I don’t like skin diseases, so I’m very thankful for folks like board-certified veterinary dermatologists who do! This week my family’s dog, Tobyas, required urgent dermatologic care for an immune-mediated condition called idiopathic sterile nodular panniculitis. Thanks to the wonderful veterinary dermatology team at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, Tobyas is now on … [Read more…]
One of the more common reasons for pet owners to present their pets for evaluation by a veterinarian is red, inflamed paws. The general term for skin inflammation of the paws is called pododermatitis. This week’s post is dedicated to sharing detailed information for families about this common condition in their furry companions. Happy reading! … [Read more…]
No person likes to feel itchy. Neither do our dogs and cats. It’s annoying, and sometimes painful. There are a myriad of reasons for our pets to be itchy. Indeed, pruritus – the medical term for itching – is very common in companion animals. I’ve dedicated this week’s post to explaining pruritus in detail to … [Read more…]
Just like men, male dogs can develop prostatic disease, including prostate cancer. This disease tends to be fairly aggressive in our canine companions, and thus early identification is of paramount important. For this reason, I’ve dedicated this week’s post to raising awareness about prostate cancer in dogs. I hope you find this information helpful and … [Read more…]
If you’re like me, you don’t monitor every elimination your dog or cat makes. You don’t observe every urination. Yet at some point in a pet’s life, they will inevitably develop blood in their urine. This is a condition called hematuria. It’s actually pretty common, so I wanted to dedicate some time explaining this important … [Read more…]
The world is full of infectious organisms that cause disease in our pets. One problematic parasite is called Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis in cats. Toxoplasmosis is relatively common in our feline friends, yet is under-recognized as potential cause of a pet’s clinical signs. This week I share some information about this important … [Read more…]
Lameness is a common problem in dogs. Muscle injuries like an iliopsoas muscle strain and ligamentous injuries like a cranial cruciate ligament rupture are frequently diagnosed in dogs. Every once and a while, a lameness is more serious than a strain or ligament problem. Sometimes it’s cancer, specifically a cancer in the bone called osteosarcoma. It’s … [Read more…]
No one likes having a runny nose. Primary viral and secondary bacterial infections are common in pets and people. Most of the time these infections are self-limiting or are treated without complications. Occasionally fungi cause serious infections in the frontal sinuses and nasal passages of dogs. The most common fungal disease that causes nasal discharge … [Read more…]
I’m a foodie. Heaven knows I love some scrumptious delights to please my palate. What if the simple action of chewing delectable morsels caused excruciating pain? This dreaded scenario happens for some dogs, and is called masticatory myositis. Pain while chewing is often chalked up to dental problems. Many pet parents don’t know about this … [Read more…]
A common clinical scenario I encounter is a pet referred to me for evaluation of enlarged lymph nodes. Parents may incidentally discover the swellings while petting or playing with their pet. At other times family veterinarians find the enlargements during an annual preventative healthcare examination. Given the commonality of this medical problem, I wanted to … [Read more…]