Pet Health Topics

Epilepsy is the most common cause of seizures in dogs. It is much less common in cats. Nerve cells in the brain function by transmission of electrical...

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Posted in: Neurology
The spine is made up of bony segments called vertebrae, which are joined by ligaments, muscles and fibrous structures called intervertebral discs. The...

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Posted in: Neurology
Keratoconjuctivitis Sicca (Dry eye) Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (also known as KCS or Dry Eye) is a disease in which tear production is absent or decr...

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Posted in: Eyes
A cataract is an abnormal opacity (cloudiness) of the lens or its outer covering (capsule). The opacity may range from a tiny spot to total loss of tr...

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Posted in: Eyes
Nicitans Gland Protrusion (Cherry Eye) The third eyelid (membrana nictitans) lies between the eyelids and the eyeball at the inside corner of each ey...

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Posted in: Eyes
The cornea is the transparent front layer of the eyeball. It is less than 1 millimeter thick and consists of several complex layers. It is the most se...

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Posted in: Eyes
Owners of reptiles or amphibians should provide an environment for their pets that includes the following: Source of broad spectrum ultraviol...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Sugar Gliders (Petaurus breviceps) are small arboreal marsupials originating in Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea. They are nocturnal in nature and ...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Ecdysis is the term used for the shedding of the skin. How often a reptile sheds its skin depends on its age, species, environment , nutrition, health...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Pet-store owners, health-care providers, and veterinarians should provide information to owners and potential purchasers of reptiles and amphibians ab...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Read as much information as possible about the particular reptile. Find out about its native habitat, food and feeding practices, temperature and humi...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
"I found a nest of orphaned eyes closed baby rabbits. What do I do?" First of all, if the baby’s eyes are still closed, they are under 10 days ...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Mouth Rot (Infectious Stomatitis) Mouth rot is most often a bacterial infection of the mouth and associated structures (nose, tongue, etc.) caused by...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Use of Advantage® Products on Ferrets Advantage® and AdvantageMulti® are not labeled for use on ferrets but have been used on ferrets wit...

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Posted in: Exotic Pets
Chubby and sweet may not be so healthy! Overweight or obese cats are more susceptible to a wide range of health problems. For example, obese cats are ...

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Posted in: Nutrition
Nearly 35% of dogs are overweight. Many dog owners don’t realize that they are overfeeding their pets or giving them a type of food that could c...

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Posted in: Nutrition
Is your pet overweight? Overfeeding, unlimited access to food, and lack of exercise are all reasons why nearly 35% of pets in the U.S. are overweight....

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Posted in: Nutrition
Pet food sales is a multi-million dollar industry with many companies competing for your business. Some of the companies have your pet's health as the...

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Posted in: Nutrition
Do you supplement your pet’s recommended dry food with moist grocery store food? You are not alone. But many pet owners don’t realize that...

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Posted in: Nutrition
Several million people in the United States have compromised immune systems, including an estimated 1 million people infected with human immunodeficie...

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Introduction In the spring months each year the reports of rabies in wild and domestic animals dramatically increase. Skunks are the primary source o...

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As colder weather and winter holidays approach, many of our pets may need some special care. There are special precautions that you can take around th...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
Vaccine Basics Most vaccines work by causing the body to produce antibodies or otherwise sensitize the immune system so that if a natural infection o...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
Microchips Can Save Pets' Lives 303 Animal Clinic offers a pet microchiping service that greatly increases the chances of your pet being returned to ...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
It is estimated that your pet ages five to seven years for every one of yours, which suggests that health problems in your pet can progress at a faste...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
Welcome to our clinic. We appreciate your confidence in choosing us for your pet’s health care. With this new addition to your home come many re...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
Welcome to our clinic. We appreciate your confidence in us. With this new addition to your home come many responsibilities. This is meant to outline o...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
We consider most adult cats to be geriatric when they approach 9 to 10 years of age. Most cats will have a life span ranging from 14 to 20 years of ag...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
There are many different breeds of dogs in the world. They range in size from 3 pounds to 200 pounds. The huge variation in size must be considered as...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
Pets Need Dental Care The build-up of plaque and tartar on you pet's teeth causes periodontal disease, which can cause painful infection and tooth lo...

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Posted in: Wellness Care
Ticks are parasites that attach to the skin and suck blood. Damage from ticks includes blood loss from severe infestation and skin irritation from bit...

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Posted in: Parasites
The tapeworm is a parasite found in the stomach and/or intestines of dogs and cats. It consists of a head and a long flat body made up of segments. Se...

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Posted in: Parasites
Whipworms are parasites found in the colon and the cecum - a structure similar to the human appendix. Whipworm infection is a common cause of inflamma...

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Posted in: Parasites
Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasite seen in most veterinary practices. Signs of roundworm infection include an unhealthy appearance, di...

