Antacids in Pets – the Nitty Gritty
have a pet peeve about antacids. They are prescribed as if they are innocuous but they are far from it. There is a perception that if they aren't needed, they can’t to do any harm. Let’s first look at why they are prescribed, then how they work, then finally talk...
Is Your Pet Spoiled?
Recently, I was asked about diet suggestions for a dog with leptospirosis. (Leptospirosis is infection with a bacterium called leptospira, lepto is the common name. Lepto causes kidney infection which can be transmitted to humans; often, dogs are assymptimatic...
The Food Elimination Diet
In my last post we talked about anti-inflammatory diets and I mentioned that sometimes a food elimination diet is a good way to help address inflammation. Inflammation in the Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) is as common as shedding dogs and cats. We are trained...
Hints for an Anti-inflammatory Diet
I’ve been asked numerous times “what is an anti-inflammatory diet?” I’ve been thinking I would write a post about this for quite some time. Certainly, I can provide a general list of anti-inflammatory foods, but this may not provide the exact answer for a specific...
Are you being mislead about DCM?
DCM = dilated cardiomyopathy Cardio means heart, myo means muscle, patho means pathological (potentially fatal) disease, and dilated means enlarged. Put it all together and DCM means: enlarged heart creating pathological disease that may lead to premature death. DCM...
What to Do About Hairballs
Hairballs seem to be the bane of a cat’s existence. They are considered normal. But are they normal? Hairballs come from shedding. Shedding is believed to be normal. But is it? First, the origin of the hairball. Cats who shed frequently or excessively, also groom...
When the Poop Won’t Come Out
Constipation is not a pleasant experience – it’s something pet owners want to prevent their pets from experiencing. What’s interesting is constipation is not the only reason dogs and cats strain to go to the bathroom. Straining can be due to constipation, but also...
It’s Easy to Blame it All on the Food
80% of what we do for our pets is to feed them. And realistically, eating is a large part of what we do as humans. Therefore it’s easy to blame ill health on diet. It certainly has been my focus for the last eight years - 80% of what walked in the door of my clinic...
Is “Powdered Cellulose” in your Pet’s Food?
Conscientious pet owners read the ingredients on the back of the pet food bag. When the words read like they are English, it’s reassuring. Powdered cellulose. That sounds logical. “Powdered” - derived from powder, finely ground. “Cellulose” - anyone who remembers high...
How to Hold Your Pee
As we discussed last week, this week, we are discussing how urine control works, but more importantly: how it works, explains how to fix it! First, just a little scientific nuts and bolts: Urine control occurs at the bladder, in the middle of the back, and at the...