Fridays in September

As many of you know, I sometimes work at a couple local vet clinics when a doctor takes a day off. Normally this gives me a rather random schedule. I’m happy that this month I have a little regularity! Every Friday in September, I will be working at Northgate Small Animal Hospital in Collinsville from […]

You asked – Litterbox Questions

I love hearing your suggestions for pet care topics! Lately I’ve had quite a few conversations about litterboxes, and it’s the follow-up to an article about urine! While every household is unique, and every cat is unique, here are some common issues I see. 1 – NOT ENOUGH. The number of litter boxes in the […]

September events for shelters

  Dinner and Auction Highland Animal Shelter is holding a Dinner and Auction at the Highland Country Club on October 4th starting at 6pm. For details contact Marilyn at 618-644-2327. 70’s Dance Party You know you want to! Cut a rug in your finest bell-bottoms on Sept 27 in Alton, IL. All money raised goes […]

You can do that? Urinalysis

This month’s feature is urinalysis. A urinalysis (urine testing) actually has three parts to it. Depending on the case, I may choose to perform any combination of these components, or all three. Who knew you could do so much with pee? Urine Specific Gravity – this is a measure of the concentration of the urine. […]

HEAT STROKE

The handsome man below is my Pepperman. We had a bad scare today. I came home from church to find my husband had let two dogs out, but only one back in. The Pepperman, who is almost 16 years old, was collapsed and panting profusely on the patio. He had found the shade, thankfully. I […]

Thyroid testing…and treating!

Cats and dogs are opposites in a lot of ways, but thyroid activity is perhaps the most distinct. The thyroid gland does a lot – it regulates the body’s metabolism. Cats typically develop HYPERthyroidism – the thyroid gland is overactive. Most owners notice their cat is eating the same amount or a lot more, yet […]

What’s up with hot spots?

‘Tis the season for dogs to get hot spots! What are they exactly? The medical diagnosis is “moist pyoderma.” This loosely translates into “gooey, seriously infected skin”. Gross. And itchy. And painful. People often think hot spots are related to hot weather. While they do seem to occur more in summer, it isn’t the temperature […]

Adding a new page

People have suggested I have a “testimonials” page on the website. I initially poo-poo’ed it (is that even a word?) but with people constantly suggesting, am rethinking. OK, so I’m a little slow. So, if you have something you’d like to share, or something you think would work on that kind of page, email me […]

Cat puke – how much is too much?

You asked – when is a cat throwing up TOO much? Cats puke. Everyone with cats know this. Particularly after you buy new furniture, clean the carpets, etc. A great question a client recently asked is: how much is too much? Unfortunately, there is no black and white answer (is there ever in this field?). […]

Identifying lumps and bumps – yes we can!

It seems few things can instill panic in a pet owner like the discovery of a new lump or growth. Is it something cancerous that should be removed? Will it go away on its own? Is it benign and can stay? Sure, I can give you an idea based on location, appearance, and feel. Sometimes […]