What Is a Salivary Mucocele? A salivary mucocele is the most common disorder of the salivary glands in dogs. Rather than a true cyst with an epithelial lining, a mucocele represents an extravasation of saliva into surrounding tissues following leakage from a damaged salivary gland or duct. The body reacts…

Chronic kidney disease remains one of the most prevalent and clinically challenging disorders in geriatric feline patients. Although fluid therapy, nutritional management, and blood pressure control form the backbone of treatment, clinicians continue to seek adjunctive strategies that target the pathophysiology of disease progression. Increasing evidence implicates oxidative stress as…

Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome in cats (FHS) describes episodic, abnormal skin sensitivity and neurobehavioral events that often center on the lumbosacral back and tail base. Many owners notice sudden “skin rolling,” tail lashing, frantic running, or intense grooming that seems to switch on and off. Clinically, FHS remains a diagnosis of…

Chronic diarrhea in dogs creates diagnostic tension. On one hand, inflammatory disease remains far more common. On the other, clinicians and pet owners worry about missing intestinal cancer. So what happens when abdominal ultrasound looks normal? Should you still pursue endoscopic biopsies to rule out neoplasia? A recent retrospective study…

At the 2026 VMX Conference in Orlando, Florida, I had the opportunity to sit in on an outstanding endocrinology presentation by two of my amazing colleagues, Patty Lathan, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM) and Bill Saxon, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVECC. One discussion point clearly captured the room’s attention: what dose of cosyntropin…

Respiratory distress is one of the most time-sensitive and emotionally charged presentations in veterinary medicine. For patients with moderate to severe hypoxemia, traditional oxygen delivery methods, such as flow-by oxygen, oxygen cages, and low-flow nasal cannulas, may be inadequate to meet inspiratory demand or reduce work of breathing. High-flow oxygen…

Electrocution represents a true medical emergency in dogs and cats. Although clinicians often focus on cardiac dysrhythmias and oral burns, acute respiratory compromise from non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema (NCPE) poses the greatest immediate threat to life. Understanding why pulmonary edema develops after electrical injury and how it differs from cardiogenic disease…

Respiratory distress is one of the most universally stressful presentations in veterinary medicine. Whether you practice emergency medicine, urgent care, or primary care, few situations create the same level of urgency and anxiety. However, discomfort does not change reality. If you practice medicine, you will eventually manage a patient in…

Urgent care and emergency/critical care are not the same in veterinary medicine. Understanding the difference can save your pet’s life. This past week reinforced just how important that distinction is, and why knowing where to seek care matters just as much as seeking care itself. On two separate occasions, our…

The days between Christmas and New Year’s are often filled with reflection for many families. Inside veterinary emergency hospitals, this period can also be one of the most emotionally difficult times of the year. Each year during this week, emergency veterinarians and their teams see an increase in families bringing…