We’ve all seen ads online for various joint supplements that claim they transformed a dog’s life, bringing it from barely mobile to running and playing in the yard. The mainstay of these is often two common ingredients: glucosamine and chondroitin. It is often alleged that they help treat arthritis pain. Arthritis, and therefore, pain, involve […]
Coccidia (pronounced cox-IH-dee-a….kinda rhymes with a semi-laxative yogurt brand) are microscopic parasites that can infect both dogs and cats. We most commonly see it in puppies and kittens, although any age of pet can come into contact with the parasite and contract it. If your veterinarian said your pet’s poop sample tested positive for coccidia, […]
When you find out your dog (or, in many cases, foster dog) is heartworm positive, you want to fix it! Let’s treat him and get rid of these heartworms! You know they can be deadly if not treated, so why wait? Then, when you learn how long the treatment takes, and we can’t start just […]
Any time a pet stops eating, it is cause for concern. However, vets become much more concerned when an overweight cat suddenly decides to go on a crash diet, or even get picky. Skinny cats, believe it or not, I worry less about when they stop eating than fat cats. Counter-intuitive, perhaps, because skinny cats […]
One of the more frustrating problems I deal with as a veterinarian is cats and their bladder problems: the inflammation they get in their bladder that causes painful, bloody urine, often outside the litter box. It’s such a convoluted topic, no one can even agree on what to call it! When I was in vet […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
The handsome man below is my Pepperman. We had a bad scare today. I came home to find my husband had let two dogs out, but only one back in. The Pepperman, who is almost 16 years old, was collapsed and panting profusely on the patio. He had found the shade, thankfully. I grabbed him, […]
When we go to the doctor, having our blood pressure taken is just routine. Why isn’t it for dogs and cats? For starters, blood pressure is perhaps the most difficult parameter to accurately measure in dogs and cats. It wasn’t until less than 15 years ago that reliable veterinary machines were developed. It used to […]