Veterinary Medicine Archives - Page 11 of 37 - Dr. Marty Becker

Category Archives: Veterinary Medicine

When pet owners are blind to blindness

Thursday, Mar 16th, 2017 | By Dr. Marty Becker

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Confession: I’ve had a dog of my own who went blind, probably starting days to weeks before I noticed. What? I’m certainly not a boarded veterinary ophthalmologist, nor am I in one of the best vets in the country, but I’m competent. No, the reason I missed the early signs is that pets are amazing […]

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The real reason cats’ eyes shine in the darkness

Tuesday, Mar 14th, 2017 | By Dr. Marty Becker

Among the many mysteries of the cat is that their eyes gleam in the darkness. A reader asks why that is. Here’s what I answered. Q: Why do my cat’s eyes glow in the dark? A: The ancient Egyptians had a theory about that. They believed that a cat’s eyes reflected the sun, even at […]

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The Tale of Ol’ One Nut: The life of a cryptorchid dog

Friday, Mar 10th, 2017 | By Dr. Marty Becker

I’m a huge fan of asking people the genesis of a pet’s name. A few of my favorites over the years: Brother. The three girls in the family adopted a male puppy from the shelter. Having always wanted a brother, now they had one. F.L.E.A. Not named for the blood sucking back biter but for […]

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Yes, dogs still get distemper

Wednesday, Mar 8th, 2017 | By Dr. Marty Becker

A reader wondered if distemper is still a threat to dogs. It killed three of our QT Pi Becker’s littermates, and nearly killed him. Here’s what I told her. Q: Does my dog really need a distemper vaccination? Dogs don’t really get that anymore, do they? A: Distemper used to be the No. 1 killer […]

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A cat who won’t eat is an emergency

Tuesday, Feb 28th, 2017 | By Dr. Marty Becker

Lack of normal appetite is always a sign something’s wrong, whatever the species. But when it’s a cat who’s lost interest in food, it can be an emergency. Here’s what I told a reader. Q: My cat doesn’t seem very hungry anymore. What could be causing her loss of appetite? A: All of us worry […]

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