Loving care for your pets: Tips from Annapolis vet Dr. Lisa Gerity

By Tom Hall,

Teria Rogers, Rob Sivak, Malarie Pinkard-Pierre

Published March 10, 2023 at 12:00 PM EST

According to a survey by the online financial information service Finmasters.com, 2 out of 3 U.S. households own a pet. Last year, they spent $124 billion on their furry friends – an equivalent to the net worth of Bill Gates or 163,157 houses in New York City. This year, it's estimated that the average U.S. pet owner will spend $1,480 a year on their dog and $902 on their cat. (photo credit: leisergu, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons) — Who doesn't love a cute puppy? According to a recent survey, 2 out of 3 U.S. households own at least one pet. Last year, Americans spent $124 billion on their furry friends. (photo credit: leisergu, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

Today it's Midday on Pets!

We begin with a Public Service Announcement. Do not send your pets through the X-ray machine at the airport! Last weekend, a cat was mistakenly sent through the X-ray unit along with carry-on luggage in Norfolk, Virginia. And last month, a four-foot-long alligator was found in a lake at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. When it comes to exotic pets: Buyer beware. These animals and reptiles require a very different level of care if you want them hangin’ in your house.

Pets are a big deal in these United States. Two out of three US households own at least one pet, according to some recent surveys. Americans last year spent 124 billion dollars on their furry friends. It's estimated that per capita, the average U.S. pet owner is spending $1,480 a year on their dog and $902 on their cat.

Those are significant investments, and it goes without saying that most pet owners are deeply invested in the care of their animals.

Dr. Lisa Gerity is medical director and managing veterinarian at Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. She earned her BS in Animal Science at Delaware Valley College in Pennsylvania, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University in 1996. (courtesy photo)

And today on Midday, we're going to talk about pet care with Tom's guest for the hour, veterinarian Dr. Lisa Gerity. She's the medical director and a managing vet at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. When she’s not caring for the animals in the hospital, her hands are full at home with a big family that, besides her husband, includes four cats and three dogs in addition to three human girls...

Today, she offers tips on what to do about the canine influenza that's going around, plus special advice on traveling with your pets, and lots more...plus we'll take your questions about pet care.

While Dr. Gerity can't make specific diagnoses on the air, she does provide general guidance on treatment for a variety of your pets' health conditions.