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Posted in: Parasites
Hookworms are relatively common blood-sucking parasites that live in the small intestines. They can cause diarrhea and life-threatening anemia. Hookwo...

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Posted in: Parasites
DO CATS GET HEARTWORMS? The answer to this question is an unequivocal "yes" but the disease is vastly different from the canine form. It is very imp...

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Posted in: Parasites
Giardia are microscopic parasites that live in the small intestines of dogs and cats. Giardiasis, the disease caused by Giardia, is characterized by w...

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Posted in: Parasites
Flea anemia is a condition where a pet has so many fleas taking blood from it that the pet becomes anemic. It is easy to under-estimate a pet’s ...

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Posted in: Parasites
Ear mites are tiny white parasites that live in the ear canals of dogs and cats. These mites are highly contagious and frequently infest whole litters...

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Posted in: Parasites
What on Earth are Coccidia? Coccidia are single celled organisms that infect the intestine. They are microscopic parasites detectable on routine fec...

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Posted in: Parasites
Introduction Fleas are one of the biggest problems that pets and their owners face. Millions of dollars are spent each year trying to get rid of thes...

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Posted in: Parasites
Panosteitis is a disease primarily affecting rapidly growing young dogs of large breeds. It is characterized by inflammation within the bones, especia...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Osteochondritis dissecans is a disease of joint cartilage in medium, large, and giant breeds of dogs. The disease causes lameness and degeneration of ...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Legg Calve Perthes is the common name givien to avascular necrosis of the head of the femur. It also may be called toxa plana, osteochronditis deforma...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
General Information Certain basic principles apply to fracture care, whether the injury is simple or complicated. These principles include: Re...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Patellar luxation is a dislocation of the kneecap (patella). The kneecap may dislocate toward the inside (medial) or outside (lateral) of the leg, or ...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Pets often develop degenerative disorders as they age. Over time, the body produces less of the nutrients needed to keep its many functions working pr...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Hip Dysplasia is a developmental disease of the hip joint seen in most breeds of dogs and in some cats. Lameness and exercise intolerance are the most...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Osteoarthritis is a chronic progressive disease that alters the articular cartilage, subchondral bone and synovial lining of the joint. The degenerati...

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Posted in: Orthopedics
Our pets live relatively short lives. For many of us who love our pets, their death may be as painful as the death of a relative or friend. The death ...

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Posted in: Euthanasia
Owners need realistic expectations of the time course of treatment and the need for behavior modification in order to have successful resolution of th...

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Posted in: Behavior
General Planning Proper planning can make traveling with your pet an enjoyable experience for all involved. First consider whether your pet is comfor...

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Posted in: Behavior
Animals that live in groups, like dogs, establish a social structure within the group called a dominance hierarchy. This dominance hierarchy serves to...

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Posted in: Behavior
It is not surprising that introducing a new cat into a household with existing cats is confusing, because so many techniques have been described in po...

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Posted in: Behavior
Basic Training       The best and most reliable way to house train your puppy is to provide frequent opportunity to eliminat...

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Posted in: Behavior
Why is my dog soiling the house?     There are numerous reasons that a dog might soil the house with urine and/or stool. Determining t...

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Posted in: Behavior
      Domestic dogs are descendants of a common wolf-like ancestor. Many physical and behavioral similarities persist between...

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Posted in: Behavior
Far too many potentially good pets are misunderstood, unfairly punished/abuse, isolated, or simply "gotten rid of" by otherwise kind and well-meaning ...

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Posted in: Behavior
Dogs are naturally attentive to the body language and voice of their owners. By observing us, a dog learns to anticipate our intent. By consistently a...

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Posted in: Behavior
Demodicosis is a skin disease caused by a microscopic parasitic mite. Demodectic mites are found in small numbers in the hair follicles of normal dogs...

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Posted in: Allergy & Skin
Foxtails, while being completely non-toxic are an extreme threat to your pets. This weed can grow almost anywhere in the world. "Wild barley" (Hordeum...

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Posted in: Allergy & Skin
Dermatophytosis (ringworm) is a skin disease common in dogs and cats younger than 6 months. Three different fungal organisms can cause ringworm. Micro...

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Posted in: Allergy & Skin
Sarcoptes mites are small, circular, white mites with three pair of short stumpy legs on the larvae and four pair on the adult. The female has termina...

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Posted in: Allergy & Skin
The anal sacs (also called anal glands) are located on each side if the anus, just under the skin. They open to the outside by tiny passageways or duc...

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Posted in: Allergy & Skin
Why does my pet scratch excessively? Introduction: Recent studies have shown that at least one in every five pets has some type of skin allergy prob...

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Posted in: Allergy & Skin
Basic Obedience Training for Your Dog      Dogs are naturally attentive to the body language and voice of their owners. By observ...

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Posted in: Behavior