health.
Unlike some veterinarians, I like dealing with reptiles. Not so much because I enjoy working with the creatures themselves (they're certainly interesting, but I don't really see their allure as pets), but because their diseases often stem from errors in their feeding or general care. If we catch the problem soon enough, we can usually fix it pretty easily, much to the client's and patient's delight (if reptiles can be delighted). Metabolic bone disease is an excellent example. Meat eating reptiles rarely develop the condition, but for reptiles that primarily eat plants and/or insects, it is a significant concern. Metabolic bone disease is caused by one or more of the ...
Last week, we talked about the rare dangers of drinking out of lakes; the risk of blue-green algae poisoning. This week, the dangers of swimming – or actually, drinking – out of the ocean. As I said last week, I don't want to make you paranoid about letting your dog play on the beach. However, I have seen some pretty severe cases of salt poisoning in the ER and ICU. When it comes to beach-play, make sure you are a pet-savvy owner and understand the following: the unusual sources of salt poisoning (aside from ocean water), the dangers of salt poisoning, the clinical signs, and how to prevent it. RELATED: How To Keep Your Dog's Food Fresh When excessive sodium is ingested, ...
It's that time of year again. Spring-time heading into summer. The fleas are out in full force. Plants are blooming. Pollen is flying. And your cat may be suffering from allergies. In cats, allergies most commonly surface as skin problems rather than respiratory problems like they do in people. We do occasionally see respiratory symptoms due to allergies, but generally cats suffering from allergies are itchy. They may have bald spots and/or sores and scabs on their skin. What are the most common allergies we see in cats? Fleas top the list. Commonly known as flea allergy dermatitis, or FAD, flea allergies are extremely uncomfortable for your cat. And not seeing fleas on your cat ...
Most animal lovers say they would do whatever it takes to save their pets' lives, and Dr. Ben Trimmer got the chance to do just that. According to the U.K. Daily Mail, Trimmer, who is a vet, saved his own cat's life during an emergency midnight call. As a veterinarian who deals with emergencies, Trimmer was used to helping out animals in sorry states. But when a severely injured black cat who had been hit by a car came in during the wee hours of the night, Trimmer worried that the feline was beyond help. RELATED: Cat Rescued After Riding Over a Mile on the Roof of a Car Before Trimmer could begin attempting to save the cat's life, he needed to try contacting its owners for permission to ...
Lisa Hillje regards her dog Lexie not only as a daughter, but as her hero too. According to The Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Lexie detected her owner's tumor, allowing Hillje to treat her breast cancer before it spread. Hillje said Lexie, a Basset Hound mix, used her excellent sense of smell to sniff out the tumor. Once Lexie discovered the mass, she began jumping on Hillje's chest and barking at her. Startled by the dog's unusual behavior, the owner put her hand over the area where Lexie was jumping and found a lump. RELATED: Your Pet Could Save Your Life With a history of breast cancer in her family, the 39-year-old went for a mammogram. The procedure revealed that Hillje had cancer, even ...