In previous posts I wrote about variety of urinary tract problems, including tumors of the urinary bladder and protein losing nephropathy (PLN). This week I wanted to share information about another urinary issue – ectopic ureter. I hope you find the post interesting and informative. Happy reading! Ectopic Ureter –…
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Hematuria in Dogs & Cats – When Your Pet Pees Blood
If you’re like me, you don’t monitor every elimination your dog or cat makes. You don’t observe every urination. Yet at some point in a pet’s life, they will inevitably develop blood in their urine. This is a condition called hematuria. It’s actually pretty common, so I wanted to dedicate…
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Blastomycosis – A Potentially Lethal Fungal Infection in Our Pets
When most folks think of infection, they think of bacteria. Yet not all infections are caused by bacteria. Many infections are caused by other infectious organisms, including fungi. If you live in certain parts of the United States, fungal infections are actually quite common. One of the more common fungal…
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Tularemia in Cats – Thumper & Mickey Mouse are not Garfield’s Friends!
Everybody knows the most famous rodent in the world – Mickey Mouse. We all also know Bambi’s beloved woodland buddy – Thumper. But did you know Mickey and Thumper could pose a risk to everybody’s lasagna-loving cat, Garfield? That’s right! Rodents and rabbits can transmit a potentially fatal disease called…
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Insulinoma in Dogs – When Too Much of a Good Thing Isn’t Good
I’ve previously published information about diabetes mellitus in dogs, including details about how to treat this disease. What if a dog or cat had too much insulin instead of too little? This is a serious condition called insulinoma. This week I’ve dedicated time to sharing some helpful tidbits about this…
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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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Lymph Node Enlargement in Dogs & Cats – A Swelling Not to Be Ignored!
A common clinical scenario I encounter is a pet referred to me for evaluation of enlarged lymph nodes. Parents may incidentally discover the swellings while petting or playing with their pet. At other times family veterinarians find the enlargements during an annual preventative healthcare examination. Given the commonality of this…
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Mast Cell Tumors in Dogs – A Common Canine Skin Cancer
Mast cells are unique cells of the immune system that are involved in the body’s response to inflammation and allergies. Unfortunately, these cells can become cancerous to affect different areas of the body, particularly the skin. Given their commonality in our canine companions, I wanted to dedicate some time to…
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Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs – An Aggressive Blood Vessel Cancer
Every pet parent dreads “The Big C” for their fur babies. Cancer strikes fear in the hearts and minds of pet-owning families. As a board-certified critical care specialist, one of the most common cancers I diagnose and treat is called hemangiosarcoma. I wanted to dedicate some time explaining this cancer,…
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Primary Hyperparathyroidism in Dogs – High Calcium Isn’t Always Cancer!
Many dog owners know a finding of elevated blood calcium can be quite concerning. Cancer, including lymphoma and apocrine gland carcinoma of the anal gland, is a leading cause of blood calcium elevations in dogs. Yet, sometimes this elevation is not caused by lymphoma or anal gland cancer! Sometimes, the…