A common reason for which cats are referred to me is hypercalcemia or elevated blood calcium. Sometimes affected patients are incredibly sick while others have no outward clinical signs of illness. An accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause is truly important. This week I review the major causes of hypercalcemia in cats, and I hope … [Read more…]
I’m not a fan of cold weather. So, the rapidly approaching winter months of the Midwest USA does nothing for me. With the colder weather comes the increased use of ethylene glycol, a common type of antifreeze. Pets find ethylene glycol antifreeze to be quite tasty. Unfortunately, it’s exceedingly toxic, able to cause death very … [Read more…]
Two of my favorite snacks as a child were frozen grapes and “ants on a log.” For those unfamiliar with the latter treat, the log is a stick of celery slathered with peanut butter and the ants are sweet raisins pressed into the peanut butter. Yet while I loved (and still do love) grapes and … [Read more…]
I love most things about Summer. Hot weather. Barbecues. Boating on the lake. Making memories with friends. Yet with the warmer season comes those nasty little pests known as ticks. These creepy critters can transmit to our canine companions a myriad of diseases, including the causative agent of Lyme disease. As Summer is rapidly approaching … [Read more…]