I will never forget walking into a veal barn for the first time. Dozens of newborn black and white calves stood in small iron stalls. Their heads chained to the front. The calves had enough slack to back up about a foot or lie down with their head out in front of them. They could not curl their …
Author Archives: kristennelsondvm
Taming Feral Cats
I divide feral cats into two groups; passive-response cats and active-response cats. Both groups are terrified of people. During kitten hood, they missed a critical window of socialization that removes their fear of people. As adult cats, they view humans with trepidation. The passive-response or scaredy-cats freeze when forced to interact with us. They avoid eye contact …
Kalani, A Feral Cat
KalaniMy husband noticed an orange flash outside his office window. With further investigation, he discovered an orange tabby crouched under a bush. The cat flicked his left ear from side to side. The tip was shriveled. After a few minutes, the cat stood up on his hind legs and nibbled on the lower leaves. He looked like …
IVECCS Tip #5: Owners Self Diagnosing And Treating Their Pets During The Economic Slow Down
During IVECCS, I heard many stories from other veterinarians about owners treating their pets with human medications to save money. Unfortunately, this happens every time the economy slows. This practice may be harmful to the animal and result in large veterinary bills to undo the damage. It is essential to understand that physiologically, pets are not miniature humans! Just …
You Make The Diagnosis: Dog With Swollen Face
For aspiring veterinarians, I have created a new category called “You Make The Diagnosis”. I will present cases for you to diagnose. Hints will be provided on the tough ones. Here’s the first case. Blondie is a young intact female pit bull. She is shy around people. Blondie loves to play out in the yard with her siblings. …
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IVECCS Tip #4: Uncommon Presentations of Arterial Thrombembolism in Cats
Arterial thromboembolism is a serious and painful disease of cats. In the most common form, a thrombus (clot) flows from the heart, down the aorta and lodges where it divides to supply the back legs. It straddles the “Y” like a saddle straddles a horse. Hence the name, “saddle thrombus”. Symptoms of this problem include lameness and/or paralysis …
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IVECCS Tip #3: Pelleted Diets For Birds
Avian nutrition has come a long way in the last twenty years thanks to pelleted diets. These diets prevent birds from using what I like to call the smorgasbord approach . . . they pick out their favorite food items and drop the healthy stuff on the bottom of the cage. Avian veterinarians have been recommending these diets to correct …
IVECCS Tip #2: First Aid For Heat Stroke
If your pet succumbs to heat exhaustion or heat stroke, the treatment you provide on the way to the clinic may mean the difference between life or death. Apply copious amounts of tepid water to their entire body before transporting them. Do not use cold water. Cold water causes peripheral blood vessels to constrict which slows down heat …
IVECCS Tip #1: First Aid For Rattlesnake Bites
Last week I attended the 14th International Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Symposium. It was a terrific symposium attended by veterinarians and technicians dedicated to providing the best emergency care possible for our animal friends. For the next two weeks, I will be blogging about things I learned at the conference. I hope you will …
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Exercise Tips For Cats
Finding ways to exercise indoor cats is a challenge, especially when they reach middle age and kitten play is no longer a part of their psyche. Here are some ideas for keeping cats active: 1) Place food inside a dispenser toy. These toys have holes slightly bigger than a piece of kibble. When the cat …