As we reflect on 2020 and what has happened during this tumultuous year, it's time to take stock of what we learned regarding pet care. Many of us had to change our routines that we’ve happily been doing (or not!) for years—wake up, make coffee, take the dog for a walk, shower, and commute to work. On the way home, we stop at the store for a quick few ingredients for dinner, grab the kids from school, ask about homework, and settle in for the night. Our pets love routine and having us home, so this was a banner year for our fur babies.

Adopting or buying a puppy is no fly-by-night decision. You hopefully spent a lot of time deciding on the best dog breed for your family, settled on your veterinary and/or pet insurance budget, and of course, agonized over the most magnificent moniker for your precious pup.

As veterinarians, we pick and choose our battles with pet owners on certain things. For example, although we highly recommend microchipping your pets to avoid the heartache of not getting a lost pet returned to you, we would never force that on anyone. In the case of vaccinations, however, we can’t emphasize enough just how important they are to your pet’s wellness.

There’s nothing that warms the heart more than seeing the videos that pop up after the holidays of a pajama-clad kiddo popping the top off a box to reveal a puppy or a kitty. Chances are, that child has been bugging his or her parents to get a pet for eons so the payoff is usually a lot of happy tears. And while this can tale can have a happy ending, as veterinarians, we see the alternatives far too often.

From puppy breath and snuggle seshes to silly selfies and watching them fall asleep right in their food bowls, puppies are, quite frankly, perfection. As veterinarians, however, we always want to make sure that anyone considering taking the puppy plunge understands that, along with all of the good stuff, taking care of puppies can be a lot of work. Not only that, but they are itty bitty balls of energy that require a lot of time and dedication.

We’ve all experienced cabin fever and the stir-craziness that comes with the winter months, and, unfortunately, this happens to our pets too. And while it can be tempting for the whole family to melt into the couch for months of Netflix-watching, this inactivity can lead to obesity in your dogs. In turn, obesity can lead to other harmful conditions such as diabetes and/or arthritis.

When Benjamin Franklin said that there were only two things that are certain in life - death and taxes - he forgot about winter. Love it or hate it, it’s comin’ in hot...er, cold. And while you know what you need to keep yourself safe and warm, do you know how your dog feels out in the cold? The truth is, you don’t. And as veterinarians, it’s our job to remind you of that. Because you don’t know what your dog feels, it’s important to consider the winter implications for them.

The sun is starting to set earlier and earlier and the temperature is getting cooler. Some parts of the U.S. have begun to see blankets of snow that seemingly showed up overnight. Our minds have turned to thoughts of fireplaces and mugs of hot cocoa. We see our sleeping pets curled up and content on their bed when, all a sudden, their head pops up and they start to chew on their hip. “It can’t be a flea!” you think, noting the time of year and the chill in the air.