One of my tasks as a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist is interpreting a wide variety of diagnostic tests. One of the most common laboratory abnormalities for which patients are referred to me is elevation of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase, often abbreviated as SAP, SALP, and ALP. There are numerous potential reasons for the … [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…]
I’ve dedicated several posts to variety of eye problems, including keratoconjunctivitis sicca (aka “dry eye”), corneal ulcers, and glaucoma. This week I want to raise awareness of an important cause of acute or sudden blindness in dogs – sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome or SARDS. I hope you enjoy this information and will share it … [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…]
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…]