Hometown Veterinary Hospital

🐾 September 28 is World Rabies Day 🐾

Rabies might not be something we think about every day—but it’s one of the reasons keeping your pet’s vaccinations up to date is so important.

Here in the Springfield & Greene County area, rabies is not just a “what if.” The Springfield-Greene County Health Department confirmed two positive rabies cases skunks in March 2026, followed by three positive bat cases in August 2026. 🦇

❤️ Rabies is preventable in your pet, but once clinical signs develop, it is almost always fatal.
💉 Vaccination helps protect your pet if they encounter infected wildlife.
🏡 It also helps create an important layer of protection for the people and other pets in your home.
🦇 And wildlife encounters can happen much closer to home than you might expect—sometimes right in your own backyard.

Remember: you don't have to live in the woods to encounter wildlife. Bats, skunks, raccoons and other wild animals can make their way into neighborhoods and yards.

A few simple ways to help protect your family and pets:

🐶 Keep rabies vaccinations current
🐱 Keep pets away from wildlife
🦨 Never approach or handle sick, injured, or strangely behaving wildlife
🚨 If your pet has contact with wildlife, contact your veterinarian or local animal control for guidance

This World Rabies Day, take a moment to check your pet’s vaccine records. If you’re not sure whether your pet is current, give us a call. We are happy to help!

A Quick Note for Our New Clients 🐾

We know that plans can change, but unfortunately, we’ve experienced an increase in no-show appointments, which means another pet and their family may miss an opportunity to be seen.

Because of this, we require a deposit for all new client appointments at the time the appointment is scheduled.

Our wonderful and knowledgeable staff will review the deposit amount with you when scheduling your appointment. If you schedule through our online booking system, a member of our team will reach out to you to review the deposit details.

💙 The good news? Your deposit is not an additional fee!
It goes directly toward your pet’s visit and can be applied to their:
• Exam fee
• Services
• Products or medications

If the full deposit is not used during your pet’s visit, any remaining balance will be refunded to you.

🎉 Have a free first-exam code? We have lots of them available, and we are absolutely happy to honor them! However, a deposit is still required when scheduling. The deposit is simply a way for us to reserve that appointment time and help ensure we are being respectful of all the other pets and families waiting to be seen.

We truly appreciate your understanding! Our goal is to make sure appointment times are available for the pets who need them most while continuing to make veterinary care as accessible as possible. 🐶🐱💙

Thank you for helping us make sure every appointment counts!

🐾 Meet Kira! 💕

Kira spent the day with us a couple of months ago for her spay, and that sweet face is the perfect reminder of something we take very seriously at Hometown Veterinary Hospital: your pet’s safety and comfort while they are in our care.

Whenever a pet stays with us for an anesthetic procedure, our team carefully monitors them throughout the entire process—not just during surgery, but before, during, and after anesthesia.

During the procedure, your pet is continuously monitored for:
🩺 Blood pressure
💗 Heart rate
🫁 Respiratory rate
💨 Oxygen saturation
🌡️ Temperature
📈 Carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels

And our monitoring doesn’t stop when surgery is over. After your pet is extubated, we monitor their vitals every 15 minutes during the first hour of recovery, followed by additional checks throughout their stay until they are awake, stable, comfortable, and ready to head home.

We know that handing your pet over to someone else for anesthesia can feel scary. We want you to know that we never take that responsibility lightly. Your pets are family, and we treat their safety and well-being with the same care we would want for our own. ❤️ 🐾

And Kira? She handled her big day like a champ! Just look at those ears! 🥹 💗

POV: Your pet gets ahold of your phone… 📱🐾

They scroll through your camera roll and suddenly realize you have THOUSANDS of pictures of them sleeping. 😂

“… seriously? You took ANOTHER picture of me sleeping?”
Yes. Yes, we did. And we have zero regrets. 😂❤️

Because honestly, is there anything cuter than a sleepy pet? 🥹💤

Be honest… how many pictures of your pet are currently on your phone? 👀👇

Sandy has been part of the Hometown team for a year, and we are so grateful to have her! She is one of the first smiling faces you’ll see at our reception desk, providing excellent customer service and going above and beyond to make our clients and their pets feel welcome and at ease. Over the past year, she has continued to grow her knowledge of veterinary medicine and is always eager to learn. We are so grateful for the warmth, dedication, and joy she brings to our Hometown team!

Here’s Sandy’s WHY:

"I have always had a passion for helping others. It brings me so much joy to be the familiar face you see as you walk in, or the friendly voice you hear on the phone. Being a part of the Hometown team has shown me what it means to go above and beyond for the care of our patients and clients alike. That is my why."

We’re so lucky to have you, Sandy! Thank you for all you do! 🐾💙

🐱🥐 WHY DO CATS MAKE BISCUITS?

You know the move…
Press. Press. Press. 🐾
Purr. Purr. Purr. 😻

But why do cats knead blankets, beds, and sometimes YOU?

Kneading starts when kittens nurse. They instinctively knead around their mother to help stimulate milk flow. As they grow up, many cats continue the behavior because it can be associated with comfort, relaxation, and feeling safe. 💙

Some cats even knead when they’re especially happy or settling down for a cozy nap.

So if your cat is making biscuits on your lap, consider it a compliment! 🥰

🐾What does your cat like to knead most—blankets, pillows, your lap, or something completely random? 😂👇

🐾 ANSWERS TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA! 🐾

How did you do? 😸

1️⃣ A — True! Cats can jump up to 6 times their body length! 🐈⬆️
2️⃣ B — Fewer calories After being spayed or neutered, cats generally need fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight. 🍽️🐱

Did you get both right? 🎉

🐱 CAT TRIVIA WITH LARRY! 🐾

Think you know cats? Let’s see if you can get these right! 😸

Question 1: True or False: Cats can jump up to 6 times their body length! 🐈⬆️
A. True
B. False

Question 2: After being spayed or neutered, cats generally need… 🍽️
A. More calories to maintain their weight
B. Fewer calories to maintain their weight
C. The same amount of calories
D. Only wet food

👇 COMMENT YOUR ANSWERS!
How many did you get right?