Our Blog
How to Approach the End-of-Life Decision for Your Pet After A Cancer Diagnosis
Pet cancer visited our home for the first time the summer between my second and third years of vet school. Tuna, my beloved 5-year-old cat, was diagnosed with high grade, B cell intestinal lymphoma. As a veterinary student, I knew it was “the bad one.” We were swiftly...
A Pet Loss Letter To Your Child’s Teachers
The loss of a beloved family pet is often the first loss that a child faces and it can affect them in profound ways. In addition to the tips that we give parents about talking to their children about grief, it can also be very helpful to alert the child's teachers and...
National Pet Memorial Day 2021
National Pet Memorial Day is six weeks away! Our Pets are such an important part of the family. They bring us so much joy and good memories. Each Family’s relationship with their pet looks different. So how a family honors their pet once they have crossed the rainbow...
Integrative Approaches for Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder in cats. Thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism) in cats results from excessive production of hormones from the thyroid gland. In most cases, this is caused by a single mass or multiple masses on the thyroid gland. ...
7 Comfort Hacks for Senior Pet Caregivers
At Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice, we understand that caregiving for a dog or cat during their final life stage can be exhausting- physically, emotionally, and financially. In this article, our team of end-of-life pet care professionals has put together a few of our...
Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation for Pets
Rehabilitation is defined as the action of restoring something that has been damaged to its former condition. This can specifically mean to improve function and comfort. Some of the big tools we use to achieve this in our pets are exercise programs, medications,...
2020 Memorial Tribute Video
We invite you to celebrate your pets in our 2020 pet memorial tribute video! Please submit up to 5 photos (or a 5-second video clip) of any pets you’d like to honor. Photos can be submitted via email or on our Facebook page! We’d also love for you to include your...
Blessing of the Animals
This time of year, Christian families all over the world celebrate St. Francis Day in honor of St. Francis of Assisi- the Patron Saint of Animals. We’ve gathered some of the 2020 ceremonies happening in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Portsmouth, Virginia! Please share...
National Pet Memorial Day
National Pet Memorial Day September 13th, 2020 Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice and Integrative Medicine celebrates National Pet Memorial Day each year. Typically we hold an in-person gathering that evening and light memorial lanterns in honor of all of our dear...
The Benefits of DiaGel for Senior Pets
DiaGel is an oral gel that supports proper digestion and bowel health that we have been using for over a year now at Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice and Integrative Medicine. Through its use of all-natural ingredients and essential oils, DiaGel helps maintain a...
The Benefits of Veterinary Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic medicine has a long history of misinterpretation. Often they are associated with “subluxations” and “putting things back into place.” To clarify, the lesions veterinary chiropractors manipulate are not necessarily out of place but are actually joints that...
The Benefits of PEMF Therapy for Pets
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is a non-invasive treatment modality that pulses electromagnetic fields in body tissues to speed and promote healing. In humans, PEMF devices are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat certain bone...
Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice & Integrative Medicine’s Telehealth Consulting Services
Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice and Integrative Medicine offers virtual consultations with their veterinarians. Telehealth consultations provide powerful resources for families struggling with questions about their pets’ end of life care plan and quality of life....
Information Regarding COVID-19
Due to current outbreaks of flu and COVID-19 in Hampton Roads, please alert us prior to your appointment if anyone in your home is sick with a potentially infectious illness. Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice and Integrative Medicine is dedicated to the health of our...
Pet Loss & Grief Companioning
Dr. Theresa Economos spent last weekend in Tampa, FL completing her certification in Pet Loss & Grief Companioning with Coleen Ellis. This event was hosted at the DogSmith Training Center & DogNostics Career Center. Topics of the course included understanding...
Common Questions: What is Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine?
Western Medicine and Chinese Medicine differs in the way that each disease is diagnosed and treated. Eastern Medicine looks at disease vs. health in a slightly different way than the Western medicine we are more familiar with. When the body is balance, there is...
2019 Memorial Tribute
As we head into the new year, we always like to take a moment to reflect on those watching from the Rainbow Bridge. We hope this tribute lets you share in this reflection and smile at the memories.
2019 Gift Guide for Senior Cats
1. Easy to enter litter box: $31.99. Most cats develop some amount of arthritis as they age and more complicated litter boxes can be difficult for them to climb into! 2. Warming Bed: $28.99. Kitties of all ages love a cozy bed, but older kitties can especially...
2019 Gift Guide for Senior Dogs
1. Paw Friction: $34.99. Know a senior dog who is slipping and sliding all over the house? Paw Friction can help older dogs gain traction on slippery floors and re-gain their confidence and independence around the house! 2. Toe Grips: $34.99. Toe Grips are rubber...
Is there a chance my pet will pass on his own without euthanasia?
Yes, all pets will die on their own eventually without euthanasia. What most families really want to know when they ask this question is HOW will my pet die on his own and what will he experience? It is pretty rare for a pet to pass peacefully and suddenly in his...
How do you decide when it’s time to put a pet to sleep?
The most frequent lament the doctors at Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice, In-Home Euthanasia, and Integrative Medicine hear from pet families it that they fear that they won’t be able to determine the “right” time for euthanasia....
Pet Photos with Santa in Hampton Roads, Virginia
Chesapeake Greenbrier Mall (Chesapeake, VA): Monday evenings: November 11, 18 and 25, and December 2, 9 and 16, from 6pm to 9pm. Chesapeake Square Mall (Chesapeake, VA): Sunday, December 15 from 6-8pm. Picnic & Pictures with Santa (Chesapeake, VA): Sunday,...
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Nausea
Layla is a 5 year old mixed breed dog and was very healthy until she turned 3 years old. Around that time she started intermittently vomiting. Initially she would vomit 1-2 times per month, but several months later she started vomiting at least once weekly. As Layla’s...
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Intervertebral Disc Disease
Hotdawg is a 6 year old female spayed Dachshund. She was adopted as a puppy and was overall very healthy until she was about 5 years old. At that time Hotdawg started having some issues with her hind limbs. Hotdawg’s human family previously had several Dachshund’s, so...
National Pet Memorial Day – September 2019
Celebrate National Pet Memorial Day Ceremony with Hampton Roads Veterinary Hospice
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Anxiety
Petunia was recently rescued from a local animal shelter. According to the shelter, she was found roaming the streets without any identification. She was brought to the shelter and examined by a veterinarian. Other than being mildly underweight, the veterinarian felt...
Shark Week Fun for Pets
It's Shark Week and we're excited! Who's with us? We love learning more and more about these fascinating sea creatures and what we can do to help protect them and our ocean environment. Since we're also all about the dogs and cats here in Hampton Roads, we wanted to...
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Inappropriate Urination
Garfield is a 10 year old male neutered orange tabby cat. He was adopted as a kitten and was very healthy for the first several years of his life. When Garfield was 7 years old he was brought to the emergency room because he was unable to urinate. Prior to this...
The Benefits of Acupuncture for Urinary & Fecal Incontinence
Daisy is a happy 14 year old beagle. She overall seems to be doing well but recently Daisy started occasionally urinating and defecating in her sleep. Daisy was brought to Dr. Goodvet for an examination and diagnostics. Overall Daisy’s exam was normal and her blood...
Noise Phobias in Senior Dogs
Noise phobias are a common complaint by dog owners and as we head into the July 4th weekend and the thunderstorm-filled summer months, we wanted to discuss noise phobias in our senior patients. Some senior dogs show improvement in noise phobia as their sense of...