What We Provide          

 Stay safe, Stay Healthy!
  • Comprehensive medical care
  • Wellness exams and vaccinations
  • Preventive care education
  • Routine surgical and dental care
  • Veterinary herbal medicine consults
  • Veterinary acupuncture
  • Minor emergency care
  • Extended puppy/kitten visits
  • Online shop & pharmacy


We will be closed on Monday, January 18th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.


TWO ARTICLES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
  • We miss you, too!  We know it is frustrating not to be able to make an appointment for your pet to see us quickly.  And when you get here, we take your pet inside without you. And most of the communication is over the phone and not in-person.  Well, we also miss that personal interaction with you.  This Washington Post article describes the challenges facing veterinarians during the pandemic.  As always, if you have  concerns about something you are observing in your dog or cat, please call us so that we may advise you on the best course of action.
  • With the first doses of Coronavirus vaccine being administered, we can finally start to plan for post-pandemic lives.  Our pets have given us a great deal of companionship and hope during the periods of isolation, helping us to get through this difficult time.  Now it is our responsibility to help them adjust to yet another change in their daily lives as we return to pre-pandemic schedules.  This article from the Washington Post has many good suggestions for gradually making this transition. Some dogs and cats may welcome the  solitude and rest; they may be exhausted from the constant interaction with family.  Others may become anxious and stressed at being left alone for longer periods.  The key is to start the transition now, allowing them the time to learn to relax while at home alone.  Another source of stress for pets may be the introduction of new people into the home. There have been fewer people visiting most homes in the last 10 months; some dogs, especially dogs who came into the home as puppies, are now  older and have never had the experience of allowing a stranger into their space.  Reinforcing calm sit/stay commands while greeting guests at the door and providing a comfortable, safe space where they can retreat if the situation is overwhelming, will help your pet adjust to  renewed social interactions.  This adjustment may take several months.  The efforts we make now to help our pets adapt to a more normal daily routine will allow them to calmly continue to be our close companions and family members in the upcoming months.



Welcome, Dr. Laden

All of us at Silver Spring Animal Hospital are excited to welcome Dr. Sandra Laden to our practice.  She has practiced veterinary medicine in Montgomery County for more than 25 years.  Dr. Laden studied Animal Science at Rutgers University and earned her veterinary degree from Cornell University.  Dr. Laden is also certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, having studied at The Chi University of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.  She practices all aspects of veterinary medicine, and uses medical acupuncture along with western medicine to improve her patients' quality of life.  Her professional interests include veterinary internal medicine, chronic pain management, acupuncture and geriatrics.  She especially enjoys working with families to develop strategies to enhance the bond with their furry companions.  Dr. Laden is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management, the International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care, and the American Association for Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine.  In her spare time, Dr. Laden volunteers as the vice president of Friends of Cabin John Creek and as a project manager of a serpentine grassland restoration effort in Harford County.



Coronavirus Update

September 6, 2020

Dear Clients,

We hope you are all well and living safely in the midst of the current situation with COVID-19. We continue to provide sick and well care for all of our patients during normal business hours but will post a notice on the website and on the voicemail if we modify our hours. At this time, we plan to continue providing curbside service. This virus has proven unpredictable to control, and we mean to keep everyone as safe as possible using common sense methods to reduce risk of exposure.

In the meantime, we would appreciate it if you could take the following steps when you visit us, keeping in mind that clients will not be entering the clinic with their animals.
  • Please do not come to the clinic if you have any of the following: potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus, a fever,  or respiratory symptoms of any kind.
  • When you arrive, please call to let us know you are out front.  We will take your information, including your phone number and make of car over the phone and then the patient will be brought in by a masked technician.  The veterinarian will call you to discuss the visit,  so please be sure you are available at the phone number you gave us. Following the exam, the patient will be brought back to you, and we will take your credit card, run the charges and return it to you with an itemized receipt. The veterinarian will call you to discuss their findings and recommendations while you are still here.
  • Please do not drop by for weight checks or to pick up medications without calling ahead of time and follow the same guidelines as described above.
  • In some cases, we may be able to administer vaccines, such as Bordatella (kennel cough or vaccine boosters in your car. Please call us when you arrive if this is what you  wish to do and we will try to accommodate you.
  • Please note that you can order food &  prescription items from our online pharmacy.  https://silverspringanimal.vetsfirstchoice.com/

In an effort to keep everyone healthy, we are disinfecting point-of-contact surfaces on a regular basis. We are also avoiding physical contact with our clients, such as shaking hands, and we may wear gloves when handling our patients. We ask for your understanding in these matters.

