Diseases

  • Canine Influenza – What You Need To Know!

    If you live in the United States, you probably know about the ongoing epidemic of canine influenza (sometimes called dog flu) in the Midwest. Veterinarians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine have reported the virus has affected more than 1,000 dogs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana,…

  • Diabetes Mellitus: Part II – Dogs

    This week’s post is the second in a three-part series covering the topic of diabetes mellitus, and for this contribution I discuss this disease as it relates to dogs. In last week’s post, I reviewed diabetes in cats, and next week I will review insulin handling and how to perform at-home…

  • Diabetes Mellitus: Part I – Cats

    This week’s post is the first in a three-part series about diabetes mellitus. In this first week, I discuss diabetes mellitus in cats. Next week I will review this disease as it pertains to our canine friends, and in the third and final week of the series, I will provide…

  • Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) – The Dreaded Bloat in Dogs  

    Gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV is a life threatening and rapidly progressive condition in dogs. Other common terms for GDV include: Bloat Gastric torsion Stomach torsion Twisted stomach If not recognized and treated appropriately and immediately, affected dogs can painfully die. In this week’s blog post, I review the causes, clinical…

  • Obesity in Pets – Common Causes & Consequences  

    The population of overweight and obese pets continues to expand in the United States and around the world. As in people, excess weight is associated with several potential serious and even life-threatening health conditions. In this week’s post, I explore the various causes and consequences of pets being over or…

  • Chronic Nasal Disease – Snuffing Out The Snuffles, Part II

    In last week’s blog post, I introduced you to the causes and common clinical signs of, as well as diagnostic tests for chronic nasal disease in dogs and cats. To continue our discussion of this topic, this week I review various potential treatments for some frequently encountered chronic nasal diseases. Nasal infectious…

  • Liver Shunts – Small Problems that Cause Bigger Ones!

    Ingested food is broken down in the intestinal tract, and subsequently nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream that travels to the liver (called the portal blood supply). The liver is the vital organ tasked with using these nutrients to store sugar and produce protein, as well as clean the blood…

  • Chronic Bronchitis in Dogs – A Nagging Cough

    I was sitting in the United Club in the C Terminal of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport contemplating what to write for this blog post. I always want to provide useful information for pet parents, and my brain has been somewhat discombobulated with holiday happenings. Whilst brainstorming potential blog topics, I couldn’t…

  • Prostate Disease in Dogs

    An essential component of a complete physical examination for every male dog is an evaluation of the prostate, a walnut-sized gland located between the urinary bladder and the penis. The prostate is a secondary sex gland of male dogs that adds fluid that makes up semen to help transport sperm…