Prime Care Animal Hospital

06/24/2026

Prime Care Animal Hospital will be closed on Saturday, July 4th, in observance of Independence Day, and will re-open Monday, July 6th at 8:00am.

Please reach out as soon as possible if you need anything for your pet.

06/24/2026

It's that time of year again, when humans create loud, scary noises out in the sky, and our furry friends need our help feeling safe & secure. See below for some tips to keep them calm.

And if your pet normally takes medications (prescribed by your veterinarian) to help them through the festivities, please contact your vet's office now to request a refill.

🐾Start with training -
Months to weeks before the Fourth of July, New Year's Eve or any other event with fireworks, you can start training your pup by getting them familiar with the sounds of fireworks. This will help them be less scared when they hear fireworks in the future — which is a process known as desensitization.

You can engage in a play session with your pup, and put firework noises on in the background, softly. You can use YouTube for this.

Once you have the fireworks sounds in the background, play with your pup to create confidence and happiness. This will help to get your dog to associate those noises with playtime.

As you see your pup relax and get into the play for a period of time and not worry about the whizzes and bangs of the fireworks, you can increase the volume next time, then try closing the curtains, and then try doing it after dark to contribute closer and closer towards simulating the exact scenario your pup will face the fireworks [in].

🐾Don’t leave your dog home alone -
If your pup’s scared of fireworks, try to stay by their side while they’re going off so you can supervise them. This one’s pretty obvious, but a dog stressed out from fireworks is not one you want to leave in your home unattended. A stressed dog is unpredictable, and dogs have been known to scratch through solid wood doors to escape a room they’ve been closed in because of fireworks. Or even try to escape through glass windows!

🐾Close the curtains and cover your dog’s crate -
Since such a big part of why fireworks scare your dog are the sounds and bright lights, closing the curtains and covering her crate will help make those things less threatening to them.

🐾Exercise your pup (or stimulate their brain) -
Earlier in the day, make sure to get plenty of exercise with your dog, or try a puzzle game to mentally stimulate them. Both physical and mental stimulation will help tire them out and leave them less likely to stress out during fireworks.

🐾Put on some music -
Putting on music during fireworks can not only help to drown out the loud noises, but it can also have a wonderful relaxing effect on our furry friends. In one study, dogs who were exposed to classical music were less stressed in a shelter environment than those who weren’t, suggesting that this type of music can keep pups calm. You can actually purchase speakers that play calming music for dogs, or for a more budget-friendly option, you can play this special type of music on YouTube.

🐾Take advantage of licking -
Licking is a self-soothing act for both puppies and dogs that allows your dog’s body to release a happiness hormone that’ll help them relax. You’d truly be surprised how powerful this is when it comes to anxiety in dogs. Allowing that lick, that motion and those hormones, allow[s] your dog to self-soothe.

There are some products you can purchase that will encourage your dog to lick, and ultimately chill them out a bit.

🐾Try an anxiety vest -
Anxiety vests and shirts are built to wrap your dog in a warm hug, helping to relieve anxiety. Like swaddling a baby or using a weighted blanket, a compression shirt will apply gentle and constant pressure to your dog's torso. The gentle pressure releases the calming hormone oxytocin and endorphins.

🐾Test out these tips for dogs and fireworks before the event -
Make sure you try all of this before the event so that you know they’ll work for your dog. For things like music and other calming aids, they’re best applied before the stress comes — not after. To make the most of these tips, dedicate the day to your dog and to calmness as much as possible.

Take extra precautions (just in case) -
While you don’t want to even think that your dog would run away in response to fireworks, it’s a good idea to prepare for it just in case. Here are some ways to make sure your dog is safe:

🐾Make sure they're wearing their collar with ID tags on.
🐾Make sure their microchip information is correct (and up to date).
🐾Consider investing in a tracking collar.

Fireworks can be jarring (even for us!), but with these tips and the right planning, you should be able to help keep your dog as calm and comfortable as possible.

05/20/2026

Today is National Rescue Dog Day!! 🐕🐩

National Rescue Dog Day is observed on May 20, and it aims at encouraging people to adopt dogs from shelters and rescues.

It also focuses on educating children about animals and their benefits, and raising awareness to the importance of spaying and neutering your pets.

The ASPCA estimates that around 3.3 million dogs arrive at shelters every year, either because they were abandoned, abused or rescued. National Rescue Dog Day highlights the fact that all these dogs need and deserve a forever home.