​Now more than ever, after 6 months of  living our lives in a most unusual way, the following is a helpful message provided by the American Veterinary Medical Association:
      In the time of COVID-19, day-to-day life might look a lot different from the usual. From cancelled events to mandatory lockdowns to resource insecurity, there’s a lot that can affect our mental health and wellbeing. Consider these tips to help protect and maintain your wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s okay to feel strong emotions regarding the impacts of COVID-19Emotions are part of the human experience. We are supposed to have feelings, and feelings aren’t good or bad—they may simply be more or less comfortable. In times like these, we are likely experiencing a mix of emotions, from fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, to sadness and disappointment. Experiencing sadness or disappointment when something we had planned to do is no longer an option speaks to the fact that the event mattered to us—and that’s a good thing. That shows we are invested in the interactions we have planned.
What matters is how we choose to respondSo, what do we do with that sense of disappointment and sadness? There are optimal and suboptimal ways of responding to unforeseen circumstances. It’s important to find healthy outlets for channeling our emotions.
  • Start with how you talk about it. Say, “I feel really disappointed,” instead of “I’m disappointed.” This language reinforces that an emotion like disappointment is a feeling, not a permanent condition.
  • Learn from it. Ask yourself, “What is one thing I can learn from this? What is something positive I can take from this?”
  • Focus on what you do have in your life. Whether that’s clean water, toilet paper, loved ones, your own health, etc., remember that even in the most difficult of times, there are aspects of life to be grateful for.
  • Share your feelings of disappointment with another person.
  • Get outside of your own head. You might do this in a variety of ways, i.e. by helping someone out in a small way, exercising, or coming up with an alternative to a cancelled or postponed event.
  • Ask yourself, what’s one small step I can take to feel better?
How to deal with isolation, quarantine, and social distancingWhether you consider yourself extraverted or introverted, humans are social beings, and the current social climate can be difficult for many of us. The good news is that humans are also inventive solution seekers. There are a variety of ways to stay connected to each other, such as live online exercise classes, FaceTime or Zoom calls, waving to neighbors on walks, and more. Many things are being offered online now, so you might have an opportunity to explore something that you might not have done otherwise.
During a pandemic, it’s not uncommon for individuals to experience a heightened sense of anxiety, even those who may not have experienced anxiety previously. Here are some additional strategies to help deal with unexpected changes and events like COVID-19:
  • Separate what is in your control from what is not. Focus on the things you can do, like washing your hands, drinking water, maintaining a set wake-up and bed time, or limiting your news consumption.
  • Do what helps you feel safe. This will be different for everyone, and it’s important not to compare yourself to others.
  • Get outside in nature—even if you are avoiding crowds. It can feel good to get fresh air, and exercise helps both your physical and mental health.
  • Challenge yourself to stay in the present. When you find yourself worrying about something that hasn’t happened, gently bring yourself back to the present moment.  Notice the sights, sounds, tastes and other sensory experiences in your immediate moment and name them. Engaging in mindfulness activities is one way to help stay grounded when things feel beyond your control.
  • Stay connected. Reach out to trusted friends if you need more support. If you are feeling particularly anxious or are struggling with your mental health, reach out to a mental health professional for guidance. You don’t have to be alone with your worry

We hope that you and your wonderful pets stay safe and enjoy these lovely Fall days.

Gouri Krishna, DVM, Patrick Barnes, DVM, Dr. Sandra Laden and the staff at Silver Spring Animal Hospital
​
Learn more about our services.
 
 
 For more information, including emergency room procedures, go to our COVID-19 page.

We have all the communications from local emergency animal hospitals there as well as an announcement from the State Veterinary Board confirming that veterinary services are an essential activity.

Be safe. Call if you have questions.

COVID-19

​