Aggression in dogs is divided into three types, dominance associated, fear associated and resource associated. Aggression may also be associated with dogs who suffer from pain or anxiety. For the next two weeks, my blogs will tackle this complex issue. This post will introduce the types of aggression. In the posts that follow, I will give …
Category Archives: Ask The Vet
Ears and Rears – Food Allergy in Dogs
Whenever I work with a dog who suffers from chronic ear and anal gland infections, I worry about a food allergy. My dermatology professor called it, “Ears and rears.” When I see a patient with ear problems and impacted anal glands, especially in younger dogs, food allergy goes to the top of my rule out list. …
Treatments For Cats That Meow All Night
My last blog post discussed how several medical and behavior problems may cause nighttime meowing and yowling. This post will discuss treatments and how to get your cat back on your sleep/wake cycle. First, have the cat examined by a veterinarian to find medical problems that might be causing the meowing. In my experience fleas, hyperthyroidism, pain and dementia secondary to aging are …
Why Cats’ Meow And Yowl At Night
Recently, I have had many complaints from people about cats who keep them up all night. The people are desperate for help due to lack of sleep. Here is a list of the common causes of meowing or yowling that I see broken down into two categories. I will address treatments in my next post. Medical:-Hyperthyroidism or excess thyroid …
African Gray Parrot With Squamous Cell Carcinoma
In January of 2012, I noticed some blood in my parrot’s cage. Ni is an African Gray parrot who picks her feathers. I assumed she had just pulled another one, but closer inspection revealed a bloody mass in the area of her preen gland (uropygial gland). The next day, I performed surgery and removed the mass. Unfortunately, the biopsy results confirmed my …
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Elevated Food Bowls For Dogs
Pictured below is my dog, Buddy, having dinner from an elevated food Bowl. I like elevated feeding stations for dogs with megaesophagus, osteoarthritis and cervical disc disease. In my experience, elevated feeding stations also work well for dogs with anxiety. They seem to feel less vulnerable when standing. Unfortunately, a study performed at Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine, found that …
Advice For High School Students Who Want To Be Veterinarians
Some people are called to their profession at a young age. I decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was four! I called it an animal doctor because I couldn’t say veterinarian. For all of you ‘early deciders’, I put together a list of tips that will help you achieve the dream of becoming a …
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The Best Material for Pet Food Bowls
When it comes to food bowls, pet owners have three basic choices – plastic, ceramic and metal (stainless steel). The following list gives the pros and cons associated with each material. 1) Stainless steel- Stainless steel is a durable material that is great as either a food or water container. It is easy to clean and comes in a variety of …
Plastic Allergy In Dogs And Cats
It will surprise many people to learn that animals may become allergic to plastic. Areas of skin that contact the plastic become inflamed and often bleed. Once the normal dermal barrier is damaged, bacteria and fungi often develop secondary infections. Pictured below is the chin of a dog who received an automatic plastic feeder for …
Fecal Mats On Dogs And Cats
Dogs and cats with long, furry coats are prone to a condition called ‘fecal mats’. The term is a polite way of stating that feces are stuck in the hair over the anus. With time, the feces cause a terrible infection that actually destroys the skin and underlying tissues. A few years ago, I removed a fecal …