Last weekend, I had the privilege of watching a herding trial at Double M Stock Dogs in Mayer, Arizona. I love watching these highly trained working dogs display their athletic ability. According to the American Kennel Club, “The purpose of the competitive herding trial program is to preserve and develop the herding skills inherent in …
Author Archives: kristennelsondvm
Surgical Repair With Drain Of A Dog’s Laceration
One of the most common surgeries performed in veterinary medicine is wound repair. Bites, punctures, foreign bodies and lacerations often cause severe wounds and require extensive treatment. Young animals seem to be more prone to these accidents than adults. Pictured below is the side of a young dog. She was playing with her litter mate …
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You Make The Diagnosis: Name This Fecal Parasite Found in Dogs
Pictured below is a worm that was found crawling on the fur around the anus of a dog. The owner also found more of the worms on the dog’s stool. Study the picture of this flat, off-white colored worm and then answer the following questions: 1) What is the name of this parasite? 2) How …
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In Honor of The Search and Rescue Dogs of 9/11
Fifteen years ago, search and rescue dogs descended upon the world trade center in search of survivors. Dogs and their handlers worked day and night to help the victims. One of those teams included a young Golden retriever on her first deployment, named Bretagne and her handler, Denise Corliss. It was the first deployment in a …
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Top 5 Puppy Training Mistakes
As a veterinarian, I spend a lot of time discussing puppy training. Frustrated people come to me because their puppy is having accidents or keeping them up all night. Although some problems are caused by medical conditions, many are caused by sub-optimal handling by the family. Here are the 5 most common mistakes I see …
Histiocytic Sarcoma in Bernese Mountain Dogs, Retrievers and Rottweilers
Hstiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a malignant disease found most often in Bernese Mountain dogs, retrievers and rottweilers. Males are more commonly affected than females and it can occur at any age. It is also called Histiocytic sarcoma complex, malignant histiocytosis and disseminated histocytic sarcoma. There are two forms of the disease, localized or disseminated. The …
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Macadamia Nuts are Toxic to Dogs
As a veterinarian, I caution people about giving human food to dogs. That’s because dogs and people metabolize food differently. Macadamia nuts, raisins, grapes and sugar-free gums are some of the human foods that are toxic dogs. Although the exact mechanism for the toxicity is not known, it is thought to be from a serotonin …
Serotonin Syndrome in Dogs and Cats
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter found in the central nervous system (CNS) which includes the brain and spinal cord. It is also in the peripheral nervous system which is basically, the rest of the body. It is synthetized from an amino acid called tryptophan. According to Dr. Sharon Gwaitney-Brant, this important neurotransmitter is involved “. . . in the …
Keep Pets Safe from Firecrackers Hidden in Tennis Balls and Other Household Items
The Fourth of July is a dangerous time for pets. Backyard barbecues lead to dogs and cats eating all kinds of things that are bad for them. From the high fat ribs that cause pancreatitis to chocolate laden deserts, our feasts create a lot of problems when shared with our pets. Another common problem is …
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Zika Virus in Dogs and Cats
Zika virus was first discovered in Africa back in the 1940’s in a monkey with a mild fever. Since then, the disease has spread all over the world. In humans, the virus causes a birth defect called microcephaly which means ‘small brain’. In animals, the virus has been found primarily in non-human primates. Most exposed monkeys and apes show …