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…
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Chronic Vomiting in Dogs & Cats – What’s Going On?!
One of the most common problems for which patients are presented to me is that of chronic vomiting. There are a myriad of causes and treatments available. So, this week I wanted to dedicate some bandwidth to sharing more information about this common clinical problem. I hope you find the…
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Coughing in Dogs & Cats – What’s Going on with Your Pet?
By far one of the most common reasons families bring their pets to veterinarians is because of coughing. Nobody wants to see their cat chronically cough. Nobody wants to be kept up all night because their coughing dog is keeping them awake. Given the complexity of this problem, I wanted…
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Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE) – When Protein Passes in the Poop
As a clinician, educator, and administrator, I deal with a lot of poop – figuratively and literally. One of the most common problems I encounter is a pet with chronic gastrointestinal signs (e.g. vomiting, weight loss, diarrhea) and a concurrently low blood protein level. This is called a protein-losing enteropathy…
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Histoplasmosis in Dogs & Cats – A Funky Fungal Infection
When people hear the word infection, the majority think only about bacteria. Unfortunately, there are many different types of infectious organisms, including protozoal, parasites, and fungi. This week I’m sharing some information about a relatively common fungal infection called histoplasmosis. This organism can wreak havoc if not identified and treated…