River Road Animal Hospital

01/05/2026

🐦 National Bird Day 🐦

Today we celebrate our feathered friends and the important role birds play in our world. From bringing beauty and song to our lives to helping maintain healthy ecosystems.
Birds require specialized care, proper nutrition, enrichment, and safe environments to thrive. If you share your life with a bird, regular wellness visits and attentive care are essential to keeping them healthy and happy.
We also encourage everyone to help protect wild birds by keeping cats indoors or supervised, using bird-safe windows, and providing clean feeders and fresh water.
Let’s take today to appreciate, protect, and advocate for birds; both wild and companion... today and every day. 💚🐦

01/02/2026

🚗🐾 Today is National Pet Travel Safety Day! 🐾🚗

Whether you’re heading out for a quick ride or a long trip, keeping your pet safe on the road is incredibly important. Traveling with unrestrained pets isn’t just risky, it can be deadly.

Did you know?
• An estimated 100,000 dogs die each year from falling or being tossed from the back of pickup trucks when they aren’t secured properly. Riding in an open truck bed puts them at serious risk of injury or death.
• Letting pets stick their heads out of car windows may seem fun, but it increases the chance of debris injuries, and pets can be thrown or jump from the vehicle. Experts strongly discourage this behavior.
• Pets should never ride unrestrained inside a moving vehicle. During a crash or sudden stop, even small dogs can become dangerous projectiles.
• Falls and ejections can happen anywhere, this safety guidance also applies to slower vehicles like golf carts. About 15% of golf cart injuries involve passengers falling out, and pets are especially vulnerable if unsecured.

🔹 Safety tips for traveling with pets:
• Always restrain your pet with a crash-tested harness, carrier, or secured crate.
• Keep their head and body inside the vehicle at all times.
• Never allow pets to ride in the bed of a pickup truck or with heads out open windows.
• For golf carts, use secure seating or carriers and never allow pets to ride unsecured.

Your pet’s safety should be part of every journey. If you’re planning a trip and have questions about keeping your furry family member comfortable and secure, we’re always happy to help!

01/01/2026

January is National Train Your Dog Month!

Training is more than just teaching tricks, it’s about building trust, communication, and confidence between you and your dog. Consistent, positive training helps create safer, happier pets and strengthens the bond you share with them.

Whether you’re working on basic manners, leash skills, or welcoming a new puppy into your home, it’s never too early (or too late!) to start. Short, positive training sessions paired with patience and praise can make a big difference.

If you have questions about training, behavior concerns, or would like recommendations for local trainers, our team is always happy to help guide you in the right direction.

Let’s make this month about setting our dogs up for success... one cue, one reward, and one wagging tail at a time!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year & Celebrating 19 Years of Dr. Travis 🎉

As we welcome the New Year, we are honored to celebrate an incredible milestone 19 years since Dr. Travis opened the doors of River Road Animal Hospital.
For nearly two decades, Dr. Travis has dedicated her career to caring for animals and the people who love them. What started as a vision rooted in compassion and integrity has grown into a trusted practice serving generations of pets and families in our community. Dr. Travis’s commitment to medicine, client relationships, and the well-being of every patient has shaped the heart and culture of our practice.
Through long days, difficult moments, joyful recoveries, and countless lives touched, Dr. Travis’s passion and leadership have remained unwavering. This practice exists because of that dedication, and we are grateful every day for the example set and the care provided.
As we move into the New Year, we look forward to continuing Dr. Travis’s vision while entering an exciting new chapter of growth and progress for the practice.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Travis on 19 years of exceptional veterinary care and leadership. Here’s to many more years ahead!

12/25/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at RRAH🎄

As the year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on what truly matters, the incredible bond between pets and the people who love them. It is an honor to be trusted with your companions through routine visits, anxious moments, joyful milestones, and everything in between.
This year has brought challenges, growth, and countless reminders of why we do what we do. Your kindness, patience, and trust allow our team to continue providing compassionate care to every pet who walks through our doors.
As we look ahead to the New Year, we are excited for what’s to come. We are looking forward to big changes and an exciting new chapter, including our upcoming move into a new building. This growth allows us to better serve you and continue providing the compassionate, high-quality care your pets deserve.
From our veterinary family to yours, we wish you a Christmas filled with warmth, comfort, and special moments shared with those who mean the most, including the four-legged ones curled up beside you. May the New Year bring health, happiness, and many joyful moments with your beloved pets.

Thank you for being part of our journey. ❤️

12/18/2025

Only one week left until Christmas, and thanks to dedicated veterinary professionals, the sleigh team is ready to go!

12/18/2025

Pet reminder:
Loud noises can be stressful for pets. If your pet is sensitive to sudden sounds, consider keeping them indoors during this time and providing a calm, quiet space.
* This can be heard at River Road Animal Hospital--- Usually very clearly*

Please share this information with friends and neighbors so everyone is prepared. 💙

Nuclear siren testing scheduled for January 7 around Brunswick Nuclear Plant

Five- to 30-second quarterly test scheduled between 10 and 11 a.m.
No public action required

SOUTHPORT, N.C. – Duke Energy and county officials will test the outdoor warning sirens around the Brunswick Nuclear Plant between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.

Why it matters: To ensure they are functioning properly, sirens will sound for five to 30 seconds. Anyone who hears a siren during scheduled testing does not need to take action.

During testing, some sirens may be tested more than once. Follow-up testing after siren maintenance may be required after 11 a.m.

Because this is a test, local broadcasting stations will not interrupt regular programming to broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages. If there was a real emergency requiring the sirens to be sounded, local radio and television stations would broadcast information to the public.

By the numbers: Duke Energy owns and maintains a network of sirens within 10 miles of each of its nuclear plants, including 38 sirens around the Brunswick Nuclear Plant.

Emergency partners: Testing is performed in cooperation with emergency management officials in Brunswick and New Hanover counties, who are responsible for sounding the sirens.

More info: Additional details about outdoor warning sirens and nuclear emergency preparedness are available at https://buff.ly/MNrVCWZ.

12/18/2025

12/12/2025

Have a safe and Warm weekend everyone

12/08/2025

🎄✨ O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree… ✨🎄

We’re so excited to share that River Road Animal Hospital is part of the very first Southport Festival of Trees! Our tree is now sparkling in Franklin Square Park thanks to the Southport Garden Club. 🌟

Come take a stroll, admire all the beautifully decorated trees, and soak up the holiday magic. We’re honored to be a part of this new tradition and to help make the season a little brighter for everyone. Happy Holidays! 🎁

12/08/2025

🎄✨ We’re Branching Out Into the Holiday Spirit! ✨🎄

Guess what, River Road Animal Hospital family? We’re thrilled to be part of the very first Southport Festival of Trees, hosted by our wonderful local Garden Club. Our tree is officially up and twinkling in Franklin Square Park starting today! 🌟

And tonight, you won’t want to miss the fun. There’s a “Shop-with-a-Cop” concert featuring the Back Porch Rockers from 6 to 8 PM, plus a festive Golf Cart Decorating Contest around 6:30. All proceeds benefit the Shop-with-a-Cop program, so come on out, support the community, and enjoy the holiday cheer with us! 🎅🎁

12/04/2025

🌟 Reminder! We’re Still Collecting Pet Food for Paws Pantry 🌟

Hey everyone! We just wanted to share a quick reminder that we are still collecting wet and dry dog and cat food for the Paws Pantry.

Paws-a-bility provides pet food to local food banks, Meals on Wheels, and several community programs that rely on our generosity to help pets in need. 💛🐾

Your donations make a huge difference for families and their furry companions. Thank you for supporting this wonderful cause!