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 […]
It happens quite often that I’ll run a blood panel on a seemingly healthy senior dog, and I discover one or two liver enzymes are higher than normal. How worried should we be? Well, it depends, but here’s some general patterns. The usual culprit is an enzyme called Alkaline Phosphatase, or Alk-Phos, or Alk-P. I […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
About once a month, I get the panicked, guilt-ridden phonecall. “I just realized Fluffy didn’t get her heartworm pill last month! What should I do? Do I need to test her today?!?!” First, you are not a terrible person – it happens to the best of us! As soon as you realize it, give the […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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% […]
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, […]
Tis the season for dogs to get hot spots! What are they exactly? The medical diagnosis is “moist pyoderma.” This loosely translates into “gooey, seriously infected skin”. Gross. And itchy. And painful. People often think hot spots are related to hot weather. While they do seem to occur more in summer, it isn’t the temperature […]
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 […]
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. […]