The 10 biggest lies even seasoned pet owners believe

As a practicing veterinarian, I interact with a wide variety of people, from first-time pet owners to the seasoned pros who have owned pets their whole lives. I have noticed some common misconceptions that even the experienced pet owners believe. So, time to end the confusion and lay out the facts! 1 – Cats and […]

Heartworm treatment details

When you find out your dog (or, in many cases, foster dog) is heartworm positive, you want to fix it! Let’s treat him and get rid of these heartworms! You know they can be deadly if not treated, so why wait? Then, when you learn how long the treatment takes, and we can’t start just […]

Ear infections in dogs and cats

Ear infections can be one of the most frustrating conditions to treat! If your senior pet has never had an ear infection, they probably never will. Other pets, particularly dogs, have a constant, lifelong battle with ear infections. Some dogs it’s just one ear, but always that same ear! What gives? These dogs that seem to […]

How to not clean a pet’s ears

I am frequently asked to look at a pet’s ear because the owner noticed a discharge. Sometimes they will proudly say “…so I cleaned it with ______!” Often I find myself cringing. First, don’t clean it before the vet sees it – it’s like tampering with evidence (here’s my article on the importance of ear […]

When 2 Worry – Holiday Edition

This time of year presents unique hazards to pets. Some are real. Some are overblown. Some no one really ever talks about! If you remember last year’s “12 days of quiz-mas” some of this may not be new to you. That means you’re becoming a well-educated pet-owner! When do you cancel the party and rush […]

You CAN give your pet turkey on Thanksgiving?!?!

Did you know that, for the majority of pets, you CAN give turkey on Thanksgiving!?!? I know I know I know.  Many vets tell you NO table food. They say to NEVER give your pet any turkey on Thanksgiving. Why do they say that? It’s just easy. People tend to want to over-indulge their pet, […]

Peanut Butter warning!

t’s quite common to use peanut butter to give your dog medication. It sticks to the pill and is downright delicious. A new trend is starting with some off-brand, “natural” type peanut butters. They are including a sweetener called xylitol. This is a safe, no-calorie sweetener for people, but is highly poisonous to dogs! Xylitol […]

Is your cat’s risk for heartworm infection different from dogs?

Everyone knows how important it is to keep dogs on monthly heartworm preventative. But can cats get heartworm? Let’s see….. For starters, heartworm is transmitted the same way in dogs and cats. A mosquito flies around, sucks on an animal with heartworms, ingests the larvae from that pet’s blood, and then processes it into a more […]