Lipomas on dogs

One of the most common lumps that owners find on their dogs is the lipoma. When I tell owners the lump they were worried about is a lipoma, it’s met with relief, since these are not cancerous. But they are not always 100% benign. A lipoma is defined as a mass of fat, AKA a […]

“My dog had a stroke!” – It’s probably Vestibular syndrome

Nothing is more scary than waking up one day to see your senior dog walking in circles, head tilted to the side. Sometimes these dogs won’t eat, or will even be throwing up. You’re thinking it’s the end. The symptoms present like a stroke would be in a person, and you know those are bad. […]

My veterinarian says my dog has mild anemia – now what?

As a house call veterinarian, I treat a lot of senior pets, so therefore I run a lot of senior bloodwork. Every so often the blood results on a seemingly healthy older dog comes back with one abnormality – anemia. What is it, and how worried are we? Like everything else in medicine…it depends on […]

3 diseases that owners can diagnose better than the vet

That’s right. Your vet might be good, but there are some diseases that she cannot diagnose as well as you, the pet owner, can. So know these, watch for signs, and tell your vet if you see them. While she doesn’t have specific diagnostic tests for these conditions, she can certainly offer treatment or adaptations […]

5 things to know about pet euthanasia – what to expect

You’ve made the gut-wrenching decision that it’s time to say good-bye to your beloved dog or cat. You’ve scheduled the euthanasia appointment. This article is not intended to discuss making the decision, but what to expect during the euthanasia process once the decision is made. You’ll be emotional. You won’t hear much of what the […]

My dog/cat has a heart murmur – now what?

When you bring your pet to the veterinarian, you want everything to go well, your pet to be happy, and your vet to find nothing abnormal on physical exam. So when the veterinarian tells you that your dog or cat has a heart murmur, it can be a bit of a shock. Often these animals […]

Treatment options for hyperthyroid cats

If your vet just told you your cat has an overactive thyroid, you’re probably a bit relieved that it is a treatable disease! Treatment options vary, and there’s bound to be one that works for you and your cat! Methimazole / Tapazole This is the original treatment. It comes in pill form (small pills too!), […]

Old skinny cat running around eating lots: Hyperthyroidism

“My cat seems to be losing weight no matter how much I feed him.” “My cat can’t seem to get enough to eat or drink!” “Why is my cat losing weight? I keep feeding her more but it doesn’t help – she still yowls a lot.” These are how many of my appointments with hyperthyroid […]

Soft tissue sarcomas, AKA spindle cell tumors – why they just kinda suck

Let’s talk tumors, growths, lumps, cancer, whatever you want to call it. And why certain ones suck, but do not suck as bad as others. There are two broad categories of tumor, based on the cell type from which they originate. Round cell tumors are your lymphomas, mast cells, other tumors whose cells look, well, […]

Dogs and their (enlarged) prostates

We’ve all seen the ads on TV. The older gentleman who repeatedly goes to the bathroom and has trouble urinating. The calming voiceover assures us this is all too common, and there is help for grampa. This disorder in men is caused by a prostate gland that becomes enlarged, and obstructs the urethra (the tube […]

6 easy tricks to improve your senior cat’s quality of life

We know that cats are the masters of hiding pain. Once you learn the subtle signs (here’s my article on how to decode these signs of pain) your next thought is – what can I do to help? A trip to the vet is always a great idea! Finding out if there is a major […]

Feline dementia (where’s my litter box?)

You may have noticed some behavior changes in your senior cat. Some of these changes can be symptoms of pain (here’s my article on how to tell if your cat is in pain), but we need to consider dementia in addition. Yes, cats, like people, can become senile as they age – happens to many […]

How can I tell if my cat is suffering or in pain?

If you’ve lived with a cat, you know that making our lives easier is most certainly not on their agenda. They are great communicators in some aspects – when he’s hungry, you will be informed in no uncertain terms, particularly if it’s 5am. Some cats clearly show their disdain at the litter box not being […]

How do I know if my dog is in pain?

How can you tell if your dog is in pain? I wish we could just ask them! When it comes to concealing pain, dogs have mad skills. Many of them are people pleasers. Very few dogs want to be a party pooper. So, hurting or not, the show must go on! They don’t want to […]

Doggy Dementia (AKA Canine Cognitive Dysfunction)

We’ve all heard of Alzheimer’s Disease. Many of us probably knew someone who had it. Did you know senior dogs can develop dementia or senility as well? It’s more common than you think! About half of dogs in the US over 11 years old show symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. The syndrome can be tricky to […]

Is chemotherapy right for your pet?

If you’ve watched a (human) family member go through chemotherapy, you know it’s usually awful. You’re probably thinking “I would never put a pet I love through that.” Neither would I. But chemotherapy in pets is very different than it is in people. That’s a good thing. There are some similarities as well. Here’s some […]

Deep snow + older dogs = OUCH!

With the first deep snow of the season, I see many many older dogs present for “not being able to walk” or “walking stiff.” Is it just the cold weather? Probably not. (I doubt it’s helping though!) Deep snow can be hard on old dogs. Why? It is common for older dogs to have some […]