Aspen Ridge Animal Hospital

🐾💜 A Mother’s Love Starts From Day One! 💜🐾

Just look at this sweet mama cat and her tiny 1-week-old baby! 🥹🐱

Mom is doing what she does best—keeping her little one warm, safe, and well-fed. At only one week old, this tiny kitten is still completely dependent on mom for everything. Those first few weeks are such an important time for growth and development. ❤️

Regular veterinary care for mom and her kittens helps make sure everyone is healthy, growing appropriately, and getting the care they need. We can also help answer questions about nutrition, deworming, vaccines, and what to expect as these little babies grow.

For now, though… this little one has the most important thing of all: a loving mama! 🥰

💕 Welcome to the world, little one! We can’t wait to watch you grow!

🐾 Wellness Exams: Prevention Is the Best Medicine! 🩺❤️

This sweet pup is getting some extra love from Dr. Ellis during his visit—and it’s a great reminder that regular veterinary wellness exams are about so much more than just vaccines!

Annual wellness exams give us the opportunity to:
🐶 Check your pet’s heart, lungs, eyes, ears, teeth, skin, and overall body condition
🦷 Catch dental disease before it becomes painful or causes bigger health problems
⚖️ Monitor weight and nutrition
💉 Keep vaccines and parasite prevention up to date
🔎 Look for early signs of illness that may not be obvious at home
❤️ Establish a baseline for your pet’s health so changes can be caught sooner

Pets are experts at hiding when something is wrong. Routine wellness visits can help us find problems early—when they’re often easier, less expensive, and more successful to treat.

Whether your pet is a playful puppy, a busy adult, or a beloved senior, preventive care is one of the best ways to help them live a long, healthy, happy life! 🐾

📅 Don’t wait until your pet is sick to schedule their next visit. Give us a call and let’s keep those tails wagging! ❤️

🐱🦷 Feline Dental Care Matters! 🦷🐱

Did you know that dental disease is one of the most common health problems we see in cats? And because our feline friends are experts at hiding discomfort, dental problems can go unnoticed until they become quite advanced.

Regular dental care can help prevent plaque, tartar, gingivitis, periodontal disease, painful infections, and tooth loss. Keeping your cat’s mouth healthy can also help them stay comfortable and enjoy their food for years to come! ❤️

🏠 Simple things you can do at home:
🪥 Brush their teeth – Daily is ideal, but even a few times a week can help. Use a pet-safe toothpaste and a toothbrush designed for cats.
🦷 Start slowly – Let your cat get used to having their lips and mouth handled before introducing a toothbrush.
🥩 Consider dental diets or treats – Some products are specifically designed to help reduce plaque and tartar.
👀 Check their mouth regularly – Watch for red or swollen gums, bad breath, yellow/brown buildup, drooling, difficulty eating, or dropping food.
🏥 Schedule regular veterinary dental exams – Professional dental cleanings allow us to evaluate areas you can’t see at home and address dental disease before it becomes more serious.

📸 A behind-the-scenes look at dental care!
This photo shows one of our veterinary team members caring for a feline patient during a dental procedure. Your cat is carefully monitored and supported while we work to evaluate and treat their teeth and gums. ❤️🐾

And remember: dental care isn’t just about keeping those teeth clean—it’s about keeping your cat comfortable and healthy!

If your cat hasn’t had a dental evaluation recently, give us a call to schedule one! 🐱🦷💜

🍑 Peach was having a perfectly nice lunch with our technician… until she decided to give us this face. 😂

We’re not sure what she was trying to say, but we’re pretty sure she had some strong opinions about the menu. 😆🐾

💫 Meet Nebula! 💫
Just look at those big blue eyes! 💙🐾

This tiny little kitten is Nebula, and she has completely stolen our hearts! With her fluffy coat, adorable ears, and those beautiful baby-blue eyes, she’s giving us all the sweetest little kitten vibes. 🥹💕

Nebula is still discovering the world around her, one curious little adventure at a time. We’re so happy to watch her grow, learn, and show off her adorable personality!

✨ Welcome to the world, sweet Nebula! ✨

We have a feeling this little girl is going to have everyone wrapped around her tiny paws. 🐱💗

🐾💕

🦨 SKUNK SEASON IS HERE! 🦨

As the weather cools down, skunks become more active, and curious pets can sometimes get a little too close for comfort. Skunks are generally peaceful animals, but when they feel threatened, they may defend themselves by spraying a strong-smelling musk.

