Grantline Veterinary Hospital has been honored to serve our community, providing compassionate care for your pets. It is with a heavy heart that we must announce that our practice must temporarily close, effective December 22nd. The nationwide labor shortage has hit the veterinary industry hard, and we are unable to keep our hospital open without a doctor on site.

While we are actively recruiting for a new veterinarian, we cannot provide medical treatment or authorize prescription refills without a provider onsite. However, our phone lines will remain open to help you. If you need medical care in our absence, we can assist in referring you to another hospital and transferring your pet’s medical records there.

While we cannot provide a timeline for reopening at this time, we want to thank you for the trust you have placed in Grantline Veterinary Hospital over the years, and we hope to see you again soon!

How to Tackle Ticks Safely When Hiking with Your Pet

Nothing sends the creepy-crawlies up your spine more than spotting a tick prowling across your pet’s skin. When taking advantage of the beautiful summer weather to go hiking with your pet, help them stay safe from tick-borne illnesses by following these tips.

#1: Administer year-round tick prevention to your pet

Nothing is more effective at keeping hungry ticks at bay than tick prevention. Whether you administer a topical solution to your pet’s skin or give them a flavored chew, you’re creating a shield against ticks and the diseases they carry. 

#2: Keep your pet out of prime tick habitat when hiking

Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not fall from trees or jump great distances to latch onto you or your pet. Instead, they “quest” for their prey, meaning they climb up the stalks of tall grasses, weeds, and shrubs and stick their front legs out, waiting for a warm body to wander by and become a host. So, although your pooch would love to sniff around in the tall brush, keep them to closely trimmed trails or paved paths.

#3: Know how to remove ticks properly from your pet

If a tick latches onto your pet, know how to properly remove it to minimize infection transmission. Squeezing the tick’s body can cause it to “inject” disease pathogens into your pet, so use a pair of tweezers to gently grasp the tick’s head as close to your pet’s skin as possible, then pull straight back with steady pressure. Avoid twisting when pulling since this can cause the head to detach and remain in your pet’s skin. Monitor the area for inflammation and infection. If you feel you will be unable to completely remove the tick from your pet, you can also bring them in and have your veterinarian remove it.

#4: Protect your pet from Lyme disease with appropriate vaccination

In addition to protecting your pet from ticks with tick prevention, you also can safeguard them with a Lyme disease vaccine. By vaccinating your pet—dogs only—against Lyme disease, you can greatly decrease their chances of contracting this tick-borne illness and reduce the severity of signs if infection occurs.

Before hitting the trail, protect your pet from the threat of Lyme disease with tick prevention and vaccination. Contact our team to schedule an appointment.