Ear Infections in Cats and Dogs: Causes, Treatment, and Prevention

2025-08-01T12:17:33-07:00October 10th, 2020|Cats|

Introduction A common problem in dogs and cats is ear infections. When it occurs in the ear canal it is called otitis externa. As a general observation the canine species tends to have more of a problem with otitis externa than the feline species. Dogs and cats have sensitive ears, and the amount of discomfort and pain they must endure when their ears are infected are not appreciated by most owners. How Do Cats and Dogs Get Ear Infections? There are many factors working in combination that determine whether or not a pet gets an ear infection. Without addressing the

Ear Cleaning in Dogs and Cats

2025-08-01T11:42:49-07:00October 10th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

One of the most important things you can do to keep your pet's ears clean and healthy is to clean them periodically, especially if they have been prone to infection. This page will show you the proper technique using a medium sized dog as an example. The technique for a cat is similar, the only major difference is in restraint. No matter which species you are restraining, pick a room that is quiet and free of small children. Please let one of our nurses give you an actual demonstration of this technique to develop your confidence. Before we institute any

Dog Skin Allergies: Everything You Need to Know

2025-08-01T11:11:49-07:00October 10th, 2020|Cats|

Introduction Allergies are a common cause of skin conditions in dogs and cats, along with other species. This type of allergy goes by several names; the most common are atopy, allergic skin disease, or allergic inhalant dermatitis (AID). The main difference between us and dog and cats is that allergies in pets tend to cause skin conditions and ear problems, as opposed to the runny eyes, runny noses, and sneezing we encounter in people. Symptoms typically include scratching and itching, although many other skin conditions can cause itching. This itching is called pruritus. Allergies can be hard to control

Kidney Disease (Chronic Kidney Disease) in Dogs

2025-04-21T10:57:52-07:00October 8th, 2020|Dogs|

This page describing kidney disease is very thorough, with pictures and information on anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, in addition to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. If you pace yourself and set aside the time to read it you will get through it.  We have a summary page on kidney disease if this page is too detailed. Even though this page is thorough, the physiology of the kidneys is complicated, and only a summary of how the kidneys work is presented on this page. How the kidneys regulate water consumption and urine production are controlled by complex and highly refined interactions between plasma

GI Stasis (hairballs) in Rabbits

2024-11-28T14:58:46-08:00October 7th, 2020|Rabbit|

This disease is sometimes called Rabbit Gastrointestinal (GI) Syndrome, abbreviated as RGIS. Like many diseases, its cause is multifactorial, and includes anorexia (not eating), gastric ulcers, and intestinal hypomobility (intestines do not move food along in normal peristalsis). Gastrointestinal stasis is a common cause of digestive disease in rabbits (lagomorphs). In most cases at our hospital the cause is a diet that is too low in fiber. You will sometimes read the term "ileus" when talking about this disease. Ileus occurs when the normal intestinal movement of food through the intestines, called peristalsis, stops. Normal digestion is dependent on normal peristalsis

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