This week a colleague asked me if I had a favorite biochemical abnormality. I’d never been asked that before, nor had I ever really thought about it. Most who know me as a clinician know I geek out over changes on a complete blood count, the non-invasive blood test that yields important information about red … [Read more…]
Blood fats are called lipids, and they circulate throughout the body. They play a wide variety of roles in normal organ function and metabolism. Elevated blood lipids – called hyperlipidemia – in humans are major causes of cardiovascular diseases like atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver syndrome). Do pet parents need to be … [Read more…]
One of my favorite diseases to diagnose and treat is Addison’s disease. The medical name for this disease is hypoadrenocorticism, an adrenal gland disorder that predominantly affects dogs and rarely cats. The opposite of Cushing’s disease, this disease can manifest in a myriad of ways. This week I spend some time introducing this interesting disease … [Read more…]
Elevated blood fats/lipids (called hyperlipidemia) are a major cause of health issues in humans. These lipids, most commonly cholesterol and triglycerides, can negatively affect heart and cardiovascular health, often times contributing to death. Both dogs and cats can have high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but dogs are more often affected. High lipids unquestionably pose a … [Read more…]