🐾 If your pet gets sprayed…
First, don’t panic! The smell can be overwhelming, but there are steps you can take at home:

Keep your pet outside or in an easy-to-clean area until they can be cleaned.

Avoid getting the spray on yourself or in your eyes.

A pet-safe skunk odor remover is often the best option. There are also commonly used home solutions involving hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and dish soap, but these can irritate the skin and eyes and should never be stored or left sitting on your pet. Keep the solution away from your pet's eyes, nose, and mouth.

Do not use tomato juice — despite the old advice, it generally does not neutralize skunk odor.

Wash collars, bedding, and other items separately, as the odor can linger.

👀 Most importantly, check your pet after a skunk encounter. Skunk spray can irritate the eyes and skin. If your pet was sprayed directly in the face, is squinting, has red or irritated eyes, is vomiting, seems weak or unusually quiet, or you have any concerns, please contact your veterinarian.

🚨 Sprayed within the last 72 hours?
Please call us before coming into the hospital.

We absolutely want to care for your pet! Because skunk odor can be extremely difficult to remove from a veterinary hospital and can linger throughout the building, we have a special procedure for recently sprayed pets.

When you call, we will have you wait in your car for your pet's exam. Once we're ready, we will bring your pet into the hospital through a separate entrance.

This isn't about keeping you or your pet away — quite the opposite! ❤️ It's simply the best way for us to care for your pet while protecting the comfort of other patients, their families, and our staff.

🦨 A little prevention can go a long way: Keep pets supervised outdoors, especially around dusk and nighttime, and make sure they can't access areas where skunks may be hiding.

Baby Skunks Trying To Spray - Funniest Compilation Compilation of baby skunks playing, stomping and spraying. Skunks a...

Over a very short period of time, our practice has gone from four veterinarians to two. We are actively working to find another doctor to join our team, but finding the right veterinarian takes time.

In the meantime, our remaining doctors and staff are working incredibly hard to continue caring for our patients and accommodate as many appointments and medical needs as possible. We are doing everything we can with the resources we currently have.

We know this may sometimes mean:
🐾 Longer wait times for appointments
🐾 Less flexibility with scheduling
🐾 Having to wait a little longer for non-urgent concerns
🐾 Occasional changes to our usual availability

We understand that it can be frustrating when your pet needs care. Please know that our team is frustrated by these limitations too. We care deeply about our patients and are doing our best every day to provide the care they deserve.

As we work through this transition, kindness, patience, and understanding go a long way. ❤️ Our veterinary team is made up of people who are doing their very best to care for your pets while also balancing their own families and lives.

We are grateful for the patience and trust our clients have shown us during this challenging time. We will continue working toward rebuilding our team so that we can better serve our community.

Thank you for being part of our veterinary family. 🐶🐱❤️

🐾 Meet Ranger! 💙

Ranger is officially neutered and on the mend! ✂️🐶

Look at those ears and that sweet face! 💙 After his procedure this week, Ranger is getting plenty of rest, TLC, and some extra attention from our veterinary team while he recovers.

We’re so happy to see this handsome boy recovering so well! Give Ranger some love in the comments. 🥰🐾

🐍 RATTLESNAKE SEASON: KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE! 🐍

We have had multiple Rattlesnake bites come in over the last couple of weeks.
Curious dogs are especially vulnerable to rattlesnake bites, particularly while hiking, exploring yards, or walking through brush.

If you suspect your pet has been bitten:
🚨 Seek veterinary care immediately
🚨 Keep your pet as calm and still as possible
🚨 Carry your pet if you can safely do so
🚨 Call ahead so the veterinary team can prepare

Do NOT try to suck out the venom, make an incision, apply a tourniquet, or give medications unless specifically instructed by a veterinarian.

Signs can include swelling, pain, puncture wounds, bruising, weakness, or changes in breathing — but don’t wait for symptoms to worsen before seeking help.

🐾 Prevention matters, too. Keep dogs on leash when hiking, stay on cleared paths, and avoid areas where snakes may be hiding.

Would you know what to do if your dog encountered a rattlesnake? Save this post and share it with another pet parent!

🐾💙 Those ears though! 💙🐾

We’re pretty sure this sweet girl’s ears arrived before she did! 😂👂🐶

Just look at that sweet face! She came in ready to charm the entire Aspen Ridge team—and with those big ears and those puppy-dog eyes, she didn’t stand a chance of leaving without a few extra snuggles. 🥰

10/10 ears. 10/10 adorable. 100% good girl! 💙🐾