Care Animal Hospital nestled in the heart of Bloomingdale and founded by award-winning veterinarian Dr. Richard Kane, is Hillsborough County’s largest full service, mixed animal veterinary facility providing a comprehensive range of services for ALL of the pets in your family including large and small exotics, birds, and farm animals.

Click here to learn more about Spider Monkeys.

Patient – “Arlie” the Red Fox

Arlie was rescued by a rehab facility in another state.  Arlie was born a wild fox and as a kit was attacked by either a coyote or bobcat and lost an eye.  She was very socialized because of the extensive care she needed to survive.  She was placed at Zooville  in Plant City to be part of our education program and now lives happily with Rey & Vixen, our other red foxes.

Miscellaneous facts: The red fox is terrestrial, normally moving by a walk or trot. It has great endurance and can gallop for many miles if pursued. It can run at speeds of up to 30 mi/hr, can leap fences 6 ft. high, and can swim well. It has keen senses of sight, smell, and hearing. Its ability to survive in the close proximity of people, and often to elude human hunters and their dogs, has given it a reputation for cunning and intelligence. Most activity is nocturnal and crepuscular. Individuals cover up to 5 miles per night as they move on circuitous routes through the home range. During the autumn, the young born the previous spring disperse from the parental home range. The usual distance traveled at this time is about 25 mi. for males and 6 mi for females; maximum known is 245 miles! Once the young animals establish themselves in a new area, they generally remain there for life.

The male fox is called a Reynard, a female is called a Vixen and the babies are called kits.

Learn more about Red Foxes.

Care Animal Hospital nestled in the heart of Bloomingdale and founded by award-winning veterinarian Dr. Richard Kane, is Hillsborough County’s largest full service, mixed animal veterinary facility providing a comprehensive range of services for ALL of the pets in your family including large and small exotics, birds, and farm animals.

With the arrival of freezing wintertime temperatures, Hillsborough County reminds residents to take proper care and precautions to protect their animals.

Pets

• Take pets indoors whenever possible to best shelter them from the elements, including wind.  By Hillsborough County ordinance, outdoor dog houses must have three enclosed sides and a solid floor.  Insulate outdoor dog houses with clean and dry materials to seal out moisture.
• Provide clean, drinking water and extra food (especially for pets outdoors).
• Consider dog sweaters, particularly for breeds with short coats.
• Like people, give extra care and protection for very young and very old pets.
• Use extreme caution when sheltering or walking pets near areas where anti-freeze may have been used in vehicles.
• Be aware that cats will seek shelter inside wheel wells and engines.  Use caution when starting vehicles that are not garaged or are kept outside.
• Be sure pets are wearing secure identification (County tags, micro-chips) in case they go missing, and search the shelter immediately.

Pet: Pupcake Sprinkle

Pupcake Sprinkle was adopted at 5 months from an adoption fair at the FL state fairgrounds.  She broke her foot when her favorite person, her big brother Kevin, accidentily tripped over her.  She loves to run and play, and can’t wait to get her cast off!

She was initally casted at e-clinic and came to CARE Animal Hospital  for her follow up care.  She signed up on a wellness plan which will make her follow up care much more affordable!

Enroll in a Wellness Plan and Save!

The first year of your puppy’s life is critical to his or her health. This is the time when puppies need the most veterinary care.

A Care Wellness Plan provides all the necessary examinations and procedures at the appropriate time, giving you peace of mind and your puppy the healthiest possible start in life.

You should enroll your puppy as early as possible, from 5 months or younger.

Our pet wellness plans are a simple and cost-effective way for pet owners to make sure that their animals stay healthy throughout the year.

> Click here for more information on our wellness plans

Last week, a woman (we will call her Ana*) was driving down a busy Brandon street and witnessed a heart-wrenching event.  It was rush-hour at dusk, which many of us in the Brandon community know, is a time when many commuters are simply going about their evening attempting to get home quickly to their loved ones.  Ana noticed a black Labrador puppy rush out at full speed into oncoming traffic, and subsequently hit by a truck.

Several witnesses had pulled over to make way in traffic to protect the puppy.  Ana was one of them. She helped move the dog out of the street and back into the property of the man who owned the dog.  Apparently, the man opened the gate and had no time to grab the dog as he dashed out into oncoming traffic.  The man was in shock.  Ana did her best to console him as the puppy whimpered relentlessly in the background.  She noticed the extent of the puppy’s injuries were severe and needed to go to a veterinarian quickly.  She urged the man to take the dog, but in his distraught state, he was unable to move.

Ana took matters into her own hands.  She encouraged the man to bring the puppy to her veterinarian and offered them a ride to CARE Animal Hospital, just up the road. She knew this labrador would receive the best care there.  She, herself, has three dogs which regularly go to CARE Animal Hospital.  One dog in particular, an abused pit bull left on her doorstep, was nursed back to health by her family under the guidance and care of Care Animal Hospital and FVS.  She believed since they always provided the best care and treatment for her own pets, they would do the same for this wounded puppy.

