Seizures In Goldendoodles: How Common Are They & What To Do
Canine seizures are life threatening and frightening. Here’s what to do if your dog has one.
Seizures In Goldendoodles: How Common Are They & What To Do Read More »
Canine seizures are life threatening and frightening. Here’s what to do if your dog has one.
Seizures In Goldendoodles: How Common Are They & What To Do Read More »
I will preface this by admitting that I live in an urban area. In fact, San Francisco is about as urban as it gets in the United States. But I work and draw my work experiences from San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco. San Mateo County has urban areas (such as the city
Will a Raccoon Attack a Dog? Important Safety Information Read More »
The decision to euthanize a dog is the hardest decision that one ever will face as a dog owner. Deciding whether to be present for a dog’s final moments can be almost as difficult.
Dog Euthanasia: When Is the Right Time? Should You Be Present? Read More »
A few weeks ago, my family (which consists of Denise, Buster, and me) was sleeping in together. Denise and I both had the day off, and Buster is retired, so we were taking advantage of the opportunity to laze around. I was awakened by a horrible noise. Â The window was open, and I assumed that
Ask a Vet: What Causes Dog Stomach Noises? Read More »
They’re unpleasant, but they’re a fact of life. Here’s what happens when they don’t function properly.
Dog Anal Glands: Everything You Need to Know (Ask a Vet) Read More »
My editor at Dogster recently forwarded some promotional materials to me. The materials were from a company that makes dog beds, blankets, car seat protectors, furniture such as cots, and clothing. The products have a twist: They are impregnated with permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide. It also is an insect repellant. It is an ingredient
Do Dogs Need Insect-Repelling Clothing and Furniture? Read More »
Dogs and humans share many similarities in medicine and physiology; the similarities are far more numerous than the differences. But the devil is in the details, and when it comes to xylitol, the details make all the difference. Look up xylitol for humans and you will see long lists of uses and benefits. Look up
Xylitol Poisoning In Dogs: Signs, Treatments & Prevention Read More »
I recently received a letter from Donna. In the letter, she raises a few interesting points. I would like to know if my dog will be OK. She was at the vet and had a good checkup, but before the appointment this lady came in and placed her dog right beside my dog, then proceeded
Will My Dog Catch a Disease or Fleas at the Vet’s Office? Keep Your Pup Safe Read More »
When I was in my final, clinical year of veterinary school, I rotated through the oncology department. My first oncology patient was a Golden Retriever. Several days before coming to the Davis teaching hospital, the owner had noticed that the dog had developed several lumps. The dog had gone to his family veterinarian, who identified
A New Vaccine May Help Treat Lymphoma in Dogs Read More »
Horses are said to grow long in the tooth as they age. I sometimes quip that dogs do the opposite. As they chew and play with balls (especially abrasive tennis balls) and toys, their teeth wear down. Elderly dogs often grow short in the tooth. My very good pal Buster is growing metaphorically short in
At Least 34 Beagles Died to Prove the Safety of My Dog’s Arthritis Medicine Read More »
As a veterinarian, I sometimes encounter a problem when I meet new people. Some become excited — to the point of obsession — when they meet a veterinarian outside of a veterinary clinic. They have a tendency to hijack conversations in order to focus on animal-related topics and questions. They also aren’t shy about asking
How Safe Are Low-Cost or Free Spay & Neuter Surgeries for Dogs? Vet Answer Read More »
Several months ago, a very nice lady brought her very nice Golden Retriever to my office. The unfortunate dog did not feel well. The well-meaning owner had wanted to give her dog a special treat. She cooked a beef knuckle bone and gave it to the dog. An hour later, the bone was gone. An hour
Ask a Vet: Will My Dog Be OK If I Feed Her Bones? Read More »
Not long ago I treated a 3-year-old French Bulldog in the middle of the night. The unfortunate dog had suffered a seizure just before he was taken to my office. It was the dog’s first seizure. As is typical for such a situation, the dog’s owner had a great deal of epinephrine and cortisol running through his
What If My Dog Has A Seizure When I’m Not Home? What To Do Read More »
A reader named Jeannine recently sent me this question through Facebook: I will be bringing home a puppy soon. She will be 8 weeks old and will have had her initial vaccinations/vet visits. When should I next take her to the vet? It is very exciting and inevitably challenging (but very worth it) to have a new puppy
Ask a Vet: When Should My New Puppy Have Her First Vet Exam? Read More »
Halloween marked the official start of canine chocolate season, which peaks around Christmas and finally tapers out a short while after Valentine’s Day. Chocolate ingestion, of course, occurs year round, but between these holidays, I note a surge of people who call my office asking for advice on how to make their dog vomit. Decontamination —
