Acute moist dermatitis or hot spots are a common skin condition in dogs with double coats such as Golden Retrievers and Bernese Mountain dogs. An inciting factor such as an insect bite, allergy, chemical burn or sticker irritates the skin. Then the dog licks, scratches and chews the area further inflaming it. The traumatized skin in combination …
Monthly Archives: June 2014
You Make The Diagnosis: Abnormal Dog Nose
Pictured below is a close up of a dog’s nose. This dog had a black nose until it suddenly started to blister and peel. Eventually, all of the normal tissue was gone, leaving the dog with an open wound over the entire nose. With treatment, the condition improved to what is pictured below. What medical condition …
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You Make The Diagnosis: Name This Itchy Skin Condition In Dogs
***Please Note: On June 25th, 2014, Dr. Nelson’s Veterinary Blog will be changing to the WordPress format. All of the blog posts can be found there but the comments were lost in the data migration. BUMMER! If you are a subscriber, please go to drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com and re-subscribe. (This is the temporary address until 6/25/14 when it …
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Special Needs Kitty Seeks A Home
Several weeks ago, I performed surgery on a kitty named Ghostly after she sustained serious injuries from a car’s fan belt. The cat was inside the engine when it was started. Two good Samaritans saw her run from the car leaving a trail of blood behind her. They searched and searched knowing her injuries she …
Treatment of Valley Fever in Dogs
***Please Note: On June 25th, 2014, Dr. Nelson’s Veterinary Blog will be changing to the WordPress format. All of the blog posts can be found there but the comments were lost in the data migration. BUMMER! If you are a subscriber, please go to drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com and re-subscribe. (This is the temporary address until 6/25/14 when it …
Diagnosis of Valley Fever in Pets
Blood testing is the most common method used to diagnose Valley Fever. A sample of the pet’s blood is sent to the lab. They look for the presence of antibodies for Valley Fever. If antibodies are present, the lab will then perform a titer test which involves diluting the sample to determine the amount of …
National Cancer Survivors Day
Congratulations to all my fellow cancer survivors! This past Saturday, I had the honor of serving as the keynote speaker for National Cancer Survivors Day at Scottsdale Healthcare. What made the event incredibly special is that over three years post chemo, several of my nurses were in the audience. The care they provided and the love I felt …
Seattle Pacific University
I am a proud graduate of Seattle Pacific University. So today’s tragedy is especially sad. I spent many hours in the building where the shooting occurred. It is the science building where I had many biology, chemistry and math courses. We called it “The SLC” for Science Learning Center. As someone who spent considerable time both …
Clinical Signs of Valley Fever in Animals
Valley Fever is a fungal disease caused by the organism Coccidioides immitis. This organism lives in the dry alkaline soil which is found in the Sonoran desert areas of the southwestern U.S. It is also found in Central America and the Middle East. When the soil is disturbed from building, gardening or strong winds, spores are released into the air. The …
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Bite Wounds in Dogs
Bite wounds in dogs remind me of icebergs because the damage beneath the skin if often much worse than the surface damage. During a bite, the teeth are inserted below the dermis (skin), then two things can happen. First, the teeth can sink deep into the underlying tissue causing damage and injecting bacteria from the mouth. …