A reader writes: On your Web site, you state that cold weather kills fleas (10 days at 37° or 5 at 33°). I live in Ohio and it gets below 10° for weeks at a time. Will below freezing weather, for long periods, kill the eggs too? I don’t heat this house during the winter. [...]
Cytology is a technique used in many aspects of veterinary and human medical practice. “Cyto” comes from the Greek kytos, meaning “cell.” Logos is Greek for “science.” So, cytology is the science (or study) of cells. More specifically in everyday use cytology is used to study cells placed on a microscope slide from a body [...]
Dermatophytosis is a condition of dogs and cats (or people, or other animals) having skin, nails or hair infected by certain fungi. The condition is commonly called by the ancient term “ringworm,” because, centuries ago, people thought there was a worm living in the circular lesions the fungus sometimes produces. There is no worm associated [...]
It’s time for a party! Actually, the party already happened, and, since you couldn’t be there, we wanted you to see what transpired. Itty Bitty’s first birthday is today. Her proud parents had to make the trip to our house last weekend for the party, as weekdays are pretty impractical in the hectic world we [...]
Country artists Brooks and Dunn have a song out called “God Must Be Busy.” In it they talk about some of the problems in the world, including “old folks can’t afford the drugs they can’t live without.” We ran into a similar problem today when a client brought in this cute little dog we’ve been [...]
Pets’ acutely-swollen feet can be a diagnostic dilemma. Little Petey Boy, shown below, was the subject of a phone call from his distressed mommy this morning, when she took him outside to use the bathroom and he hollered, then held up his left front foot. Immediately the little dog’s foot began to swell and his [...]
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca. KCS. Or, dry eye, as it’s commonly known. Broken down, the first word refers to the parts of the eye usually affected in the condition. “Kerato” refers to the cornea, or clear part of the eye. “Conjunct” refers to the conjunctiva, the thin tissue that covers and protects the rest of the eye. [...]
Umbilical hernia is an inheritable condition in dogs. Insufficient research has been completed in cats to know whether inheritance is a factor. Sedona really knows how to take a nap! Just as in people, the umbilicus, or navel, serves as the attachment location for blood and waste products to be exchanged from the mother to [...]
You’ve heard of bomb-sniffing dogs. You’ve heard of drug-sniffing dogs. Did you know that dogs can be trained to sniff out bedbugs? John Russell, president of Action Pest Control, says that the average price of a suitable dog is about $10,000.00. That’s before the training and transportation to the end user. Then, there is the [...]
Zoonosis. The first syllable is pronounced zo’, with a long “o”, comes from the Greek word for life and has evolved to mean “animal.” “Nosis” is also Greek and refers to disease. In modern usage zoonosis refers to a disease of animals that is transmissible to people. (If you get the impression I’m “into” words [...]
Microfilaria are the offspring of adult heartworms. They are produced in massive numbers in canines infected with Dirofilaria immitis (the taxonomic name for the heartworm parasite). In some ways microfilaria can be worse than the adult canine heartworm. When large numbers of them die suddenly they can cause a shock reaction and death. That is [...]
Do you travel with your pet? A pet safety seat can save your dog or cat’s life, as well as making his travel more enjoyable. With the FidoRido Pet Car Seat the odds are in your favor for a fun trip and a safe arrival. Safety equipment isn’t just for long trips. Say “car ride” [...]
The acronyms for Hill’s Prescription Diet foods are not difficult to figure out. The “d” always stands for diet. It was easy in the old days, before there were so many different Prescription Diets. c/d was “cat diet,” k/d was “kidney diet,” and h/d was “heart diet.” If memory serves me correctly, when I graduated [...]
Prescription Diet a/d. Are you familiar with it? Not many people are. a/d is the only Hill’s food that is not species-specific. One food is used for both dogs and cats. a/d is complete nutrition all by itself and is the consistency of applesauce. It is excellent for pets who don’t feel well, have recently [...]
To say that Mazzy is a problem “child” would be a gross understatement. To say that her story is gross would be a gross understatement, so read on at your own risk. Mazzy is a dog who likes to eat. At 91.6 pounds that’s not surprising, but you may be surprised at some of the [...]
Tails. People make faces and remarks when I mention them, but they certainly are important. Can you imagine how painful wagging a damaged tail would be? As part of a thorough physical examination the tail needs to be fully evaluated, even if there is no complaint mentioned in connection with it. Tails can have all [...]
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