National Rescue Dog Day was created by Tails That Teach, a non-profit whose goal is to teach children about kindness by teaching them to care for pets, through educational programs and books.

Its founder, Lisa Wienhebrink, was inspired to create this holiday and write the book “Love Me Gently; A Kid’s Guide for Man’s Best Friend”, after she adopted her rescue dog Cooper.

National Rescue Dog Day has been an official annual celebration since 2018.

Rescue dogs end up homeless for various reasons. Some are surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them, while others are found wandering the streets. Additionally, some may be part of a litter born in a shelter.

Rescue dogs, despite past traumas, can overcome them with love and care to become loyal and loving pets.

Rescue dogs are smart enough to be trained as service animals, providing comfort and help to the elderly, people with physical impairments, and as emotional support animals.

They will forever be grateful to the families who have taken them in, who are in for years of cuddling, playing and love as a reward for adopting a rescue.

How can you observe National Rescue Dog Day?
If you can't adopt a dog, there are still many ways to help shelters, especially on National Rescue Dog Day. One way is fostering. Foster families take care of dogs temporarily, providing them with a home environment to recover from medical procedures or get the socialization they need.

Shelters always appreciate volunteers. Volunteers can help by walking, feeding, and grooming the dogs. It's a great way to spend time with the dogs and make a difference in their lives.

Another way to support shelters is by donating items like food, blankets, and toys. These things help make the dogs' lives more comfortable while they wait for their forever homes. National Rescue Dog Day is the perfect opportunity to give back to these furry friends in need. 🐾🩷

05/19/2026

Welcome to Maryland, where we go from a heat wave to back to Spring within 48 hours! While the extreme heat is temporary (for now), it is so important to recognize when it's too hot for your pet(s). Please keep them safe and cool, and learn how to recognize the signs of heat stroke.

05/18/2026

Prime Care will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day, and will re-open Tuesday, May 26th at 8:00am.

Also, Dr. Martin will not be in the office from Saturday, May 23rd to Monday, May 25th, so if you are in need of a refill of your pets’ medication, or need to see her, please plan accordingly.

If you have an emergency with your pet during these days, please go to or contact the Anne Arundel Veterinary Emergency Center at 410-224-0331.

05/15/2026

For those who are not already aware, Friends of Anne Arundel County Animals offers free pet ID tags at their Millersville location! It's just one way to ensure your pet makes it home safely, should they become lost. And better yet, it's FREE! 🩷

Much as we love microchips, a collar with a dog tag that includes the owner's phone number is the first line of defense if a dog is lost. So we're pleased to say that now you can get FREE personalized tags for your current or new dog(s) at Anne Arundel County Animal Care & Control.

We have purchased thousands of microchips for the shelter's pets, but not everyone knows what they are or how/where to get them scanned. They also need to be registered and updated when an owner moves or changes phone numbers, so a lost pet's microchip sometimes leads to a dead end. That's why it's best to have BOTH a microchip and a collar and tag on your dogs. A visible ID tag with an owner's phone number gives all finders a quick way to contact a dog's owner and can result in a pet being home in minutes.

Thanks to an engraving machine Friends of Anne Arundel County Animal Care & Control, Inc. purchased for the shelter, now anyone can get personalized tags for their dogs for FREE any time the shelter is open. Help us keep as many pets as possible with their families by spreading the word 💜

05/15/2026

😂😂😂

05/14/2026

Cookout season is fast approaching, and there are some safety concerns everyone should be aware of to keep their pets safe and happy, so everyone can enjoy themselves. 🍔🌭

🐾Please be sure your guests, especially young ones, know not to feed anything to your pet without your knowledge and permission. Also, food waste can pose a potential hazard, especially corn cobs and chicken bones. They can be very dangerous if ingested.
🐾If you are going to have your pet outside, make sure they have protection from the heat and sun, as well as plenty of cool water to drink.
🐾More dogs run away and/or hide during fireworks than any other time of year. If you are in an area where fireworks will be used, it is very important that your pet feels safe and secure. Your veterinarian may be able to prescribe a light sedative to help your friend through the scary lights and noises.
🐾Not all dogs can swim, so it is imperative they be supervised closely around pools or open water. As a precaution, you can buy your friend a stylish life vest to wear, and they will be safe should they find themselves in the water.
🐾Make sure your pet's ID tags and microchip information is up to date, so they can come home quickly and safely in the event they become lost.