Coati mundi are small omnivores that are cousins of the raccoon. I met this mother and son pair at a snack bar while hiking at Iquazzu Falls in Brazil. Unfortunately, these animals have become dependent upon handouts from tourists. They congregate around food stands begging for food. The female below tried to grab an ice cream …
Author Archives: kristennelsondvm
Criollo Horses in Argentina
On my recent trip to Argentina, I was introduced to the Criollo breed of horses. These horses originated from stock brought over by the Spanish and Portuguese explorers. The breed is now considered native to Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. Criollos stand between 13.3 and 14.3 hands tall. They are compact well muscled horses that are …
You Make The Diagnosis: Lameness In A Dog
The X-ray below was taken of a large breed dog who looked like a cross between a Rottweiler and a Labrador Retriever. The dog was a stray that had been hit by a car and then rescued by a good Samaritan. When I first met ‘Lucky’, he held his R rear leg high off the ground. …
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Help For Tazmanian Devils
Tamanian Devils are being decimated by an infectious disease called ‘Devil Facial Tumor Disease.” This soft tissue carcinoma causes severe disease of the face then spreads throughout the rest of the body. This non-viral disease is spread through fighting, something Tasmanian Devils like to do. Sadly, it is estimated to have decreased the population of Tazmanian devils by 70% …
Comment on Taming Feral Cats
Wow, you have made great progress with all of the cats. I am sorry to hear about Tuki but happy to hear about Klein. In my experience, feral cats have a tough time being picked up. To condition Klein for this, start by lifting one leg off the ground for a few seconds while rubbing …
NIH Chimpanzee’s
I am delighted that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) decided to reduce their use of Chimpanzee’s in biomedical research! Yes we share most of our human DNA with Chimps and they have made enormous contributions to advances in medicine. But the cost is too high. This decision inspires all of us in the scientific community …
Comment on Taming Feral Cats
Just thought I’d give you an update plus any advice would be great! Tuki disappeared which is a shame so I really don’t know what happened to her – she would turn up every night to be fed but one day never showed up and hasnt been seen since. Unfortunately the local councils animal control …
Dog Almost Loses Leg Because of Bandage
Bandages make me nervous. When used properly, they help the patient heal by stabilizing the affected body part and protecting the injured area. Unfortunately, bandages can also cause great harm if used improperly. Pictured below is the leg of a dog who sprained his paw. He was placed in a supportive wrap and released to …
You Make The Diagnosis: Dental Disease
A month ago, I anesthetized my own cat for an oral evaluation and periodontal treatment. This is also commonly referred to as a ‘dental’. On visual examination, I noticed mild inflammation of the gums but no other problems in the crowns of the teeth. The next step was to take x-rays of Tigre’s mouth. Look at the image of …
You Make The Diagnosis: Name The Foreign Body
A dog presented for limping on its front leg. It had been doing so for one week. As an aside, please do not wait one week to seek medical attention when your dog is limping! The area below the elbow was swollen and extremely painful. The lightest touch caused the dog to scream. The dog is fully …
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