12
12, 2020
Mammary Cancer (Breast Tumor)
These preventable tumors are the most common tumor in female dogs as they age. They do occur in males, but this is a rare occurrence. Up to 50% of these tumors in dogs are malignant. The specific cause of this problem is unknown, although there is a very strong correlation to hormones, especially in the dog. Some tumors become so large that they can become ulcerated and painful, leading to the potential of an infection that spreads to the rest of the body (sepsis or septicemia). Why someone would wait for a tumor to get this large before seeking our medical care is beyond us.
11
12, 2020
Diabetes Mellitus (Sugar Diabetes) in Birds, Dogs, and Cats
This page discusses Diabetes Mellitus (Sugar Diabetes) in Birds, Dogs, and Cats. This page describing diabetes mellitus (DM) is very thorough, and will require some study if you want to understand it fully. We have a summary page on DM if that suits your needs better than this detailed page. We use the guidelines of the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) to help in treating your dog or cat with DM. It is all about the blood glucose level, which you will learn about in detail. It is sometimes called the blood sugar level. This level, whatever you want to
23
10, 2020
Minimizing Stress In Cats
Cats are interesting creatures when it comes to their social lives. They are highly prone to stress, especially in households with more than one cat. This stress can cause chronic disease, especially of the urinary tract. It is so important that have a page dedicated to this problem called Urinary Tract Disease in Cats. When this disease is caused by excess stress it is called Idiopathic Cystitis. There is even speculation that excess stress causes a "Pandora Syndrome" in cats with aspects that are similar to humans. In cats the excess stress can exacerbate skin conditions like psychogenic alopecia (a
10
10, 2020
Ear Infections
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. There are many factors working in combination that determine whether or not a pet gets an ear infection. Without addressing the primary factors in the first place, and without addressing
10
10, 2020
Ear Cleaning
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