Why We Chose an AAHA-Accredited Animal Hospital

Call me crazy, but I take healthcare for myself and my pets very seriously. Honestly, we’ve been pretty lucky with Navy; she’s generally a very healthy dog. However, that doesn’t mean we haven’t had our health scares (like the time she swallowed a chicken bone whole, had that strange bump on her paw, or when she had a bad cough…). None of these “scares” even comes close to what happened to Navy last summer.

If you’ve been following us along on our Instagram you may remember the 72 hours Navy was sick last summer. We had literally just gotten back from an amazing trip to the Outer Banks with our family when Navy vomited for the first time. At the time Zach and I thought nothing of it. We patted Navy on the back, gave her some fresh water, and took her outside for a quick walk. Throughout the evening Navy wouldn’t touch her food or drink any water. Zach and I figured her stomach might still be upset so we didn’t place her dinner out and monitored her throughout the evening. That night Navy woke us up every hour to vomit and it continued into the morning. We called our vet as soon as they opened and brought her in for an appointment immediately.

Our amazing vet gave Navy an extensive physical exam. She inspected Navy’s stomach to see if there was any discomfort. Navy didn’t mind her stomach being poked and prodded and was alert during the exam, so a potential blockage was ruled out. Our vet presented several options to us regarding Navy’s vomiting. The vet rushed a stool sample analysis, gave Navy an anti-nausea injection, and an injection of fluids to restore her electrolytes. Over the next day, Navy started to act more like herself, ultimately eating a bit of her dinner.

Thankfully Navy recovered from her illness after a few days. While we still don’t know exactly what caused her to get sick, we were so thankful we had the support of our online community and more importantly our vet. I cannot imagine life without Navy or Duke. Navy and puppy Duke truly bring our family so much joy. They never cease to cheer us up when we are having a stressful day. Despite the 4am wake up calls, the little smile on their faces make the lack of sleep worth it. I am so thankful for the two of them. We want Navy and puppy Duke to have the best paws-ible life, so we can all enjoy many happy years together. That is why we choose to take them to an American Animal Association (AAHA) accredited animal hospital.

Did you know that animal hospitals are not required to be accredited? Unlike human hospitals, animal hospitals are not required to be accredited — it is voluntary! Almost 60% of pet owners believe their veterinary hospital is accredited when it is not. By choosing an AAHA-accredited animal hospital, Zach and I are assured that Navy and Duke have the best possibility for a full, healthy life. AAHA evaluates practices on more than 900 standards of veterinary excellence. Also, AAHA-accredited veterinary practices ensure pet safety through various checkpoints regardless of whether your pet is receiving a routine checkup or a larger procedure.

Do you want your pet to have the best “paws”-ability for a healthy life? Visit FindMyAAHA.com to locate a local AAHA-accredited veterinary practice.

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