Don’t Give Your Pet a Scare On Halloween
Halloween may be a barrel of laughs for people who love to dress up in costumes and party, but most pets aren’t quite as fond of the holiday as people are. The doorbell rings far too often and is usually accompanied by loud children; there’s enough candy to make a pack of wolves sick; fearful pets can […]
Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets
With the holidays just around the corner, here are some things to think about and keep your pets safe: Chocolate, Macadamia nuts, avocados…these foods may sound delicious to you, but they’re actually quite dangerous for our animal companions. Our nutrition experts have put together a handy list of the top toxic people foods to avoid […]
Horner’s Syndrome in Companion Animals
A syndrome is a collection of symptoms that have significance when they go together. It is important to realize that having a syndrome is not the same as having a diagnosis. A syndrome, however, often has a limited number of causes such that recognizing a specific syndrome brings one substantially closer to a diagnosis. What […]
Oral Tumors and Lesions in Dogs and Cats
What are oral masses? Some dogs and cats develop growths in their mouths. Similar to humans, these growths may be benign or malignant. Once a mass is noticed, analysis must be made to determine the cause of the growth. What causes oral masses? Some masses are due to infections in the gums or of the […]
Aspergillosis in Cats
Aspergillosis is an infection in cats caused by Aspergillus organisms, which are a type of fungus found throughout the world. Infections in cats are rare and most commonly seen in cats that have a poor immune system, such as those with certain infections (e.g. feline leukemia virus) or diseases (e.g. cancer, diabetes). Aspergillus lives best in soil and decaying […]
Your Pet and Leptospirosis: The CDC’s Fact Sheet
This Centers for Disease Control & Prevention fact sheet is designed to assist pet owners in answering questions related to leptospirosis in pets. Leptospirosis is a disease that can affect human and animals, including your pets. All animals can potentially become infected with Leptospirosis. While for many years occurrence among pets was rare, the disease has been diagnosed more […]
Melanomas are Common Malignant Tumors in Companion Dogs and Cats
A malignant melanoma is a tumor involving the pigmented cells of the skin. Melanoma is a classical skin cancer of humans, and in humans it is associated with sun exposure. While a good fur coat generally protects our pets from sun-induced malignant melanoma, a melanoma diagnosis is still just as serious and potentially deadly in […]
Coccidia Lives in the Intestines of Cats and Dogs and Causes Watery Diarrhea
What on Earth are Coccidia? Coccidia are single-celled organisms that infect the intestine. They are microscopic parasites detectable on routine fecal tests in the same way that worms are, but coccidia are not worms and are not susceptible to deworming medications. They are also not visible to the naked eye. Coccidia infection causes a watery diarrhea […]
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) – what every cat owner should know
Feline coronavirus infection is required for FIP, which is a mutated form. Coronavirus is a common infectious agent, especially in multi-cat households and catteries. It is shed from infected cats in the feces, can persist in the environment for several days, and infects other cats via inhalation or ingestion. In the majority of infected cats, […]
Infectious Anemia in Cats
(Also called feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis, infection by Hemobartonella felis, infection by Mycoplasma haemofelis, by Mycoplasma haemominutum, or by Mycoplasma turicensis) Parasitic organisms survive by attaching themselves to a host and using the host’s body to thrive, generally at the host’s expense. Parasites find themselves protected from the harsh temperature and moisture changes of the external world when they […]