Benefits of Traveling with Your Dog and Pet Friendly Hotels

YlbdvdWith summer officially here, many families are traveling and and making vacation plans. If you have a dog, before you think about leaving him or her behind, consider these benefits of traveling with your furry friend.

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Where Our 2016 Presidential Hopefuls Stand on Veterinary Issues

presidential candidate articleIf you’re wondering how Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump might vote on animal-welfare and veterinary-practice issues the AVMA considers critical, this article will help give you a better idea.

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Feline Rabies Treatment and Management

1381052923npyt0Feline Rabies is an inflammatory infection that specifically affects the gray matter of the cat’s brain and its central nervous system (CNS). The primary way the rabies virus is transmitted to cats in the United States is through a bite from a disease carrier: foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats. Infectious virus particles are retained in a rabid animal’s salivary glands to better disseminate the virus through their saliva.

Once the virus enters the cat’s body, it replicates in the cells of the muscles and then spreads to the closest nerve fibers, including all peripheral, sensory and motor nerves, traveling from there to the CNS via fluid within the nerves. The virus can take up to a month to develop, but once the symptoms have begun, the virus progresses rapidly.

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Intestinal Parasite Screenings for Cats

1386557497jaka5Parasites often go unnoticed because they are “silent”. Intestinal parasites that are more common have adapted so well to their hosts (your cat), that they are living in balance and cause no observational health issues. This can always change though, because when the parasites become too numerous the pet’s health is affected. The best approach, because of their silent nature, is to try to keep pets completely free of them before the balance becomes disturbed.

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The Chemistry Panel in Dogs and Cats

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Have you ever wondered what the normal values for the blood chemistry elements for dogs and cats are? Well, “normal” is actually quite relative. Every veterinary diagnostic lab and “in clinic” laboratory equipment will have its own set of calibrated values that are considered “normal”. So as to be expected, the “normal values” will vary.

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Leptospirosis Treatment and Management for Dogs

14395070826t5feLeptospirosis is a disease that can be transmitted to humans and a small amount of other animals. It is an infection of bacterial spirochetes, which dogs acquire when subspecies of the Leptospira interrogans penetrate the skin and spread through the body by way of the bloodstream. If untreated, the disease can be fatal. In this article, I am going to discuss the the treatment and management options for Leptospirosis in dogs.

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Walking Your Dog In The Summer

DSCN1882Summer is a terrific time to be a dog owner. It lets you run, swim, and play with your dog in nicer weather than any other time of the year. However, summer also brings unique risks to your dog’s health that you should keep in mind throughout the season.

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Water Safety Tips For Dogs

YlbdvdSwimming can be a great way for your pet to exercise and cool down in the summer heat, but while some dogs were practically born to swim, not all dogs are equipped for the water—both mentally and physically. When bringing your canine companion along to join the fun on the water this summer, be sure to keep their safety in mind.

Read more to find out All Pet’s top water safety tips for a summer well-spent.

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Leptospirosis In Cats

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Leptospirosis is an infection of bacterial spirochetes, which cats acquire when subspecies of the Leptospira interrogans penetrate the skin and spread through the body by way of the bloodstream. Two of of the most commonly seen members of this subspecies are the L. grippotyphosa and L. Pomona bacteria. Spirochetes are spiral or corkscrew-shaped bacteria which infiltrate the system by burrowing into the skin.

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Canine Influenza Virus

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The virus that causes dog flu, Influenza Type A (H3N8), was first identified in Florida in 2004. It primarily infects the respiratory system and is extremely contagious. A vaccine was granted full license by the United States Department of Agriculture in 2009 (Nobivac® Canine Flu H3N8). Some dogs can be exposed to the virus and fight off infection without showing clinical signs.

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