Archives: Pets

A Spay Is A Major Abdominal Surgery…Please Consider It As Such

I think the veterinary medical field has to do away with the simple term “spay” and call the procedure by its actual name, ovariohysterectomy.  Ovariohysterectomy more effectively gets across that what we commonly refer to as a spay, which is the surgical removal of the female reproductive tract thatt requires an incision and closure of the abdominal cavity and the tying...

Why is insulin to important? An intro to diabetes

You may still be reeling from hearing the news that your dog or cat is diabetic. We can get through this! First, let’s get three facts very clear. 1 – Diabetes sucks 2 – Diabetes is not a death sentence 3 – For most animals, once you get into a routine, diabetes sucks a lot less  Yes, your lives will change, and giving these insulin shots sounds very scary. Trust me,...

Why Oral Glucosamine Treatment For Arthritis In Dogs and Cats Should Be Supplemented With Glycosaminoglycan Injections

The theory behind the reported effectiveness of glucosamine supplementation for dogs and cats suffering from osteoarthritis, often simply referred to with the broad term arthritis, is that glucosamine serves as a precursor to glycosaminoglycan.  Glycosaminoglycan is utilized by cartilage building cells in the body called chondrocytes, to build and repair cartilaginous tissues...

Leptospirosis AKA “Lepto”

When I first started making house calls, I debated whether or not to offer the vaccine against Leptospirosis. I didn’t routinely carry it, but for the small number of dogs who needed it, I would order it and vaccinate them. Well, I decided to just start carrying it. There are many pros and cons to vaccinating your dog for this disease. I’ll present both in detail, and let...

Canine Distemper – what dog owners need to know

Our local news broke a sad story. Stray Rescue of St. Louis is experiencing an outbreak of distemper among their dogs, mainly puppies. Several have already died. Because this virus is highly contagious, the shelter is closed for the next 30 days. They cannot risk bringing in new dogs (who are, obviously, not vaccinated). This deadly virus is, fortunately, not very common,...

Dogs Understand Language As Well As A Child

Pictured here is Sky the Border Collie who, along with her mom Dr. Melody Jackson, is leading cutting edge research that give dogs a “voice” that enhances the relationship between dogs and their people.  At the Georgia Tech Animal Computer Interaction Lab, when instructed, Sky lifts her head to tug on a strap that hangs from the side of a vest that triggers a...

Getting Veterinary Advice From Your Breeder Is Like Getting Gynecological Advice From A Pimp

Whether you find the title of this post either exceptionally crass or exceptionally clever, I cannot take credit either way, as it comes from a Facebook meme I recently saw posted by a veterinary friend and colleague of mine.  It was a recent client visit that had me feeling like I was banging my head against a wall that reminded me of the meme that inspired me to write this...

What to do (and what NOT to do) when a pet is limping

When I was in vet school, one of our orthopedic surgery professors had a saying: “There is no such thing as an orthopedic emergency.” Clearly he did not enjoy being called in the wee hours of the night. Can’t blame him. What he means is that an animal won’t die from a broken leg or ruptured ligament. Now, if they broke that leg because they were hit by a car, that is a...

How can I tell if my cat is in pain?

If you’ve lived with a cat, you know that making our lives easier is most certainly not on their agenda. They are great communicators in some aspects – when he’s hungry, you will be informed in no uncertain terms, particularly if it’s 5am. Some cats clearly show their disdain at the litter box not being up to standard. If they are so good at sharing their feelings, why...

Good Grief

My husband and I lost our Great Dane to osteosarcoma (bone cancer) last week, at almost 9 years of age. My dog , my furry daughter, the reflection of my soul, light of my life, and apple of our eyes, died. She is gone. (more tears hit the keyboard…) What makes us as veterinarians, as scientists, us as people taught in the shades of grey that paint the world of medicine,...