A few days ago reports came out that a Malayan tiger in the Bronx Zoo had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 syndrome in people. Initially, calling the tiger “infected” was preliminary. After all, two pets in…
Dogs get coronavirus.Cats get coronavirus.Cows get coronavirus.As do horses, goats and sheep. BUT, as far as we know today, only humans get COVID-19, also known as “new coronavirus” and “SARS-CoV-2.” As of today, we don’t even know whether other primates…
The current run of canine influenza cases spreading across the country started in Georgia and quickly expanded to Florida with a crew of dog show participants. Rapidly, it dispersed to nine more states. In Louisville, KY, where our children and…
Even though Florida is getting the most press in the latest canine influenza (CI) outbreak, it may have started in Perry, Georgia. (As of July 3, 2017, at least 82 cases have been laboratory confirmed.) Every dog who tested positive…
This has the potential to be big. Pet food companies the size of 9 Lives’ parent, J. M. Smucker (yes, the jelly people), don’t make mistakes with their food very often. Fortunately, they caught this one early, so cats are…
As much as we would like to have a test that could be run on a single drop of blood, answer every medical question that could possibly arise, and cost less than ten dollars, we’re not there yet. Or, anywhere…
Could it be over? In 1994 we lost our precious Sally to what her pathologists believed was FIP, Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Sally was only twelve when she fell ill after a dental prophylaxis (teeth cleaning). She had survived with flying…
Hematocrit.Microhematocrit.Packed cell volume (PCV). All of these terms mean the same thing: What percentage of a patient’s blood is red blood cells (RBCs)? The pet at hand today is Plato, a cancer patient on chemotherapy who has a mass in…
Veterinarians are concerned that the “anti-vaxxer” movement in the United States could result in more pets becoming ill. “Anti-vaxxers” are parents of children and/or pets who believe that the benfits of vaccines do not outweigh the risks of possible complications.…
As of our last Canine Influenza update, no cats had been diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed infection by the Asian form of Canine Influenza-A virus, H3N2. Since then a kitty from a shelter in New York City became ill, was tested for…
