Trusted Veterinary Education for Dogs & Cats
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…
Spectrum of care is an increasingly important concept in veterinary medicine, particularly in emergency and critical care, where ideal treatment plans often intersect with real-world limitations. While “best practice” medicine remains the goal, it is not always attainable. Spectrum of care acknowledges high-quality veterinary medicine exists along a continuum and…
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of the most important acquired bleeding disorders seen in small-animal medicine. Dogs are affected far more commonly than cats, and patients often present with dramatic clinical signs—petechiae, bruising, nosebleeds, gastrointestinal bleeding, or lethargy due to anemia from blood loss. Fortunately, ITP is highly treatable, and…
What Are Ocular Seizures in Dogs and Cats? Ocular seizures, sometimes referred to as focal ocular seizures, epileptic nystagmus, or eye-movement seizures, are a type of focal seizure activity originating in brain regions responsible for conjugate eye movements. Unlike generalized seizures, these events may involve only the eyes, making them…
Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter are common supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in dogs. Both conditions impair atrial function and can reduce cardiac output. Early identification and decisive treatment can improve patient comfort and clinical outcomes. Pathophysiology Atrial fibrillation develops when the atria generate rapid, disorganized electrical impulses that bombard the atrioventricular (AV)…