VetChick.com

My pet is really sick - and his blood tests were perfect? What a blood panel can tell us... or not tell us....

This happens quite often: I’ll see a sick dog or cat, run a general blood profile… and it comes back 100% normal.

Your pet could be coughing, not eating, throwing up, or just not himself. Whatever the reason, something isn’t right, and you’re disappointed that the blood tests that were ran didn’t give us a diagnosis. Now what?

I always remind owners that perfect bloodwork does not mean perfect…

What to do when your pet gets the wrong medication?

It can happen to anyone.

You have multiple pets on medication. Your mind is distracted. You’re handing out pills. Maybe somebody spits one out and their buddy snatches it up. Maybe one gets dropped and you don’t know who got it. Maybe you flat out gave the wrong pill to the wrong pet. (I’ve done all of these!) How much do you panic?

Some medications are a HUGE deal if one pet gets the others…

I get asked about CBD products almost every day. There’s a lot of claims being made online about the myriad diseases it can treat, and every website claims their product is the best. How do you pick the right one? How do you avoid getting scammed?

Unfortunately…. it’s hard. Shopping for a CBD oil, treats, etc for your pet will make you want to pull your hair out! Yes, there are decent products…

How to make your own first aid kit for your pets

I have many clients ask about first aid kits for pets, and if they should buy one. Honestly, you can easily gather these items yourself! Whether you actually put it together and call it a kit, or just make sure you have these items in your house, it’s always good to be prepared! In many emergencies, response time can make the difference between life and death. Some actions you take at home, even…

Getting your dog used to seeing you in a mask - prep for your next vet visit!

As veterinary clinics around the country consider opening back up to letting owners in the building in the coming months, the next step will likely be the requirement of the owner to wear a mask or face covering during the visit. Of course, this will vary based on your state, region, and the individual practices, but seems to be a trend. From my experience as both a house call veterinarian and a…

My dog's nose is warm and dry -should you worry? Checking temperatures the right way

Quite often I’ll be discussing the symptoms of a dog or cat, and the owner tells me, with very much concern, that the nose feels dry. Or that their nose is warm. Basically, if the nose deviates from cool and wet, it’s cause for the owner’s concern.

I’d like to relieve any anxiety and dispel an old wive’s tale. The feeling of a dog’s or cats nose is not a reliable indicator of health. At all.…

With many people working from home, kids being home from school, and the whole schedule changing, many cats have had their routines turned upside down. Eventually we will try to return to “normal” life, whatever that will be like, but how can we help our cats adjust?

While dogs might think it’s cool that their owners are home a lot more, it seems cats are not dealing well. At all. Across the…

It sounds weird, but sometimes we joke that male dogs need to come with an owner’s manual. There are weird things that often surprise, confuse, and even panic people! Here’s the top 5 facts every owner of a boy dog should know.

1 – Smegma

It’s a great scrabble word. And it results in one unnecessary emergency visit per year for me. Smegma is a normal greenish discharge that can accumulate on…

Coronavirus in dogs and cats. (Spoiler alert - no panic needed)

With all the media coverage of the new strain of coronavirus affecting people, I figured I’d touch on the types of coronavirus that dogs and cats get. Why not.

First of all, the coronavirus is not new – many species (including humans!) have had their own coronaviruses circulating for decades. The virus tends to keep each strain specific to the species, and it doesn’t like to go changing species.…

One of the most common diseases in cats that veterinarians see is Upper Respiratory Infections (URI). These most commonly affect kittens, but many adult cats experience symptoms as well. Symptoms include sneezing (sometimes really juicy ones) along with one or both eyes being infected (conjunctivitis). Some cats even get so congested they don’t want to eat.

There are many infectious agents…

"My dog had a stroke!" - It's probably Vestibular syndrome, do not panic!

Nothing is more scary than waking up one day to see your senior dog walking in circles, head tilted to the side. Sometimes these dogs won’t eat, or will even be throwing up. You’re thinking it’s the end. The symptoms present like a stroke would be in a person, and you know those are bad.

Breathe easy – strokes in dogs are exceedingly rare. I won’t say it never happens, but it isn’t the most…

The grey area between benign and cancerous masses- how is that a thing?

Every day I have an owner show me a lump on their dog and express concern about what it is. Fortunately, the vast majority of these masses are cysts, skin tags, lipomas, or other non-threatening growths, much to the relief of the owner. Occasionally, a lump will be cancerous, and then of course we have a conversation.

I want to talk about the other category that they don’t teach in vet school,…

I am asked this question often. Unfortunately, it’s typically after I’ve diagnosed some condition requiring $2,000 surgery, or extensive hospitalization. These are the times it’s too late. But pet insurance does have a place. I’m not going to tell you which company, or what policy, but tell you generally how pet insurance works, and you can then be an informed shopper. I have many clients who…

We’ve all heard that the best way to maintain our dog’s (or cat’s) dental health is to brush their teeth daily. Yet, how many of us really do it?

*crickets chirping*

Some owners will then see the yellow/brown tartar buildup on their dog’s teeth. There are many dental scalers you can buy online, and it seems like the perfect option! Once the build-up has progressed to this point, it isn’t going to…

With dental disease being one of the most common pet diseases in the country, I often find myself recommending dental cleanings to clients. When I tell them it could be $400- $1000 (depending on how much of a mess the mouth is) some people are shocked. Well, cleaning teeth on a dog or cat is actually a big deal. Here’s everything that is involved in a dental cleaning at a modern veterinary…

This past month I have met more itchy animals than I have in years! The kiddos with the usual seasonal allergies are extra flared up. Even worse, pets who don’t normally get itchy are scratching and rubbing like crazy. What is happening?

This time of year, allergens are typically at their worst (at least here in the Midwest). Some combination of wet spring and dry lately has made this year…