Accidental ingestion of human and animal medications is one of the most common toxicities in companion animal medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the biggest culprits. Maybe a pill rolls under the couch, or a curious dog noses a bottle off the counter before you know it, a…
In recent weeks, the emergency team with whom I work has treated several patients for an uncommon toxicity: zinc and aluminum phosphide. So, this week – in the interest of increasing awareness – I’ve written a post about it. I hope you’ll share it with other pet owners to help…
Here’s a sobering fact. At some point in your cat’s life, they will experience a life-threatening emergency – what I like to call CATastrophes. You don’t know when it will happen, but it will happen. And it will probably happen in the middle of the night. When your family veterinarian…
As a new home owner, I’m in the process of landscaping my property. Suffice it to say, I want a lot of greenery – plants and shrubs, galore! Yet one type of plant I plan to avoid like the plague is the sago palms. Why? They are intensely toxic to…
Pyrethrins and pyrethroids are common ingredients found in many flea and tick preventatives, household insecticides, and gardening products. While these chemicals are generally safe for dogs and humans when used as directed, cats are uniquely sensitive. Accidental exposure can quickly lead to life-threatening toxicity. This article explains the mechanism of…
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…
I remember being at a house party at Colorado State University. It was the Spring semester of my senior year. I’d already been accepted to veterinary school at Cornell University. We were having a great time – dancing, imbibing, and generally just whooping it up. Then it happened. A scream…
Whenever my family and I visited my maternal grandparents, my Papou (Greek for grandfather) would obsess about making sure we had enough to eat. There was always a jar of mixed nuts on the coffee table. Inevitably macadamia nuts were among the mixture of delicious nuts. They have such a…
I’ve just returned from a week in Cartagena, Colombia where I had the privilege of presenting several lectures at the 41st World Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress. As I was hurriedly maneuvering through the airport, I saw a young woman use an inhaler after she had clearly run to her…
Most of us enjoy the extra flavor certain herbs and spices add to our meals. Many pet parents believe their fur babies will similarly appreciate the added flavor on the palate. Unfortunately, spices like garlic and onions belong to a group called alliums, and they are toxic to both dogs…