Although the car ride was only about three minutes, it felt like thirty.  The puppy was in serious pain. Once they arrived at the hospital, the veterinarian immediately gave the dog morphine for the pain and began to diagnose the dog’s injuries.

The injuries were fatal.

Ana waited with the man to learn the outcome of the dog’s diagnosis.  The only reasonable and humane option was to euthanize the puppy.  Since the puppy was no longer in pain under the morphine, the man was able to say his final goodbyes.

Ana was unaware of the man’s financial situation, but when it came to paying the bill, the man put a portion he could afford on a credit card.  Ana and her family paid the difference.  She told the man to consider it an early Christmas present, as the puppy was a family pet.  She was happy the man let her bring him to the animal hospital so the right decision could be made.  According to Ana, ” CARE Animal Hospital did everything they could do during a traumatic time. The staff did what was necessary to come up with the right solution.”

_{*Name has been changed as the woman wished to remain anonymous.}

Pet Loss

We understand that losing a pet is like losing a close friend, with a significant impact on both you and your family.

The special bond that we form animals is rewarding and unique, and after time, pets become members of your family. When the time arrives to say goodbye to our beloved companion for the last time, we offer every opportunity to comfort families in their loss.

Learn more about Pet Loss

Rainbow Bridge Poem

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

~ Author unknown

Enroll in a Wellness Plan and Save!

Our pet wellness plans are a simple and cost-effective way for pet owners to make sure that their animals stay healthy throughout the year.

> Click here for more information on our wellness plans

Roundworms: Puppies can get this parasite from nursing on an infected mother dog. Adults contract roundworms by ingesting soil that has roundworm eggs in it (either by eating food off the ground or normal grooming behavior). They can also get roundworms by consuming a prey animal that is infected with roundworms. Veterinarians encounter these worms frequently and have a variety of dewormers available to rid your beloved “Fido” or “Mittens” of these parasites.

Tapeworms: Primarily contracted by ingesting infected fleas. When a flea jumps on your dog or cat and bites them it causes your animal to itch in that location. The dog or cat then chews at the area in order to relieve this itchiness and will swallow the flea. Usually these can be seen in the feces of the animal and present as little white pieces of “rice” that are moving!! (YUK!) Tapeworms (as well as your dog or cat’s comfort) is one of the reasons that monthly flea prevention is so important. Veterinarians have a variety of flea prevention products. Ask your veterinarian which product is best for your circumstances and needs. Avoid store bought flea products such as flea collars or shampoos. These products have minimal effectiveness and, unlike the products found at your veterinarian which contain growth inhibitors, the store brought products contain toxins which can be very unsafe for your animal.

Hookworms: Often contagious to people!! Hookworm eggs can live in the soil for years. Usually deposited there through the feces of infected dogs and cats, the worms can actually burrow through the bottom of the feet of your dog, cat, or even yours! From there they usually (but not always) make their way to the gastrointestinal tract where they latch on to the walls of the intestines with hook-like barbs around their feeding end. Easily treated with dewormers found at your veterinarian, these parasites are very common in Florida and pose a serious health risk when in sufficient numbers due to parasitic anemia.

Whipworms: Not common in Florida but still found occasionally. Eggs in the soil are the culprit for whipworm infestation. Your dog or cat will get the infested soil on their paw or other body part and will ingest the eggs during normal grooming behavior. Once infected, the worm makes its way to the upper portion of the colon and the ileum, where they burrow their heads into the lining of these organs and suck your pets blood. They can cause anemia and colitis (inflammation of the large intestine usually presenting as soft stool/diarrhea with possible blood). As with most common intestinal parasites, your veterinarian has a variety of dewormers that will treat a whipworm infestation

Your animal companion should regularly be seen by a local veterinarian to maintain overall health. Know your vet’s procedures for emergency situations, especially ones that occur after usual business hours. Keep phone numbers for the veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, and a local emergency veterinary service in a convenient location.

Poison Safety Kit

Always keep a pet safety kit on hand for emergencies. Such a kit should contain:

• A fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide 3% (USP)
• Can of soft dog or cat food, as appropriate
• Turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medical syringe
• Saline eye solution to flush out eye contaminants
• Artificial tear gel to lubricate eyes after flushing
• Mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid for the animal after skin contamination
• Rubber gloves
• Forceps to remove stingers
• Muzzle. An excited animal may harm you
• Pet carrier

Call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center : (888) 426-4435

When you call the center, be ready to provide:

• Your name, address and telephone number.
• Information concerning the exposure (the amount of agent, the time since exposure, etc.
• If you know-what poison the animal was exposed to (have the product container packaging available for reference.)
• The species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved.
• The symptoms your animal is experiencing.