks old. During this time, they need to start building their own immunity with the help of vaccinations.

Q: I have a new puppy, where do I start?
We begin the puppy vaccination series at 6-8 weeks old. The chart below gives the vaccination timeline we recommend. 

Q: What are the diseases the vaccines prevent?

Rabies

Rabies is a zoonotic (transferable between animals and humans) virus that causes neurological symptoms. It is a fatal disease which is transferred through a bite from an infected animal.

Distemper

Distemper is a highly contagious disease that can cause severe neurological symptoms, pneumonia, encephalitis, and death.

Lyme

Lyme is a disease caused by the bite of a tick. It can cause fever, lethargy, decrease in appetite, leg lameness, and kidney failure which can result in death. We recommend using this vaccination if your dog is outside (even to go potty), you live in the country, and if they have previously been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

Bordetella

​Bordetella is also known as kennel cough. This disease will cause a horrible cough that can lead to pneumonia or more severe respiratory disease if untreated. We recommend this vaccine if you plan to board your pet or having your dog around other canines in situations such as grooming, obedience school, dog parks, etc.

Q: Why does my puppy need vaccines boosted?
It is necessary to boost the vaccinations to continue helping the immune system in order to fight off infection of these diseases upon possible exposure. The vaccines need to be boosted yearly.

More Information About Rabies

Per the Iowa Rabies Resource Manual:
  • Rabies revaccination Iowa law directs veterinarians to follow vaccine manufacturers’ USDA-approved label recommendations for rabies vaccine administration. An initial rabies vaccine should be boostered within one year.
  • If a 3-years rabies vaccine is administered as the booster vaccination, the animal should be re-vaccinated prior to the 3-year vaccine’s expiration date.
  • If an animal is overdue for a rabies vaccination, the rabies vaccine that is administered should always be boostered within one year (regardless of the rabies vaccine that is administered).

Link to the Compendium for Animal Rabies Control

​Katie T, RVT
]]><![CDATA[May Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:30:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/may-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Month Topics

Arthritis Awareness Month
Asthma & Allergy Awareness Month

Special Days

  • May 3rd - National Wildfire Preparedness Day
  • May 4th-10th - National Pet Week
  • May 8th - National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day
  • May 16th - National Endangered Species Day
  • May 20th - National Rescue Dog Day
  • May 31st - World Parrot Day

Author: Katie T, RVT

]]><![CDATA[Lyme Disease]]>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:30:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/lyme-diseasePicture
April is a very busy month for pet related awareness events.  The month of April is considered Prevention of Lyme Disease in Dogs Month and National Heartworm Awareness Month.   It is also Pet First Aid Awareness month, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, and there are weeks in the month that celebrate Dog Bite Prevention and Animal Control Officer Appreciation.  There are also specific days in the month such as Earth Day, World Veterinary Day, Kids and Pets day, as well as National Bat Appreciation day, (those bats, although creepy to me, do a lot of good for us). Since I can't write about all of those things, I will devote this article to Lyme Disease.  If you are interested, please check out the Eastview Animal Hospital Facebook page for further information on Bite Prevention, Pet First Aid, and Heartworm Disease.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi and dogs come into contact with it by being bitten by a tick that is carrying the bacteria.  The ticks that can carry the bacteria are very common in our area.  The ticks can be in grass, under decks, and in wooded areas.  They favor biting areas on the dog that do not have much fur, such as the inside of the ears, around the eyes and in the "arm pit" area.  
I think one of the most important points to know is that Lyme disease can affect any dog, even if they only use the outside as their restroom.  I have seen Lyme disease in a chihuahua who weighed 4 pounds!
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Not every dog that gets exposed to the bacteria will get sick, and unfortunately, we don't really have a good way to figure out which ones will get sick.  If only a view into a crystal ball could help us out! When dogs get sick with Lyme disease, they can have a fever, painful joints, and in some cases, it can even result in kidney failure. It can be fatal for dogs, but it's also treatable in most cases. 

Once per year, a dog is should be tested for Lyme disease.  This test is a part of the test that is done to check for heartworm disease.  The test also looks for 3 other diseases that dogs can get from ticks.  If a dog tests positive for Lyme disease, then we know that the dog has gotten exposed to Lyme disease.  If this is the case, your veterinarian can discuss the options that you have an a pet owner.  So, now it is time to address the best part of this article and that is how to prevent a dog from getting Lyme disease.
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  • First of all, a product should be used that will prevent ticks from biting the dog.  There are several products available, both in an oral and topical form.  Talk to your veterinarian about the product which would be best for your dog.  Please do not buy a product before consulting with your veterinarian.
  • ​The second thing that a dog owner can do is vaccinate their dog against Lyme disease.  This shot is similar to dogs getting their distemper/parvo shot.  It does not prevent the tick from biting the dog, but it does prevent the Lyme disease from developing.  

It is also very important to check your dog for ticks every day.  The least amount of time that a tick is attached to your dog's skin the better. Remember ticks are attracted to areas that have minimal hair.  Lyme disease is certainly a disease that we can associate with since it can also affect humans. I hope that after reading this, you have gained some knowledge about Lyme disease. 
​Please make sure that you address any questions about Lyme disease with your veterinarian.

Author: Dr. Lori Hickie

]]><![CDATA[April Pet Holidays & Awareness Days]]>Mon, 31 Mar 2025 21:30:00 GMThttps://www.eastviewpets.com/blog/april-pet-holidays-awareness-days
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Month Topics
American Red Cross Pet First Aid Awareness
National Heartworm Awareness Month
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month
Prevention of Lyme Disease Month

Special Days

  • April 6th - National Ferret Day
  • April 7th - World Health Day
  • April 10th - National Farm Animals Day
  • April 11th - National Pet Day
  • April 13th-19th - National Dog Bite Prevention Week
  • April 26th - National Kids and Pets Day
  • April 27th - World Veterinary Day
  • April 30th - National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

Author: Katie T, RVT

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