Dr. Eric Barchas (Veterinarian)

Eric Barchas, DVM is a veterinarian who lives and works in San Francisco. His emphasis is on small animal medicine, surgery and wellness. An avid traveler, he has studied lions in Botswana and salmon in southern Chile.

Do Dogs Need Insect-Repelling Clothing and Furniture?

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

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A dog licking a jar of peanut butter.

Xylitol Poisoning In Dogs: Signs, Treatments & Prevention

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

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dog itching

Will My Dog Catch a Disease or Fleas at the Vet’s Office? Keep Your Pup Safe

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

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A golden retriever getting a vaccine.

A New Vaccine May Help Treat Lymphoma in Dogs

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

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At Least 34 Beagles Died to Prove the Safety of My Dog’s Arthritis Medicine

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

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How Safe Are Low-Cost or Free Spay & Neuter Surgeries for Dogs? Vet Answer

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

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A sick or tired pug lying down on the floor.

What If My Dog Has A Seizure When I’m Not Home? What To Do

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

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Ask a Vet: When Should My New Puppy Have Her First Vet Exam?

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

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street dog suffering from vomiting

Is it Safe to Make My Dog Vomit at Home If He Ingests Toxins?

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 —

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cute little french bulldog with cherry eyes sitting outdoor

Is It Safe to Anesthetize an Older Bulldog for a Dental Abscess? Ask a Vet

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

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Ask a Vet: What Causes Sudden, Continuous Snorting in Dogs?

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

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Does Frontline Plus Work? Ask a Vet

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

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Dog mouth opening showing teeth and gums.

Ask a Vet: What Causes a Dog’s Tooth to Suddenly Turn Purple?

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

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Ask a Vet: Will Medical Marijuana for Dogs Become Commonplace?

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

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shih tzu dog checked by vet

Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) In Dogs: Causes, Signs & Treatments

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

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close up red irish setter dog barking

Ask a Vet: Is a Dog’s Voice Changing a Symptom of Rabies?

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

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Holding hands with sick and injured dog

Is There a Link Between Knee Surgery & Cancer in Dogs? Ask a Vet

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

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Marijuana Leaf sniff dog

Ask a Vet: Do You Support Medical Marijuana Use in Dogs?

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

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