Is it Safe to Make My Dog Vomit at Home If He Ingests Toxins? Read More »
Several weeks ago, a gentleman came to my clinic with his English Bulldog. The first thing the man said was, “I think he has a dental abscess.” Dental abscesses are one of the many unpleasant and unhealthy end results of untreated dental disease. In dogs, a primary feature of dental disease is infection. It is
Is It Safe to Anesthetize an Older Bulldog for a Dental Abscess? Ask a Vet Read More »
Many years ago, when I first started working at an emergency hospital, I would chafe on Fridays whenever someone wished me a pleasant weekend. Of course, any well-meaning individual who expressed such a wish had no way of knowing that weekends are to me what Mondays and Tuesdays are to normal people. But, each time, I would
Ask a Vet: What Causes Sudden, Continuous Snorting in Dogs? Read More »
In 2005, the manufacturer of Frontline Plus, Merial, made a big statement. The company claimed, in essence, that fleas were becoming resistant to Advantage. Bayer, the company that manufactures Advantage, responded with lawyers a-blazing. In 2006, Merial issued a retraction. It was just one of many episodes in the flea control product wars. Here is
Does Frontline Plus Work? Ask a Vet Read More »
If your dog, like mine, enjoys fetching and retrieving, I have a recommendation: Buy a Chuckit. What a genius invention — there is no need to get your hand slimy with dog drool, and the device allows for superhuman throwing distances. Heck, with a Chuckit you don’t even need to bend over to pick up
Ask a Vet: What Causes a Dog’s Tooth to Suddenly Turn Purple? Read More »
In January, I found myself sitting on the roof of a guest house in Varanasi enjoying a Kingfisher Beer. Varanasi, in central India, is the holiest city in Hinduism. The guest house had a stunning view of the Ganges and the bathing ghats to which so many pilgrims flock. My reveries were interrupted by cries
Ask a Vet: Will Medical Marijuana for Dogs Become Commonplace? Read More »
I will never forget the first time I witnessed a seizure. I was about 12 years old, and I was in my childhood kitchen with my mother and my cat (yes, this article is about dogs, but bear with me). The cat walked into the middle of the room, and then adopted a distant, disoriented
Seizures In Older Dogs: Why Do Older Dogs Have Seizures? Read More »
In January, I wrote about a dog who swallowed a penny. The dog suffered a number of complications, including anemia, due to the toxicity of the penny’s zinc. Acute (sudden onset) anemia can occur as a complication of zinc toxicity. However, zinc toxicity is not the only cause of acute anemia in dogs. There is
Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) In Dogs: Causes, Signs & Treatments Read More »
Recently I have noted another uptick in the number of people contacting me about marijuana intoxication in dogs. For the record, I am not a veterinary toxicologist. I am, however, a veterinarian who practices in a part of the country where marijuana, although not technically legal, might as well be. One of my first memories
Ask a Vet: Did I Kill My Dog With Marijuana? Read More »
Several years ago I signed up for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s so-called “Clinician’s Outreach” mailing list. Members of the list receive updates from CDC about emergent disease threats. Obviously, one needn’t be a physician to subscribe. Anyone who is interested can sign up. Over the years I have observed CDC’s response to a
Ask a Vet: Is a Dog’s Voice Changing a Symptom of Rabies? Read More »
A puppy came to the emergency vet with frightening symptoms. Were they caused by a vaccine or was something more serious going on?
Ask a Vet: What’s the Strangest Vaccine Reaction You’ve Ever Seen? Read More »
Foxtails hurt dogs all over. These stories illustrate the dangers of canine public enemy No. 1.
It’s Foxtail Season; Here’s How to Protect Your Dog Read More »
There is a loose correlation between a cold, wet nose and dog health — but the key word is “loose.”
Ask a Vet: Does a Dry Nose Mean My Dog Is Sick? Read More »
In early April I wrote an article discussing cruciate ligament injuries in dogs. In the article I mentioned that there are a number of different treatment options for injury to the cruciate ligament, but that one treatment in particular was gradually gaining a consensus as the best option: TPLO. To recap: The cruciate ligament is
Is There a Link Between Knee Surgery & Cancer in Dogs? Ask a Vet Read More »
This dog showed symptoms of a uterus infection, but she was supposedly spayed. What happened?
Why Did My Spayed Dog Get a Sickness Usually Seen in Unspayed Dogs? Ask a Vet Read More »
It all started around November 2007, when I wrote an article (that has since been updated several times) about marijuana ingestion in dogs and cats. The intent of the article was to provide pet owners with unbiased and nonjudgmental information about marijuana intoxication. At the time, medical marijuana was legal in many states but recreational
Ask a Vet: Do You Support Medical Marijuana Use in Dogs? Read More »
Pangolia