This past year has been a trial for us all.  We have had to isolate from our friends, co-workers and our aged family members.  The imposed isolation of the virus has lead us to seek out the company of non-human company by adopting shelter animals and larger numbers than in the past.  This has increased [...]

As our pets get older, the joints begin to stiffen making it difficult to lay down or get up from laying. Usually one of the most common treatments is veterinary anti-inflammatories like Rimadyl, Meloxicam or Previcox (among others). But sometimes that is not enough and adjunctive therapies are needed for the orthopedic disease. The [...]

There are several diseases that can affect the stifle (knee): 1) partial to full tears of the cranial cruciate ligament (rarely the caudal ligament) 2) arthritis from age 3) bone cancer above or below the actual joint and 4) patella luxation (knee cap). Patella luxation is when the knee cap moves out the femur groove [...]

Through we want our cats to eat all at once, we may be doing more harm than good. By thinking about their natural behavioral instincts, we can help our cats from becoming too thin or too heavy and eliminate stress. Mimicking their ancestral need to hunt for food, cats “graze” by eating small amounts at [...]

Food allergies are becoming more common in people worldwide. Food allergies seem to be increasing in dogs and cats too. However, we do not have solid data to confirm this hunch. Food allergies are a specific thing. Gastrointestinal upsets caused by food (or treats) are either immune in origin (food allergy) or non-immune in origin (food intolerance). [...]

Many things affect the health of our pets. A number of these influences are out of our control. Veterinarians never know what malady might await them when they enter an exam room. A dog with diabetes? A cat with hyperthyroidism? A dog with an ear infection? We never know. Veterinarians do know that there are [...]

As our beloved pets get to those senior years, we all want to deny the fact that they are getting older. Some signs are physically obvious like greying of the muzzle, more warts/growths, decreased mobility, stiffness, and hearing or vision loss. But what about the less obvious cognitive changes that develop gradually? Sleep/wake cycle [...]

Or down in some instances. The anus and other areas of the animal’s derriere are sometimes chronic issues and sometimes sudden in nature. The result is the animal exhibiting pain and inappropriate behavior for the owner. Let’s discuss some of the more common ones: Anal glands can be full causing the classic scooting on [...]

Ear infections can be difficult and chronic if not treated promptly and thoroughly with the proper steps to success. First step: Otoscope exams help to evaluate the lower canals and the ear drum. We look for the degree of swelling and character of the discharge. Swelling behind the ear drum indicates a middle ear infection and [...]

I am a veterinarian who likes cats a lot. You, therefore, know right from the start of this article what side I’m on in the dog-vs-cat debate. If you’ve ever had me as your vet, you’ve heard my spiel.  Having a cat as one’s pet is like having a pet squirrel. But having a pet [...]