Vet Talks

Intestinal parasites are diagnosed in cats and dogs daily in veterinary practice. Animals that sniff, slurp, lick, hunt, and eat, as well as gobble anything in their paths such as dirt, trash, and poop, are bound to pick up parasites. Though some dogs and cats do not show obvious signs of infection, others can have...

Cushing’s disease or hyperadrenocorticism in dogs is an endocrine disease resulting in a set of symptoms observed when the body is exposed to excess cortisone over a long period of time. It commonly affects middle-aged dogs and the most common breeds affected are poodles, dachshunds, and beagles. Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal...

Think we humans are the only ones who get stressed out and act badly? Well, that’s simply not the case. Dogs and cats also suffer from severe anxiety. In fact, in our veterinary practice, it is very common to see anxiety problems in pets. Our dog patients can suffer from anxiety to exhibit destructive or...

Any coughing dog that comes into my clinic is a red alert—is it contagious, is it heart disease or neoplasia? It is important to isolate coughing dogs from other dogs until a diagnosis is made. One common diagnosis is kennel cough. Kennel cough in dogs is a respiratory infection caused by bordetella bronchiseptica and canine...

In our veterinary clinic, one of the most common and unfortunate cases we’ve presented with is cancer in pets. As an integrative veterinary practice, the owners who see us are seeking help with how to improve quality of life, extend life with holistic therapies, or ease chemotherapy side effects. Diet, supplements, acupuncture, physical therapy, and...

Anyone with a bladder infection can attest to the discomfort, aching, and discomfort it brings. It’s the same for urinary tract infections in dogs and cats; but because they can’t always say what’s going on, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms to look out for so your pet doesn’t continue to suffer. Signs...

Through years of experience, we have found that when a senior cat comes into our veterinarian practice it is usually due to hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, or diabetes. These diseases are so prevalent in older cats that we always rule these out first. In today’s vet talk, we’ll be focusing on hyperthyroidism in cats—symptoms to look...

One of the things we love most about our day-to-day practice is seeing geriatric patients. With their sweet eyes and deep bond with their owners, it is hard not to love what we do. Senior pets generally present to our practice for acupuncture, supplements, and diet recommendations. Other senior animals come for regular wellness checks,...

April is heartworm awareness month, which means it’s that time of year when your veterinarian may want to check your dog or cat for heartworm disease. Heartworm in pets is a serious and potentially fatal disease that is caused by foot-long worms (heartworms) that live in the heart, lungs, and associated blood vessels of affected...

Alopecia, or hair loss in pets, is a common disorder in both dogs and cats, which causes partial or complete hair loss. Alopecia in pets can be the result of problems with the endocrine system, lymphatic system, immune system, or parasites. Alopecia can affect dogs and cats of all ages, breeds, and gender; and can...