A Veterinarian, and Now a Veteran
When talking about veterinarians, we try to avoid the term "vets" to avoid any confusion with the term "veterans." Dr. Lisa Walker is a vet in both senses of the word. Dr. Walker is an emergency room veterinarian at Ann Arbor Animal Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich., and she recently returned from a tour in [...]
Adopt a Senior Pet Month
Puppies and kittens are adorable. This certainly isn’t breaking news. And it’s no surprise that many people, when considering bringing a pet into their homes, primarily look into adopting a puppy or a kitten. In the meantime, however, they may be overlooking older dogs and cats that might be a more suitable fit for their [...]
Diabetes in Pets
Diabetes affects one in every 200 cats, and one in every 400-500 dogs. While there are serious symptoms and consequences to this disease, proper diabetes management can keep our diabetic pets in good health. In this podcast, Dr. Sandy Willis, a small animal internal medicine specialist at Phoenix Central Laboratory in Everett, Wash., discusses diabetes [...]
Lost and Found
Although it may be difficult to estimate the number of stray dogs and cats living in the United States, it is a significant enough number that people encounter them on a regular basis. A common question that arises in this situation is, "what should I do?" In this podcast, Dr. Bernadine Cruz, associate veterinarian at [...]
Why Dogs Scoot
You’ve probably seen dogs scoot before … pulling themselves forward on their front legs and allowing their rear end to drag against the floor. But what does this behavior mean, exactly? Are they just creatively scratching a hard-to-reach itch, or could this behavior indicate the need for medical attention? In this podcast, Dr. Ernie Ward, [...]
Leptospirosis
Some of you might be familiar with the bacterial disease leptospirosis, perhaps through the vaccine given to dogs. But leptospirosis, or lepto, can infect other animals and people as well. First identified in the late 19th Century, lepto, has been recognized as an emerging global health problem due to large clusters of cases resulting from [...]
National Veterinary Technician Week 2011
Our pets receive excellent medical care in the United States, not only from veterinarians but also from the entire veterinary medical team. A key component of this team is the veterinary technician. To celebrate and promote the role of veterinary technicians, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) has proclaimed the third week [...]
World Rabies Day 2011
Wednesday, Sept. 28 marks the fifth annual World Rabies Day, an international event created to help raise rabies awareness and save lives. Despite major efforts to eradicate the virus, rabies remains a major concern worldwide, killing more than 55,000 people every year. In the United States, one to two people die annually from the virus, [...]
Pets and Porcupines
Porcupines are a common form of wildlife throughout North America, and as human and pet populations continue to grow, encounters with these prickly rodents are becoming more common. We humans (hopefully) know better than to approach a porcupine, but what if your overly curious or friendly pets get a little too close for comfort? In [...]
Hyperthyroidism in Cats
Hyperthyroidism is one of the most common diseases of middle-aged and older cats. While cats with this condition can become seriously ill, in many cases hyperthyroidism is a treatable disease, and one from which most cats can make a complete recovery. In this podcast, board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist Dr. Sandy Willis discusses hyperthyroidism [...]