I think it’s fair to say most pet parents believe their fur babies can’t be without them. I see it every time I recommend a pet be hospitalized – “Fluffy can’t stay in the hospital without me” or “Lucky won’t be able to cope without me being with him.” However,…
Diseases
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Iliopsoas Muscle Injury – A Common Problem in Active Dogs
Canine athletes, like their human counterparts, are prone to potential musculoskeletal, tendon, and ligament injuries, including cranial cruciate ligament rupture. An under-recognized sporting problem is iliopsoas (il-ē-ō-sō-es) muscle injury. My parents’ dog was recently diagnosed with this condition, so I wanted to dedicate time to explaining it to all of…
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Wobbler Syndrome in Dogs – Weebles May Wobble, but Dogs Shouldn’t!
Nobody likes having a crick in the neck. You wake up, turn your head, and immediately cringe from the pain. Thankfully the crick typically goes away relatively quickly. What if that crick not only hurt, but lingered and caused you to be unsteady on your feet? This is exactly what…
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Insulinoma in Dogs – When Too Much of a Good Thing Isn’t Good
I’ve previously published information about diabetes mellitus in dogs, including details about how to treat this disease. What if a dog or cat had too much insulin instead of too little? This is a serious condition called insulinoma. This week I’ve dedicated time to sharing some helpful tidbits about this…
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Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) – Defective Cartilage in Young Dogs
This morning as I was driving home from my own acupuncture appointment for an orthopedic issue, I realized it’s been some time since I posted information about orthopedic conditions in dogs and cats. The musculoskeletal system is so important, so this week I’m sharing some tidbits about an inflammatory cartilage…
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Hygromas in Dogs – Rubbing Elbows Isn’t Always a Good Thing
Not every mass or fluctuant swelling in dogs is a cancer. Of course, veterinarians should evaluate and aspirate any skin mass that has been present for more than one month and/or that is larger than a pea (approximately one centimeter). Thankfully, most skin masses are benign. If the mass feels…
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Multiple Myeloma in Dogs & Cats – A Cancer of the Immune System
As a board-certified veterinary internal medicine and emergency/critical care specialist, I’m used to seeing unwell patients. The sickest of the sick. But this week I saw cancer patient after cancer patient. Beautiful pets with committed families. I’m not a cancer specialist, and unfortunately the closest one in three hours away.…
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Drop It Like It’s Hot Spots – Pyotraumatic Dermatitis in Dogs
Summer is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. With the heat comes the potential for a painful skin condition called pyotraumatic dermatitis, often referred to as hot spots. Given the frequency with which this problem is diagnosed, I’ve dedicated some time to expound on it to increase awareness among dog…
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Lymphoma in Cats – What to Know About This Common Cancer
In a previous post, I reviewed a cancer in dogs called lymphoma. You can find that information here. Unfortunately, lymphoma also commonly affects our feline friends. So, this week I’ve dedicated some time to spreading news about lymphoma in cats. I hope you find it helpful. Happy reading! Lymphoma –…
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Erythrocytosis – When Dogs & Cats Have Too Many Red Blood Cells
Those who consistently read my blog know I love blood. That’s sounds weird, doesn’t it? Yet, it’s true. Blood is awesome – platelets, clotting factors, white blood cells, and of course, red blood cells! This week I’m dedicating space to share info about erythrocytosis or too many circulating red blood…