Cancer is defined as a “growth or tumor resulting from the division of abnormal cells.” Cancers can arise from virtually any body tissue, and the skin is no exception. While as many as 80 percent of skin tumors in dogs are benign, any abnormal growth should be evaluated by our veterinary team. Read on for [...]
Taking your dog for a walk in the woods or a swim in the lake may seem harmless, but diseases may be lurking. Wildlife that crosses your favorite hiking trail or enters your backyard can leave behind traces of bacteria and disease, like leptospirosis. Learn how your pets and your human family members can become [...]
As the number of ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and other insects rises, the diseases these pests carry also increase. Many of the diseases, such as heartworm, can be devastating for your pet. Misconceptions abound about this particular disease, so we want to set the story straight about its cause, effects, prevention, and treatment. Q: I don’t [...]
Since we focused on fleas in March and ticks in April, we thought May would be a great time to write about mosquitoes. (Hang in there: Next month we’ll try to avoid blood-sucking bugs.) No one wants to get bitten by a mosquito, but these flying insects are more than just a nuisance. Did you [...]
Last May we discussed the dangers of heat stroke. It’s likely that you have already seen numerous photos on Facebook being shared warning of the risk of leaving your pet (or child!) unattended in your car now that the temperature is heating up and summer is almost here. So do you remember the reasons why [...]
When you take your dog or cat to see your veterinarian, do you always know why they are asking for permission to run certain tests on your pet? For instance, when the receptionist calls to confirm your appointment, and requests that you bring in a fresh stool sample, do you know why it is so [...]
Lilies are beautiful to look at…but are deadly for your cats. We are well into the spring season now, and Easter has passed not too long ago, and Mother’s Day is coming up. Many of you probably have new floral arrangements in your home to celebrate the occasion. Do you know all of the flowers [...]
You take your dog to the veterinarian for its annual exam, and sit through their spiel on routine wellness plans and recommendations. Some vets may spend a lot of time on the subject of heartworm disease, going into much detail on what the disease is and how to prevent it, and some may speed through [...]
Does your dog start panting, salivating, whining, and pacing right before it is time for you to leave for the day? Do you often come home to destruction in the house, including house soiling in an otherwise perfectly house-trained dog? Do your neighbors complain about hearing howling from your home when you are gone? If [...]
Last year we discussed different ticks and tick-borne diseases. For this blog we will focus specifically on Lyme disease, as it is also a disease that can be transmitted to people. Lyme disease is caused by a spirochete (a bacterium that has spiral-shaped cells), Borrelia burgdorferi. How is Lyme disease transmitted to people and pets? [...]