Ask A Vet

This blog will be a little different to my other posts. Instead of answering a medical question about your pets, I’d like to talk about something beyond medicine. January 30th is Let’s Talk Day, and, regardless of the corporate branding, the day does have a very positive and important meaning behind it, which is, according to their website: “to promote …

In my last blog I discussed the importance of vaccinations, so I thought I’d continue to discuss the basics and tackle a question I hear (unfortunately) way too often in clinical practice: do I really have to spay/castrate my pet? The simple answer: yes. Yes! YES!! Without question, YESSSS!!!! Now, to avoid making this the shortest blog in blogging history …

Question: Why do I need to keep vaccinating my pet? Do vaccines last longer than the vet clinic recommends?  I have been asked this question several times over the last year, so I thought I’d address it here. However, I’ll be completely honest up-front: this is not an easy topic. I’ll breakdown the article into a couple sections to make …

  This may have been the worst cliff-hanger in the history of blogging, but this article – Part 2 of The Itchy and Scratchy Show – will continue our discussion on why dogs may exhibit allergies. Last article we looked at fleas and flea bite allergies; today we will discuss food allergies and atopy, or atopic dermatitis.   Food Allergies …

Walkin’ Wheels: Pay it Forward We received a touching e-mail from some folks who recently had to say goodbye to their beloved dog.   Zack received his wheelchair via a donation from a family with a disabled dog.  Now, with Zack’s passing and in the spirit of paying it forward, his family would like to donate it to another dog in need.  See …

Q: My dog who is a golden retriever has been scratching for almost 10 days now, when she scratches a body odor comes with it. We washed her and she has no fleas ticks or anything like that.  What can it be?  She eats well, sleeps well and even plays, but the scratching is really crazy, and I feel bad …

Q: I have a 7 year old Basset male in good health. He develops blocked and then infected anal glands every 3 months or so. Usually anti-biotics takes care of it. His bowel movements are ok and his behavior is normal, but when he gets a bit smelly, we know something is brewing. Is there any way to remedy this …

Q:  I adopted a 3 year old lab-shepherd mix a few months ago. Up until a month ago, she didn’t shed at all. But then for the last month she is dropping fur like there’s no tomorrow! Lots and LOTS of fur! I know that coats change seasonally, but how long should the shed last? She doesn’t seem to be …

Q: Every August, for the last few years, our 8 year-old Flat-Coat Retriever Oskar will start to have severe allergies.  He will scratch his face so hard with his back leg almost (and also to the point) of bleeding. He’ll also lick and pull the fur off of his front paws until there is nothing left but bare skin. Are …

Q: Is Aleve (Naproxen) dangerous for dogs? A: When a dog is experiencing pain, worried owners are usually very eager to give medication to ease that pain, but giving human medications can compound the problems. Of all the over the counter medicines for pain available, aspirin is usually the safest to give. With regards to arthritis, aspirin is sometimes used for dogs, but …