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…
Diseases
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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…
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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…
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Excessive Urination and Thirst in Dogs & Cats
A common reason for pet parents to bring their dogs and cats to the family veterinarian is an observable increase in thirst (called polydipsia or PD) and/or increased volume of urination (called polyuria or PU). A pet parent can’t keep a pet’s water bowl filled enough and/or the pet seems to “pee a…
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Cushing’s Disease in Dogs & Cats Explained
Picture an adrenal gland as a peanut M&M™. Cushing’s disease (or hyperadrenocorticism) is a problem with the chocolate coating, and it is much more common in dogs than in cats. As part of this condition the adrenal glands overproduce certain hormones, particularly the body’s own steroid called cortisol. An elevated…
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The Dreaded Megaesophagus
This week was filled with patients with some challenging diseases, none more so than megaesophagus! What’s that you ask? Please take a few minutes to read more about this potentially debilitating disease of the esophagus (food tube) below. What is megaesophagus? Megaesophagus is a condition where there is decreased or…
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Urethral Sphincter Mechanism Incompetence – My Dog Wet the Bed!
If your dog leaks urine when s/he lays down to rest or sleep, s/he may be living with a condition called urethral sphincter mechanism incompetence or USMI, a common disorder in adults dogs, particularly females. Indeed this condition may affect up to 20% of female dogs, and usually manifests within three…
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Vomiting Cats
This is a statement I hear from pet parents almost on a daily basis. When I ask them where they heard such a concept, the response is usually, “that’s what my vet said.” Furthermore their family veterinarians have usually simply treated the vast majority of these cats symptomatically with diets…
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Hypothyroidism in Dogs
In last week’s post, I discussed hyperthyroidism is cats. You may recall that hyperthyroidism occurs quite infrequently in dogs. Rather they more commonly develop a state of low thyroid production – hypothyroidism. Remember thyroid hormones are produced by the thyroid glands in the neck, and are important in controlling growth…
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Hyperthyroidism in Cats
What is the thyroid gland? The thyroid gland is a two-lobed structure located in the neck, and produces several thyroid hormones. (Image courtesy of Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota; www.aercmn.com) The primary function of thyroid hormones is to control the rate at which cells function. Excess thyroid function…