Do dogs and cats really need their teeth professionally cleaned? The answer is absolutely yes! Animals develop tartar and plaque on their teeth just like we do. This tartar and plaque is formed by food particles and bacteria. The bacteria spreads to the gums and causes inflammation which is called gingivitis. As the bacteria spread [...]
Seeing your pet bolt through an open door is terrifying, especially if he isn’t wearing a collar or identification tags. But even with identification tags, which can fall off or be removed, many pets who become lost are never reunited with their owners. Microchips can help. What is microchipping? Microchipping provides a permanent identification [...]
Adding a new furry friend to your household can be both exciting and confusing. How should you protect your new pet from dangerous diseases? What food should you feed him? How should you house train him? Here’s a guide to caring for your new puppy or kitten during his first year of life. [...]
What is Leptospirosis? Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that can affect humans and animals, including dogs and, rarely, cats. Leptospirosis is caused by the bacteria, Leptospira, which is classified into subtypes called serovars. Currently, over 200 serovars of Leptospira have been named. How is Leptospirosis spread? Leptospirosis is most commonly spread through the urine of infected animals. [...]
You can’t take another day of your pampered pooch whimpering as you leave her behind. She’s your baby! As you drive away feeling broken-hearted, you decide that today is the day you’ll talk to your boss about the possibility of bringing your dog to work. But, before your pup applies for the office assistant position, [...]
Heatstroke occurs when an animal’s body overheats due to hot, humid weather conditions (environmental heatstroke) or due to strenuous physical activity (exertional heatstroke). Florida’s high summer temperatures and high humidity are the biggest risk factors for heatstroke in our area, but certain activities such as exercising your pet when it is hot, leaving them in [...]
The structure and function of the eye is similar to that of a camera. The camera has a lens to focus light on film, while the eye has a lens to focus light on the retina which sends signals to the brain to be interpreted into the world around us. An opaque lens is called [...]
Myth – Food allergies are common in pets. Truth – Less than one in ten animals with any type of allergy will be allergic to their food. The other nine are likely to have an environmental, flea or contact allergy. Dogs have a higher chance of food allergies as compared to cats. Myth – Pets [...]
With Christmas around the corner, it is time to think about some common holiday plants that can be toxic to our beloved pets. There are a variety of decorative Christmas plants in the house around the holiday season: Christmas trees, Holly, Mistletoe, and Poinsettia. We don’t have to get rid of these holiday favorites but [...]
What is it? Osteoarthritis is a progressive and irreversible inflammatory condition of the joints which involve progressive loss of articular cartilage and new bone formation which leads to pain and stiffness in the joints. Any joint can be affected including hips, knees, elbows and the spine. Inflammation can be due to changes related to aging [...]