Interpreting Your Dogs Blood Chemistry Profile
In this article, we look at a second blood test thats virtually as routine as the CBC. Called the chemistry profile, it analyzes the blood minus the red and white blood cells.
Dealing with Cataracts
While cataracts are not inordinately common in dogs, they do occur. Certain breeds appear particularly prone, cocker spaniels, poodles, miniature schnauzers, terriers, and golden retrievers among them. And those with diabetes definitely have a higher incidence than other dogs.
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Letters to Tufts Veterinarians - Yes, but are they really warts?; Treatment of one disease causes another
If Your Dog Has Addisons Disease
Whatever the cause of Addisons, young and middle-aged dogs, like one-and-a-half-year-old Jedi, are the most likely to be affected. There are also some breeds for which there appears to be a genetic predisposition. Standard poodles are the big ones that come to mind, Dr. Mahony says, but also wheaten terriers, Leonbergers, and Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers. But as border collie Jedis case makes clear, any breed is potentially susceptible.
Atypical Addisons Disease – Only One Hormone Missing Instead of Two
With standard Addisons disease you have relatively classic findings, and its easy to confirm the diagnosis, says Tufts internal medicine veterinarian Orla Mahony, MVB, DACVIM. Once you have a reasonable index of suspicion, you should be able to pinpoint it. But theres a type of Addisons disease called Atypical Addisons, which is a deficiency of just cortisol, not cortisol and aldersterone, and that may be harder to recognize, Dr. Mahony explains, because it doesnt produce.
Earlier Diagnosis of Addisons on the Horizon
Addisons disease is already far along by the time a dogs owner notices something is wrong, says Tufts veterinarian Orla Mahony, MVB. At diagnosis, all Addisonian dogs have already lost more than 90 percent of their adrenal gland function. Thats why by the time its picked up, a dog needs replacement hormones for the rest of his life.
All About Complete Blood Counts for Dogs
Your dog is not herself. Shes tired more than usual, perhaps kind of weak and mopey, and has lost much of her appetite. Does she have an infection? Might she be anemic? Could it be something more serious? Maybe shes simply about to undergo an operation and the vet wants to check her overall state to see if the standard dose of anesthesia will need to be adjusted. Or her health is perfectly fine but…
Veterinarians Getting Behind Acupuncture
At two and a half years old, Scout was having unexplained seizures. They were very difficult to control, says his owner, Deborah Prevratil. He was on standard phenobarbital and other medicines and still, we averaged anywhere from four seizures a day down to one. But after working with a veterinarian schooled in acupuncture, Scout went down to one seizure every two weeks. Right now he has been seizure-free for more than three months, says.
Three U.S. Courses for Veterinary Acupuncture
There are three ways a veterinarian can receive certification for using acupuncture to treat dogs and other animals, and while theres overlap, the approaches differ to some degree. Note that there is no board certification in acupuncture recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association. These certifications are considerably less rigorous than those for, say, anesthesia or internal medicine.
Dear Doctor – Choosing a kennel cough vaccine
Q I own a two-year-old Labrador retriever who was recently due for his bordetella booster. Last year he was given the injectable vaccine.
