As a practicing veterinarian, I interact with a wide variety of people, from first-time pet owners to the seasoned pros who have owned pets their whole lives. I have noticed some common misconceptions that even the experienced pet owners believe. So, time to end the confusion and lay out the facts! 1 – Cats and […]
Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s, we were taught by the experts of the time that dogs needed to be in a pack, and that it was important for the human to be the “alpha dog” in that pack. The human had to be dominant, or the other dogs would perhaps try to dominate […]
I really couldn’t come up with a catchy title. It’s a sucky disease. Cancer sucks. So the title sucks. It’s a theme. But let’s talk about Squamous Cell Carcinoma. It’s a type of cancer that can occur in a variety of places. Humans get it on their skin (reason to wear your sunblock!!). Dogs and […]
Everyone with a dog or cat has dealt with it at one point. It’s never pretty. It’s diarrhea. Of course, I could write pages and pages on this topic. Our focus here: when do you start to worry? There are many variables at play. The diarrhea could be a nuisance that clears up easily with medication (or on […]
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! […]
Here’s another benign skin problem that can really freak an owner out. Recurrent flank alopecia, also called seasonal or cyclic flank alopecia, is exactly what it sounds. Let’s break it down: Recurrent/cyclic – it comes and goes…..and comes back Flank – the sides of the dog’s belly, behind the ribs Alopecia – fancy word for […]
If your dog or cat was seriously ill, or underwent a major medical procedure, he may have spent several days in the veterinary hospital or ICU. When you bring him home, you are excited to have your buddy back! There is some adjusting that needs to happen though. Knowing what to expect will let you […]
We’ve all seen the heart-breaking images from Hurricane Harvey. I can’t even wrap my head around what these people must be feeling…and how long it will be before life returns to anything close to normal. Thankfully, people are coming together to help people and pets. Animal shelters across the country are taking in animals who […]
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 […]
“Can you come look? I think my dog has a tick on him!” “My dog has a tick – please come take it off NOW!” “How do you tell if it’s a tick or a mole on my dog? And how do I remove it?” These are very common questions I am asked throughout spring […]
Hypothyroidism, or having a low or under-performing thyroid gland, seems to be the one disease pet owners wish for. I can’t tell you how many overweight/obese dogs I see that the owners want me to test them for low thyroid. It can’t be that he’s fed too much, or never exercises. No, we want to […]
There’s always something new coming out that is the next great thing to make your pet’s life better. Myths get perpetuated on social media like gospel truth. What’s real and what’s just hype? Pheromones sure sound sketchy. What are they? A pheromone is a chemical secreted by the body that is emitted and detected by […]
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, […]
I know, the words “favorite” and “tumor” in the same sentence is a little weird. Hear me out… Imagine a lump showing up on your dog’s leg. It’s big. It’s nasty looking. Sometimes they bleed. You’re freaked, so you take your dog to your veterinarian to see what it is. You’re envisioning surgery for removal […]
With the majority of pets in this country being overweight or obese, there’s a good chance your dog is one of them. Your veterinarian may have suggested you put your overweight dog on a diet, and even gave you specific ideas on how to get the weight off your dog. She may say things like […]
Dogs are like people in a lot of ways. They are part of our family. Many diseases that people get, dogs can get. We even treat dogs with many “human” medications! So it’s easy to see how the line can be blurred on where the dog-human similarities end. One big difference is in the area […]
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 […]
If your dog ate something you know is toxic, what do you do? Making him vomit is in many cases the best next step. Always best to call your veterinarian and make sure. There are some things that should not be vomited up, and also some dogs who are poor candidates for vomiting. Also, if the […]
You let your dog out in the yard, and he seems overly interested in one particular spot. You find a nest of baby bunnies. They have been licked, but otherwise seem OK. What do you do? A – Take them inside and contact a wildlife rescuer. Now that your dog has touched them, they have […]
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 […]