Coconut oil has become a popular fatty acid supplement for humans. Some of my clients who supplemented their pets with fish oil have switched to coconut oil because they thought it was better. Unfortunately, this is only true for patients with severe gastrointestinal disease or cognitive dysfunction. Unlike fish oil, it does not help with inflammation. Let me …
Author Archives: kristennelsondvm
2013 National Veterinary Technician Week
October 13th-19th is National Veterinary Technician Week. I want to dedicate this blog to all the veterinary technicians who dedicate their lives to saving animals. These gifted health care professionals are the wind beneath a veterinarian’s wings. We simply couldn’t do our jobs without them. Let me give you a peak into what veterinarian technicians …
How to Separate Cats With Colds
Most colds in cats are upper respiratory infections caused by a virus. These viruses are highly contagious. If one cat is sick with an upper respiratory infection, it is important to separate them from other cats to prevent spread of the disease. Here are my recommendations for isolating a cat at home. 1) Isolate the sick …
You Make The Diagnosis: A Dog’s Painful Encounter
Last Saturday night, I treated a unusual case for a city clinic. A dog went out into his fenced backyard before retiring with his family for the night. When he returned, blood covered his paws and face. He was in extreme pain. Please examine the picture of my patient’s paw then answer the following questions; What happened to …
Continue reading “You Make The Diagnosis: A Dog’s Painful Encounter”
You Make The Diagnosis: Strange Structure On Paw
Pictured below is the paw of a dog who came in for veterinary care. During my examination, I found this structure on the inner side of the dog’s leg. Look at it closely then answer the following questions: What is the structure? How is it treated? Diagnosis:Overgrown Dewclaw(360 degrees) I have never seen a nail grown …
Continue reading “You Make The Diagnosis: Strange Structure On Paw”
Anesthetic Recovery in Cats
How cats recover from anesthesia depends upon three things: 1)What drugs where used for the anesthesia. 2) How long the cat was anesthetized. 3) How quickly the cat can clear the anesthetic agent from their body. Anesthetics come in two forms, injectable and gas. When I anesthetize a cat, I start with an sedative to calm …
A Veterinarian’s Perspective on Pet Food Recalls
Pet food recalls seem to be in the news quite often these days. The melamine toxicity scandal killed many animals and made us all more aware of what we feed our beloved pets. Many people have traded commercial diets for home cooked ones but sometimes end up hurting the animals because the diets are not balanced and complete. So, what …
Continue reading “A Veterinarian’s Perspective on Pet Food Recalls”
Online Puppy Mills Are Finally Regulated By The USDA
Due to a loophole in Animal Welfare Act regulations, puppy mills were able to sell animals on-line without any regulation from the USDA. Because of this, many animals suffered in horrific conditions with no veterinary care. Thanks to public outcry led by the Humane Society of the United States, the Humane Society Legislative Fund and the …
Continue reading “Online Puppy Mills Are Finally Regulated By The USDA”
Cats With Cystitis
Feline cystitis is a common problem in cats. Inflammation develops in the urinary bladder causing pain. Normally, cats urinate twice a day and defecate once a day. Cats with cystitis will make frequent trips to the litter box producing small amounts of urine each time. As the pain worsens, they often urinate in unusual places and …
You Make The Diagnosis: Swollen Eyelid
Pictured below is a young Boxer with a swollen lower eyelid. His foster mom let him out to play in the backyard and he returned looking like this. Other than a swollen eye, this pup is in good health. List the most likely causes of this condition then scroll down for the answer. Diagnosis: The …