• Pulmonary Edema – Water on the Lungs

    Lungs are a vital organ essential for delivering oxygen to the lungs and expelling carbon dioxide from the body. In various disease states, the lungs become damaged, and fluid can inappropriately swamp them with fluid. This fluid accumulation in the lungs is called is called pulmonary edema and can dramatically…

  • Coxal Luxation – When the Hip Pops Out of Socket

    Orthopedic injuries are relatively common in dogs and cats. Problems like broken bones, luxating patellas, and ruptured cranial cruciate ligaments occur quite frequently. Hip injuries happen too, and coxal luxation – also called hip dislocation – is arguably the most common injury at this joint. So, this week I’m sharing…

  • Lungworm Infection in Cats – A Cause of Coughing

    In previous posts I’ve written about various causes of coughing in cats, particularly asthma. This week I wanted to share information about an under-appreciated cause of coughing – lungworm infection. Please share this with other cat owners to increase knowledge of this disease. Happy reading! Lungworm Infection – What is…

  • Osteosarcoma in Dogs – A Painful & Aggressive Bone Cancer

    Lameness is a common problem in dogs. Muscle injuries like an iliopsoas muscle strain and ligamentous injuries like a cranial cruciate ligament rupture are frequently diagnosed in dogs. Every once and a while, a lameness is more serious than a strain or ligament problem. Sometimes it’s cancer, specifically a cancer in…

  • 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…

  • Cryptococcosis in Cats – A Feline Fungal Infection

    I’ve been diagnosing and managing some interesting infectious diseases in my patients recently. These intriguing cases have kept bacteria, fungi, and infective organisms at the forefront of my mind. So much so that this week I’m sharing some tidbits about the most common systemic fungal infection in cats – cryptococcosis.…

  • Aspiration Pneumonia in Pets – Going Down the Wrong Pipe!

    Oxygen is unquestionably required for life. Without our lungs, oxygen can’t get into the bloodstream to be transported to cells throughout the body. Sometimes inappropriate bodily fluids end up in the lungs because they were inhaled (aspirated) into the airway. The resulting lung inflammation and infection is called aspiration pneumonia.…