Category Archives: Veterinary Medicine

Over my almost four-decade veterinary career, I’ve seen hundreds of small dogs who made a sound like they were going to choke to death. I’ve also owned a couple who would make a “honking sound” including a current one, our little canine cocktail Quixote. The culprit is something called “collapsing trachea.” Found with equal severity […]

A reader wants to know what it means that her cat is breathing with an open mouth and seems disinterested in play. Here’s what I told her. Q: My ragdoll cat has been breathing with his mouth open, and he doesn’t seem to want to play very much. Do you think he’s just getting older […]

Few things hurt more than an injury to the toenail — no matter your species! What should you do when it happens to your dog? That’s what a reader asked, and below is my answer! Q: My Lab tore his toenail at agility class. What’s the best thing to do for it? I’ve heard lots […]

What’s single-celled, ancient, and can make your dog or cat pretty sick — but might also infect them without causing any symptoms at all? The answer is coccidia, and here’s what I told a reader who wrote asking me about it. Q: I took in a fecal sample for my 9-year-old dog, and the results […]

Two pet food brands, Blue Buffalo and Wellness, have announced recalls of some of their products for “potential elevated levels of naturally occurring beef thyroid hormone.” Because this recall affects two unrelated brands for the same problem, it’s likely additional recalls will be announced, either of more products within the current brands, or other brands. […]