Falls Road Animal Hospital Open for Pet Boarding for Marylanders Still Without Power

BALTIMORE, July 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As frustrations continue to mount in the Maryland neighborhoods without electricity, and as temperatures reach well into the 90s for the eighth straight day, Falls Road Animal Hospital is open for Doggie Day Care and boarding to give pets a break from the heat and a home for pets with displaced families.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120705/PH35642-a)  
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120705/PH35642-b)

"We are a community resource," says Dr. Kim Hammond, founder of the 24-hour vet hospital and pet center. "One of our customers said that her insurance company is picking up the cost of boarding and day care because the family can't go home."

Dr. Kim Hammond will never forget how many panic-stricken dogs cars hit during Maryland's infamous summer derecho storm. One thunderclap sent a terrified border collie tearing across several lawns and into a four-lane road. "He got hit just as he had almost gotten across," he says.

A veterinarian in the Baltimore area, Dr. Hammond treats pets in his animal trauma center open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He says in one fatal flash a family pet can be gone.

Dr. Hammond says the collie's behavior was most likely caused by thunderstorm phobia, which affects dogs, cats, and other pets to varying degrees. A certain amount of anxiety during extreme weather is a natural, life-preserving instinct, Hammond, citing the case of animals that headed for higher ground during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

But phobic pets take this response to an unhealthy level. The problem can be difficult to treat, but with time and dedicated effort, pets can be taught to ride out storms. But in the middle of a prolonged disaster like this derecho, some pets need a place to go.

A little playtime for your pet with Doggie Day Care, includes:

• Monday-Friday 7:30am to 8:00pm 
drop off or pick up. Daycare from 9-5.
• Weekend 9:00am to 5pm drop off or pick up. Daycare from 9-4:30pm.
• Located inside For Pet's Sake
• Open 7 days a week
• 4 Indoor playrooms to accommodate different sizes and personalities
• Large outdoor fenced yard connected to the daycare
• Agility course-any dog can enjoy this and it's a great confidence builder
• Wading pools in summer
• Cageless boarding available
• Veterinarian always on staff

"We do not put dogs in cages during the day for 'naps,' but we can put puppies down for a nap if needed," said Dr. Hammond. "You can call to have your pets stay extended if the power isn't back on by the end of the day!"

Established in 1985 Falls Road Animal hospital has a long history in the community as a referral and emergency practice, and has also seen wellness general practice patients for many years. The general practice focuses on preventive health care for pets and client education. Patients are seen for annual comprehensive physical exams, early detection blood analyses and other diagnostics, dentistry, spays and neuters, and vaccines and microchips.

General Practice veterinary medicine at Falls Road Animal Hospital will provide a complete individual health care plan for each pet, with targeted education and resources for each client. "It's very rewarding to see our patients grow from puppy or kitten hood into healthy, happy adults, and to continue to care for them from adulthood into their geriatric years," says Dr. Kim Hammond, founder of the practice.

The practice also provides a wide variety of specialty veterinary care for patients referred from their primary veterinarian. These are usually complex cases; the specialists continue to work with the primary veterinarian throughout the duration of treatment or illness, at which time the patient will return to them for ongoing wellness care. Specialties include internal medicine, surgery, and oncology; services provided include ultrasound, CT scan, orthopedic, soft tissue and neurosurgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism.

About Falls Road Animal Hospital

A large multi-doctor practice, Falls Road Animal Hospital has been serving the Baltimore area for over 30 years. We practice aggressive medicine and offer a full complement of ancillary diagnostic equipment including endoscopy, ultrasonography and a modern in-house laboratory. Our sick patients are closely monitored in a separate Intensive Care Unit. We offer three surgical suites for soft tissue and orthopedic procedures (including bone plating) accommodate a diversity of surgical cases. We serve a diverse client base including dogs, cats, exotics and wildlife. Two full-time emergency doctors complement our staff providing 24-hour care. We voluntarily have our hospital evaluated by a consultant who makes sure we meet or exceed the association's high veterinary hospital standards. For more information please visit us on the web at www.fallsroad.com or by calling 410-825-9100.

SOURCE Falls Road Animal Hospital