If your cat has suffered bouts of FIC flare-ups, your vet probably has warned you to watch and make sure your cat is able to urinate. What’s the big deal? Cats with FIC can develop sandy debris or stones in their bladders. When a male cat urinates and these try to pass, the long, skinny […]
Your vet might have told you she suspects your dog has cushings disease. It’s a complicated disease with many aspects. This article is longer than most, and has a lot of information. Get comfortable. Maybe grab a beverage. Here’s what you need to know. First, your dog has two adrenal glands, just like people, in […]
Sure, sweaters can be froo froo and cute. But honestly, some dogs truly need them! Let’s face it, it’s cold. On a particularly slow news day, that gets repeated multiple times. Our big dogs with thick coats love this weather! We can’t get them to come in, especially when there’s snow! Our little dogs, however, […]
Did you know that, for the majority of pets, you CAN give turkey on Thanksgiving!?!? I know I know I know. Many vets tell you NO table food. They say to NEVER give your pet any turkey on Thanksgiving. Why do they say that? It’s just easy. People tend to want to over-indulge their pet, […]
It’s quite common to use peanut butter to give your dog medication. It sticks to the pill and is downright delicious. A new trend is starting with some off-brand, “natural” type peanut butters. They are including a sweetener called xylitol. This is a safe, no-calorie sweetener for people, but is highly poisonous to dogs! Xylitol […]
Instead of my usual article on a health topic, thought I’d mix things up this week. Never hurts to learn new things! Here are eight things I find myself discussing in appointments that always get people talking. 1 – Cats do not have receptors on their tongues to detect sweet flavors. This is why treats […]
Last year, I came in contact with a dog who was pulled from animal control by a rescue group, and needed a foster home. Of course, I can’t turn down a homeless fluffy face, so agreed to foster him. When we first met, Linus was more interested in sniffing his new surroundings than in meeting […]
Anal glands! Dogs have them. Cats have them. Humans, thank God, don’t have them. Some dogs have a lifetime of trouble with them, and need them expressed (emptied out) often. Other dogs act like they don’t even have them. What gives? First off, a little anatomy. Anal glands produce a stinky, almost fishy smelling fluid, […]
The nights are finally getting colder. Soon we’ll get a frost, and all the fleas will be dead, right? Sorry, but it’s not that easy. (If it were, I wouldn’t write an article about it!) The height of flea season is now. Fall. Not June, but October. Surprised? Most people are! Most people associate the […]
Cats puke. Everyone with cats know this. Particularly after you buy new furniture, clean the carpets, etc. A great question a client recently asked is: how much is too much? Unfortunately, there is no black and white answer (is there ever in this field?). Generally speaking, once a month is considered “acceptable” by most specialists. […]
Everybody (hopefully) knows the “pet safety” shpeal: Don’t give your dog chocolate. Some sugar free foods are toxic. Keep your pets inside (black cats in particular – some people are freaks). Here are a few things we might not think about in the hustle and excitement of the festivities. –People dressed in costumes, especially masks, […]
Cats and dogs are opposites in a lot of ways, but thyroid activity is perhaps the most distinct. The thyroid gland does a lot – it regulates the body’s metabolism. Cats typically develop HYPERthyroidism – the thyroid gland is overactive. Most owners notice their cat is eating the same amount or a lot more, yet […]
Everyone hears tick disease, they think of Lyme disease. And that’s great….if you live in an area where Lyme is the most common tick-borne disease (which is the Northeast and in and around Wisconsin). People can get it, as can dogs, and even outdoorsy cats. In our area, Lyme disease is not nearly as common […]
When I first started making house calls, I debated whether or not to offer the vaccine against Leptospirosis. I didn’t routinely carry it, but for the small number of dogs who needed it, I would order it and vaccinate them. Well, I decided to just start carrying it. There are many pros and cons to […]
During summer and the Christmas holidays, we sometimes see an increase in the number of dogs contracting “kennel cough,” which we in the vet field refer to as “Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex” (you know we can’t keep things simple!). I’ve answered a lot of questions about coughing dogs lately, and have found there are […]
Midwest living is great – unless you’re a dog or cat with environmental allergies! Those of us with itchy pets know how frustrating it can be to constantly manage the symptoms, with only varying levels of success. Understanding the concept of “symptom threshold” can make this constant struggle a little better. Most allergic pets are […]
What an animal weighs is just a number. The current trend in people is to use body composition, or “percent body fat.” This gives a much more accurate interpretation of a person’s build. You can have two 5’8″, 170 lb women. One can be a couch potato with no muscle, and she may be 38% […]
Lately I’ve had quite a few conversations about litter boxes! While every household is unique, and every cat is unique, here are some common issues I see. 1 – NOT ENOUGH The number of litter boxes in the house should equal the number of cats +1 . That is the number to prevent social issues […]
Everyone knows how important it is to keep dogs on monthly heartworm preventative. But can cats get heartworm? Let’s see….. For starters, heartworm is transmitted the same way in dogs and cats. A mosquito flies around, sucks on an animal with heartworms, ingests the larvae from that pet’s blood, and then processes it into a more […]
Many neighborhoods have their own fireworks going on the entire week leading up to the July Fourth holiday. If you happen to live close to a local fireworks show, then it can really get scary! Here’s a few thoughts if you have a stressed-out pet this week: – This time of year is when many […]