Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex in Cats
What is a Granuloma? A granuloma is a solid grouping of inflammatory cells coming together in a lump or solid structure. What is an Eosinophil? An eosinophil is a type of white blood cell that is commonly associated with allergic responses or with parasitism. Eosinophil counts will go up on a blood test when a […]
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 […]
If Cats and Dogs Could Vote
Following Tuesday’s election, it’s reasonable to think: if dogs and cats would vote, what party would they choose? It’s too simple to say dogs would do one thing and cats another. My initial reaction, is to say cats are anarchists and would vote for whomever might put the country into chaos. That said, however, […]
Influenza Strains in Dogs
Just like people, dogs can be affected by different strains of influenza, a highly contagious respiratory infection. There are two strains of canine influenza known to affect dogs internationally. H3N8 broke out around 2004 in Florida and continues to cause sporadic disease; H3N2, a milder strain first seen in Chicago in 2015, is closely related […]
Myeloma-Related Disorders in Cats
What are Myeloma-related Disorders? Myeloma is a type of cancer that affects plasma cells. Plasma cells are specialized lymphocytes, i.e. they are part of the white blood cell group and are key components of the immune system. In the healthy individual, plasma cells are responsible for making antibodies and help protect against disease. Plasma cells […]
The Perils of Potpourri and Pets
It’s lovely to make your home smell nice by adding those scents around the house. Many scents can irritate a cat, dog or other companion animal’s respiratory tract. Potpourri can do more than that. Potpourri usually comes in liquid form or dry. The dry form, though, has some of the liquid on it as this […]
Electrocution: First Aid
In order to avoid injury to yourself, it is imperative that you do not touch the pet until the electrical source has been turned off or moved. Electricity can flow through your pet and affect you as well. Electrocution can cause severe tissue damage (like a thermal or heat burn can) and can also lead […]
Flea Control for Allergic Dogs and Cats
For some pets, fleas are just an annoyance. However, for pets with allergies, fleas are a serious problem. In addition to causing severe itching, fleas can also cause other problems such as skin infections and hairloss. Although flea allergy dermatitis is the most common skin disease of dogs and cats, it can be difficult for […]
Linear Foreign Bodies in Dogs and Cats
Pets eat non-food things they shouldn’t such as toys, socks, rocks and more. One of the worst types of foreign bodies that a pet can have is a string – left untreated, the consequences are grave. Animals like to play with things and play often involves chewing. Chewing leads to accidental swallowing and from there […]
How to Handle Abandoned Wildlife in Houston
When well intentioned folk find wildlife that is young or injured, most want to help. The question is, what’s the best thing to do? The answer depends on species, age and if injured. Baby wildlife, especially birds trying to fly may be found on the ground. If the baby animal looks unharmed and is calling […]