A colleague made a fascinating correlation: within 3 to 6 weeks of puppies receiving a distemper vaccine, many puppies break out with a rash on their belly. This rash is usually called “puppy pyoderma.” “Pyo ” means pus or infection, “derma” means skin. For many...
I recently returned from a 10 day trip to China – combination business trip and pleasure. Climbing the Great Wall of China is an incomparable experience – pictures only partially express the wonder! As a developing country, many of the experiences I’ve witnessed in...
Many of the phone consults I perform as a — now retired — veterinarian who no longer diagnoses or prescribes, center around helping pet owners make the most of their pet’s condition or circumstances. The purpose of a phone consultation is not to diagnose or treat a...
There are many modalities that help the arthritic patient: acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, laser, and herbal therapy. (Most of these have been discussed in other blogs.) A great new trend to help arthritic patients– and even dogs who suddenly can’t walk or stand...
Tetanus comes from bacterial infection caused by a bacterium called Clostridium tetani. C tetani lives in the soil. This bacterium produces a toxin that causes the typical signs of tetanus when the environment is right. C tetani enters the body through a break in the...
Statistics presented by veterinary insurance companies report that 25% of dogs will develop cancer before they die. For some reason, the cancer rate in cats is not as high as that in dogs. Therefore, this discussion will focus on dogs. However, much of what applies to...