Dog health care costs on the rise

It is no secret that your vet bills are increasing. Dog health care costs are on the rise. Some of the reason is a shift in focus of veterinary medicine.
It used to be, go into your vet once a year for “shots” and heartworm prevention and one time in your pets life a spay or [...]

Alternative Tick Control for your dog

It appears that ticks are going to be a serious problem this year. They are already present in this area of the country (Midwest- Chicagoland) I was actually shocked to see a dog come into my clinic with three ticks on it already. I also went to a clients house to work on her horses [...]

Osteosarcoma in a dog

Osteosarcoma is a very common cancer in large breed dogs. It is a bone cancer in which the tumor produces a hard solid mass on the bone usually in a leg. The most common symptom is limping or sometimes a fracture occurs. Once the tumor is seen and diagnosed with no treatment a dog will [...]

Embrace Pet Insurance

Many of you know that as far as pet insurance is concerned I have been recommending VPI; however, I have found some interesting tidbits from a couple of clients and some internet research, as well as a Twitter connection from Laura Bennett, CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance and fellow blogger, that has definitely changed my [...]

Anterior Cruciate Rupture in two dogs

On Saturday the clinic was very busy. We had our scheduled appointments along with two emergencies. Those two emergencies were limping dogs, which ended up being anterior cruciate ligament ruptures or cranial cruciate ligament ruptures.

The first dog I had seen before with the same limp unfortunately now it had gotten worse. My initial visit with [...]

Congestive Heart Failure Update

Here’s an update on the Lhasa with the Congestive Heart Failure – He is doing Great!
The one shot of Lasix improved his condition immensely. No fluid in his lungs, his attitude was much improved actually fiestier than before. So he was given one more shot of Lasix and then we have him taking oral Lasix [...]

Congestive Heart Failure in a dog

Yesterday a dog came into the clinic coughing and gasping for breath. The 9 year old Lhasa Apso had no history of being around other dogs and had not been in a kennel or dog class.

Physical exam revealed a temperature of 101.5 (normal) and a bluish tint to the mucus membranes. Listening to the lungs [...]

Owner sued after dog hit by car

I am not sure exactly how to take this story. My emotions and my intellect are conflicting on this one.

Lets start out with the story. A little minature pinscher named Fester, escaped from his owner and ran out onto the road. Fester was unfortunatley hit and killed by a man driving a Honda Civic. That [...]