The heads of dogs and cats are innervated by twelve pairs of cranial nerves (CN). When CN VII – otherwise known as the facial nerve – is dysfunctional, the result is paralysis of specific facial muscles. This week I’m sharing some information about facial nerve paralysis to increase awareness, so…
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Feline Arterial Thromboembolism (FAT) – Nobody Wants A Cat to Get FAT!
This week I’ve dedicated time to sharing information about a very important disease in feline medicine – feline arterial thromboembolism or FAT. I have a love-hate relationship with FAT. I love it because it’s complicated, and it challenges me as a board-certified veterinary critical care specialist. I hate it because…
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Degenerative Myelopathy – A Progressive Spinal Cord Disease in Dogs
On this – the 3rd anniversary of CriticalCareDVM.com – I wanted to devote some time to an important and under-appreciated cause of pelvic limb weakness and paralysis in dogs. Most pet parents know about intervertebral disc disease that can cause neurological complications like difficulty walking and spinal discomfort. Yet, degenerative…
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Laryngeal Paralysis in Dogs – A Common Voice Box Problem
Last week you learned from Dr. Odunayo some wonderfully helpful tips to keep your pets safe in the summer months. You may remember her comments about taking steps to help animals, particularly dogs, acclimatize effectively to warmer weather. Some dogs have more trouble than others adjusting to increased heat and humidity because…