Potassium is a uniquely important electrolyte involved in a myriad of essential cellular functions throughout the body. Derangements of potassium, both elevations and decreases, are quite commonplace. Perhaps most commonly, potassium decreases in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). An under-recognized cause of hypokalemia (low potassium) is primary hyperaldosteronemia. This week’s post is dedicated to … [Read more…]
There are many infectious organisms that cause illness in our feline friends. One of the most noteworthy diseases in feline infectious peritonitis. This week’s post is dedicated to sharing important information about the debilitating and deadly condition to raise awareness. I hope you find the information helpful. Happy reading! What is feline infectious peritonitis? Feline … [Read more…]
There are many diseases that can affect the lower urinary tracts of dogs and cats – urinary bladder tumors, urinary tract infections, and ectopic ureters. Unfortunately, not all of them can be diagnosed via a simple urinalysis or urine culture. Sometimes we need to look inside the lower urinary tract (LUT). This can be accomplished … [Read more…]
Many pet owners are unfamiliar with the differences between service animals (SAs), emotional support animals (ESAs), and therapy animals (TAs). Many also attempt to skirt laws by inaccurately claiming their pet is an ESA in an effort to save a buck. So, this week I wanted to dedicate some blog space to differentiating them, to … [Read more…]
Let’s face it. Some dogs’ tails are downright dangerous – so strong as they thwack against you. But how can you get mad at a wagging tail on a happy dog, even if it leaves a bruise on your thigh? Unfortunately, dogs sometimes wag their tails so much they damage muscles that control tail movement. … [Read more…]
With the warm weather months upon us in the northern hemisphere, pet owners need to be aware of a variety of environmental hazards, including poisonous plants and of course, heatstroke. Many families don’t know about the danger of blue-green algae and its potential to kill pets. This week’s post is dedicated to raising awareness of … [Read more…]
As many of you know, I recently attended the Hill’s Global Symposium in Toronto, Canada. The event was so wonderfully educational and I came back to work empowered with impactful information to help transform the lives of my patients. For this week’s post I wanted to share some important morsels of information with you about … [Read more…]
This week you may have seen the United States Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) report with information about more than one dozen dog food brands that have been associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs. You can view the complete report here. Understandably, many pet owners are concerned about this information, and veterinarians across the … [Read more…]
No person likes to feel itchy. Neither do our dogs and cats. It’s annoying, and sometimes painful. There are a myriad of reasons for our pets to be itchy. Indeed, pruritus – the medical term for itching – is very common in companion animals. I’ve dedicated this week’s post to explaining pruritus in detail to … [Read more…]
The brain is a vital organ with many unique parts. Cerebrospinal fluid or CSF must be able to circulate appropriately. When flow of CSF is inadequate, serious and potentially life-threatening problems arise. This week I wanted to share information about hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by inappropriate accumulation of CSF in the brain. I hope you … [Read more…]