Hyperlipidemia (High Cholesterol and Triglycerides) in Dogs and Cats
Hyperlipidemia is a general term for disorders in which too many fat molecules (called lipids) circulate in the blood. The two most important lipids in pets are cholesterol and triglycerides. Lipids are insoluble, meaning they are not easily dissolved in water. Because blood is a watery substance, in order to move these within the blood […]
Why Does My Dog Smell?
Dog owners often notice an odor from their dog, sometimes offensive and other times less bothersome. Like people, dog smells have many causes, both normal and abnormal Normal Dog Smells Dogs have natural secretions that enable other dogs to recognize them by smell as dogs and as individuals. People, however, do not always appreciate these […]
Feline Body Language – understanding your cat
Cats use body language to communicate a variety of information and emotions to others. The primary body parts they use to convey their state of mind are their ears, tail, eyes, body posture as well as how they vocalize. Types of emotions and behaviors that can be demonstrated are fear or anxiety, frustration, pain, play, […]
The Basics on Keeping Your Cat and Dog Companion Healthy
We can’t predict certain things, they’re just out of our control. But there are basics we can follow involving vaccinating, a good diet, exercise and a clean temperature-appropriate environment that will help keep your pet in good health. There are other precautions we can take to prevent them from serious but common issues such as […]
Coccidia Parasitic Intestinal Infections of Cats and Dogs
What 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 that is […]
Immune-mediated Anemia or IMHA – A Life-Threatening Disease in Cats and Dogs
Your pet’s immune system is an intricate machine that allows it to determine what to allow in the body and what to fight off. Usually, it does its job well, but when it malfunctions, thing can get messy fast and an auto-immune disease occurs. When an auto-immune process happens, it means the immune system doesn’t […]
Leproid Granuloma – Canine Leprosy
What is it? This is an interesting disease caused by a species of mycobacteria found more commonly in certain short-coated breeds of dogs such as the pitbull terrier, boxers and dobermans to name a few. This disease affects the skin of dogs causing raised bumps that are sometimes red or ulcerated and sometimes just raised with fur […]
Spaying the Female Dog
Spaying involves removal of the uterus and ovaries. While this is a major procedure, it’s also routinely performed. The best time is when your dog has reached close to her full size and has not experienced a heat cycle.Ensuring your female dog cannot reproduce by the procedure known as spaying, is one of the most […]
Tick-Bourne Disease: Anaplasmosis
Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease. Transmission is via a tick vector (a vector is an organism that can passively carry and transmit disease). A tick needs to be attached for a minimum of 24 hours to transmit the organism. Incubation time is about 1 to 2 weeks. Reservoir hosts (a source of infection and possible […]
Bartonella in Cats, Otherwise Known as Cat Scratch Fever
Ted Nugent made cat scratch fever (actually called cat scratch disease) a household name with his song in the late 1970s but most people still know very little about this infection. In fact, it involves infection by bacteria of the genus Bartonella. There are five Bartonella species which are harbored by cats and spread by fleas. The most well […]