Vestibular Disease in Dogs and Cats

The vestibular system controls balance and prevents an animal from falling over. It does this by holding and constantly adjusting the position of the eyes, head and body in relation to gravity. When there is disease affecting this system, though it is seldom life threatening, the symptoms caused can be particularly distressing for a pet owner. Animals may tilt their head to one side, circle either clockwise or anticlockwise, fall over repeatedly, roll to one side, be generally wobbly and display... Read more »

What You Can Catch From Your Pet: Skin Diseases

Dogs, cats and small mammals such as rabbits or guinea pigs are popular companions for many people, often sharing their home environment. Being in such close contact, it is perhaps inevitable that sometimes disease is transmitted from pets to their owners. Though the diseases discussed in this article can affect any person, immunocompromised people such as infants, the elderly or those who are HIV+ need to be extra careful. This article looks at skin diseases of dogs and cats that can present a risk... Read more »

Helping Injured Wild Animals: Ethics and Legality

Caring for wildlife presents many challenges. Veterinarians are seldom familiar with the biology or veterinary care of most of the wild species that are presented to them for examination and treatment. This is compounded by the fact that there are often strict laws governing the protection of wildlife species which must be abided by, not to mention the numerous ethical dilemmas. Are vets duty bound to deal with wildlife casualties? Over the last 20 years, the attempted rehabilitation of injured wild... Read more »

Help, My Dog Is Vomiting!

Vomiting in dogs is a very common occurrence and can arise from a wide variety of causes, from simple gastritis to complex diseases of other body systems. Not only is it very distressing for both the dog and owner, it also provides a challenge for the veterinarian. This article explains the multiple causes of vomiting in dogs, including adverse food reactions, and the range of treatment options available. What is vomiting? Vomiting is the expulsion of food, fluid or debris from the stomach or small... Read more »

Physical Therapy for Cats

Few people think of physical therapy as a viable option for rehabilitating injured cats. It is usually assumed that cats will not cooperate, but contrary to popular belief, most do not resist treatment. Physical therapy can benefit most cats that have undergone surgery. It is helpful for cats with chronic disease or injury that causes pain, which may be displayed as limping, stiffness, aggression or social withdrawal. How does physical therapy work? After an operation, physical therapy reduces pain... Read more »

Cleaning Your Dogs Ears

Just like humans, dogs produce ear wax (cerumen). If there are factors present which increase production of this ear wax, or if the normal clearance mechanism is compromised, then manual removal might be necessary. Why clean the ears? 1. So that your veterinarian can visualize the ear drum. Waxy debris obstructs the view, so the integrity of the ear drum cannot be ascertained. 2. To remove debris prior to applying topical ear medication to treat an infection. 3. As part of a preventative ear care... Read more »

A Quick Guide To Donating To Animal Charities

Charities are one way that people can show their interest for the environment, handicapped people and for animals. There are numerous animal charities that can be found in assorted parts of the world. These charities range from care for mistreated domestic animals to endangered animals to many others. The money that is donated to these charities is put to great use. Examples of where your money will go includes: food, shelter, medical care and love, just to mention a few. There are numerous tasks... Read more »

Microchipping Your Pet

There are several reasons to get your pet microchipped. The main reason is that without doing so, there is little chance of your pet being reunited with you if it is lost or stolen. While collar tags are effective if your pet gets accidentally lost, they are easily removed, can fall off and are no deterrent for a thief. Microchipping is also the compulsory first step when applying for a pet passport, for those owners who wish to take their pet abroad. Dog Theft You may have laughed at Ace Ventura... Read more »

Help, I Have Found A Lump On My Dog!

Skin lumps are very common in dogs. There are a whole range of possible scenarios that can present as a lump on the skin, including, insect bites and stings, abscesses, hematomas, cysts, soft tissue swelling following trauma and benign or malignant tumors. Tumors are probably the most common of these, but two thirds of them are benign and therefore merely cosmetic. Here we look at the most common types of tumor affecting the skin and subdermis in dogs, and what, if any, treatment they require. When... Read more »

A Few Considerations Before You Adopt A Dog

There are many of you who have treasured to bring a nice cuddlesome dog home as a pet. There are different ways that you can go about the business of selecting your future pet but you may want to think about adopting a dog. Before you can officially adopt a dog there are certain items that you will need to take into consideration. Now I know that pets play on our emotions and make it very challenging to make a decision based on providing a good home for the dog. Do yourself a favor and try to take... Read more »