Dental care is important to maintaining your dog’s overall health, and if not tended to regularly, can lead to medical complications and disease. More than 85% of dogs and cats older than four years have some level of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease (periodontitis) is the inflammation of some or all of the structures that support…
Uses for Ivermectin Ivermectin belongs to a class of drugs known as antihelmintics. It works by paralyzing and killing parasites. Ivermectin was introduced in the mid 1980’s as a broad-spectrum anti-parasite medication. It is effective against most common intestinal worms (except tapeworms), most mites, and some lice. It is also effective against larval heartworms (the…
Heartworms are parasitic roundworms that are spread from dog to dog through the bites of mosquitoes. Heartworms in dogs can cause serious health complications and even death, if not treated properly. The Life Cycle of Heartworm Heartworm is a parasitic round worm (Dirofilaria immitis) which lives in the heart and lungs of dogs and occasionally…
Do you know what to do if your dog is choking? Knowing a few emergency procedures, such as CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and the Heimlich maneuver for dogs, is critical to saving lives because you may not have time to get to a vet and your dog could suffocate. Dogs love to chew bones, sticks, toys,…
Do you know what to do if your pet stops breathing? Knowing a few emergency procedures if your dog or cat is choking, or having difficulty breathing, could save your pet’s life because you may not have time to get to a vet. Here are the steps for doing CPR on a dog and cat….
Blastomycosis is a relatively rare, but potentially fatal fungal infection caused by the pathogen Blastomyces dermatitidis. The fungus grows in moist soil or vegetation. In certain conditions, spores are released into the air that can be inhaled by dogs or people, thereby infecting them. Once the pathogen enters the lungs, the spores transform into large,…
Canine ACL tears are debilitating to a dog. Oftentimes, full tears to a dog’s ACL will require surgical repair to avoid severe, progressive osteoarthritis. Surgical repairs to ACL tears have a high success rate (usually around 95% for all the procedures), but as with all surgical procedures there is always risks involved. For partial tears,…
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are one of the most common orthopedic injuries veterinarians see in dogs. The ligament is also known as the Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) in animals. It connects the bone above the knee (the femur) with the bone below the knee (the tibia). Essentially, the ACL stabilizes the knee (or stifle)…
UC Davis biomedical engineering students and veterinary surgeons created a 3D printed mask designed to be used as a cast for a dog’s fractured skull. A 4-month-old puppy survived severe facial injuries after being mauled by a dog thanks in part to a special 3D-printed face mask. Recently, Loca arrived at UC Davis Davis School…
Bloat in dogs is a serious and life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention. Many dogs die from it, as it is difficult for many pet parents to recognize the signs. Recognizing the symptoms of bloat could save your dog’s life, as the condition progresses very quickly, and minutes can make the difference between life…
One of the key ways to maintain your dog’s general health is to cut his/her nails regularly. Bridget Wessel is a foster for Italian Greyhound Rescue and teaches canine agility. She explains why cutting your dog’s nails is so important in maintaining joint and bone health and shares some tips on how to properly trim…
Dogs can sometimes display sudden, uncharacteristic episodes of aggression that cannot be explained by the owners. A recent study by researchers at Animal Nutrition and Welfare Service of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona set out to understand why some dogs – who have no history of aggression or biting – appear to attack without warning….