Years ago, veterinarians gave every shot to every cat, every year. No one asked about lifestyle. No one asked if this was actually helping the cat or harming the cat. No one asked if one shot was different from the next. Over the past 15 or so years, things have changed for the better! We’ve […]
I have many owners whose cats never set foot outside. They are not “flight risks” and have no interest in going outside. Ever. These owners often prefer not to continue vaccinating their adult cats. Some vets insist on it, every year. What to do? There are two main vaccines that are generally recommended for all […]
This topic seems to really stress out pet owners! And there seems to be a lot of confusion and misdirection. For some reason, it tends to be a middle-of-the-night phone message: “my dog/cat hasn’t pooped in __ days. We have to do something!!!” Not so fast. Take a breath. Constipation is not really all that […]
If your cat has suffered bouts of FIC flare-ups, your vet probably has warned you to watch and make sure your cat is able to urinate. What’s the big deal? Cats with FIC can develop sandy debris or stones in their bladders. When a male cat urinates and these try to pass, the long, skinny […]
One of the more frustrating problems I deal with as a veterinarian is cats and their bladder problems: the inflammation they get in their bladder that causes painful, bloody urine, often outside the litter box. It’s such a convoluted topic, no one can even agree on what to call it! When I was in vet […]
Adventures in housecall practice – investigator style! One of our long time clients found a stray cat. She had taken her to a local shelter and had her scanned for a microchip. She was told the cat had a chip, but it was not registered, and it was a dead end. NO way to find […]
Come see us at the Partners for Pets Howl-o-ween festival, actually ON Halloween! And it’s FREE!! It’s from 10am – 3pm at 9136 Lower Marine Rd, St. Jacob, IL 62281. There will be 30+ vendor booths for trick-or-treating. Both kids and pets, with or without costumes, are welcome. There is a pet costume contest, as well as […]
Speaking of costumes and trick-or-treating…. I know it’s fun to dress up pets for Halloween. I have done it, and have the photographic evidence so I can’t deny it. Couple things to keep in mind before dressing up your pet. Check the costume for rough straps or seams. I was in a store admiring the costumes, […]
Pets that stop eating can certainly stress out their owners. Some pets will stop eating altogether, while others may just eat less. This is a frustrating topic, since “not eating” can be an indicator of such a wide variety of problems! I’ll attempt to sort out when we don’t sweat it, and when you need the […]
Any time a pet stops eating, it is cause for concern. However, vets become much more concerned when an overweight cat suddenly decides to go on a crash diet, or even get picky. Skinny cats, believe it or not, I worry less about when they stop eating than fat cats. Counter-intuitive, perhaps, because skinny cats […]