Vet Buzz from Erin Troy, DVM, CCRP,
Muller Veterinary Hospital, Walnut Creek, CA
The beautiful weather is upon us and we are all eager to be out and about with our canine companions. There are trails to be blazed
and hills to be climbed and new adventures to be had by all. As you and your dog head out this season for fun and exercise please keep in mind there are hazards to be aware of around many corners.
Foxtails are in their green state now but after a few more warm days they will begin to dry and really become a danger. Foxtail grass grows all over the greater Bay Area in the open spaces as well as along many trails. These ubiquitous seemingly innocent pieces of mother nature can be very dangerous to our dogs. They can penetrate their toes and migrate through the feet and legs. more »
Vet Buzz from Erin Troy, DVM, CCRP,
Muller Veterinary Hospital, Walnut Creek, CA
Elbow dysplasia is the most common cause of forelimb lameness in the young dog, especially of the larger breeds.
The elbow is a complicated joint because it is made up of three bones: the humerus in the upper limb, and the radius and ulna in the lower limb. Each of these bones needs to grow and develop simultaneously and the cartilage inside the joint must fit all surfaces of the bones. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT,
Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
Xylitol toxicit
y was in the top ten most commonly ingested poisons in 2011 according to Poison Control Hotline. Never heard of Xylitol? Xylitol is an artificial sweetener most commonly used in popular sugar-free chewing gum, candy, baked goods and chewable multivitamins.
Many candies and sweeteners (such as honey) have Xylitol added to them as Xylitol is considered a naturalsweetener as it is made from birch trees. We recommend you read the packaging when you buy sweets, and if you do decide to buy a product containing Xylitol, keep it up on a high shelf where Fido is less likely to find it. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT,
Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
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ary is National Dental Health Month in the veterinary world. Many veterinarians use this month to promote dental care and may even offer basic dental services at a discount.
Keeping your dog’s teeth clean and tartar free can help the health of your dog’s entire system. Bacteria love to set up shop in the mouth where they can then propagate and cause local infection, such as an abscess in a tooth, orinflammation of the gums. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT,
Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
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The holidays usually herald in the pancreatitis season in our hospital. While certain medications and medical or congenital disorders can predispose your dog to pancreatitis, the issue we usually see this time of year is typically due to the ingestion of excess fat.
The usual holiday scenario we see is as follows: You throw a fabulous holiday party. You prepare many delicious foods for your guests. Many of these foods are high in fat, such as baked brie and sour-cream dips. Your guests see your wonderful furry friend and decide to help him celebrate the season by innocently giving him a wedge of brie. Then another guest does the same. The pancreas, unused to the onslaught of fat in the diet, rushes to keep up with the digestive juice demand, and ends up secreting so much that the pancreas actually ends up digesting a portion of itself. The pancreas then causes significant abdominal pain and interrupts the digestive process. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT,
Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
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The first rains of the season can bring with it the first mushrooms of the season as well. Many a dog has been known to nibble on mushrooms as they pop out of your lawn or out of grasses on your favorite trail. The problem is, however, many kinds of mushrooms are toxic to your dog.
Symptoms of mushroom toxicity can include weakness, nausea, euphoria, and seizures. These symptoms can occur half an hour to four hours post ingestion of the mushroom. The internal damage to your pet can range form liver failure to lifelong seizure activity. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT,
Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
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Leptospirosis is a spiral-shaped bacteria that lives in standing water, and can cause irreversible damage to your dog’s kidneys. Any dog that is out and about has the potential to be exposed to Lepto when swimming or drinking in ponds, streams, or even puddles. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT,
Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
You took your d
og out for a fabulous hike and now he is squinting at you with one eye. Nope, he has not learned the cool trick of winking at you. He probably has something in his eye.
The most common presentation of an eye injury is a dog that squints one eye. He may or may not have discharge from the eye. In either case, a squinty eye is a really good reason to go to the veterinarian’s office soon. Many times we find that when Fido was out frolicking in the hills he ran past a plant too fast and some of the plant material embeds in the eye, or the cornea can be scratched. more »
Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT, Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
If you think you get hot in the summer, think how it must feel to go through the hotter months wearing a fur coat. Heat stroke is a major concern in the spring and summer. Excessive heat can cause metabolic changes in your pet that can lead to death if not caught early enough. As is usual, we advocate that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
We have a few recommendations to prevent heat stroke.
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Vet Buzz from Bill Barboni, DVM and Chris Pitts, RVT, Marin Pet Hospital, San Rafael, CA
Think it’s cool to throw your dog a nice fresh piece of raw salmon, trout or steel head on your fishing trip? Think again.
What is SalmonPoisoning? Salmon Poisoning is actually an infection caused by the rickettsial organism Neorickettsia helminthoeca. What causes Salmon Poisoning?
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