As busy humans eating less-than-ideal diets much of the time, it has been widely recommended we take a multi-vitamin daily to fill in the gaps in nutrition left by our questionable diets. Many people extrapolate that to their dogs needing a vitamin or mineral supplement as well. In puppies, particularly, this can actually cause harm! […]
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!), […]
“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 […]
This scenario plays out in vet clinics across the country. It happened to me before I went to vet school! Hopefully, front desk staff at vet clinics is getting better at communicating to avoid these mix-ups. You are picking up your dog or cat’s poop, and you see tiny white worms. They are moving in […]
It seems when it comes to dogs and snow, they either love it and can’t get enough, or hate it and want inside the second they are done pottying. I don’t know any dogs who aren’t quite sure how they feel about it. We veterinarians, however, have discovered over the years that snow can be […]
Years ago, there was a big hubbub about Greenies, the dental health chews that people give their dogs to help clean their teeth. Some dogs would apparently not follow the instructions, and rather than chew them, would simply swallow them whole or nearly whole. So much for helping their teeth! Apparently those suckers did NOT […]
Every Winter, particularly during a cold spell, I am asked by owners “At what temperature is it too cold for my pet to ____?” The subject is usually going on a long walk, letting the cat into the yard, etc. We all love our pets and we want to keep them safe and healthy, and […]
Our local news broke a sad story. Stray Rescue of St. Louis is experiencing an outbreak of distemper among their dogs, mainly puppies. Several have already died. Because this virus is highly contagious, the shelter is closed for the next 30 days. They cannot risk bringing in new dogs (who are, obviously, not vaccinated). This deadly virus is, […]
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 […]
I recently learned how frustrating it is to want to kill problem insects in the yard, but keep my pets safe. I was scouring the small print on the insecticide labels, looking for which I could use around pets. I wanted it to work, and was skeptical of the “natural, organic” ones with only some […]
A lot of people are familiar with the condition known as “bloat,” which we in the field call “GDV,” or Gastric Dilitation Volvulus. Often, if a dog is acting odd, or not wanting to eat, owners will hop online, read about bloat, and panic. Yes, this is a very serious condition that requires immediate attention. […]