Avoiding Pet Emergencies

As we all know, winter has hit the eastern US like a runaway freight train. Nearly two feet of snow within less than a week has forced many of us to focus nearly all of our attention on just getting to and from work. Shoveling, getting fuel, commuting for hours, and having food in our… Continue reading

This may be a bit redundant after my last post but no holiday would truly be happy if we had to make an unexpected run to the local vet due to a serious illness of one of our pet companions. Since my last post we seen several seriously ill pets, some of which required life… Continue reading

Every year it happens…….The holidays arrive and in spite of all the cautions, warnings, posts and public service announcements our four legged companions get into some kind of trouble. So it is time for the brief reminder. Here are the potential problems we are likely to see during this holiday season: !. Dietary Indiscretion This… Continue reading

We have all heard the caution before.  As the weather gets hotter, heat stroke is a real concern in dogs and cats.  But is locking your pet in the car for ten minutes really that bad?  Are there other scenarios we have to be aware of?  Can heat stroke really come on in ten minutes/ … Continue reading

“My vet doesn’t like cats”.  I hate bringing my cat to the vet….it’s so stressful”.  “My cat doesn’t need to go to the vet.  He’s an indoor cat”.   These are several of the typical responses when cat owners are queried as to why they don’t visit the vet on a regular basis.  As veterinarians we… Continue reading

Yes…….and……. No. After all, you didn’t think the answer would be easy. One of the most common criticisms we hear about veterinary practices is how expensive it is to bring your pet to the vet. Over the past few years the quality of pet care has improved tremendously and with that improvement the cost of… Continue reading

This story is all too common with consequences that were serious yet avoidable for this pet. The owner of a nine year old Labrador Retriever noticed one evening when she came home from work that her dog was squinting. She took a closer look with a light source to see if there was anything obvious… Continue reading

Pets have an uncanny ability to hide pain. This adaptive behavior originated in order that when living in their natural wild environment any weakness would not be apparent to possible predators. Frequently, in older pets, we as pet owners assume that any slowing down in behavior or activity is a function of aging. While it… Continue reading

It is a common story this time of year. The phone calls and visits from canine and feline owners alike with pets that are vomiting, not eating and just not acting right. Of course the typical question: “Could he have gotten into anything he shouldn’t have?” “Any possibility she raided the trash or found a… Continue reading

In this next installment regarding pet health insurance we take a look at PetPlan USA.  The USA label is critical as PetPlan which has been available in other parts of the world for over thirty years is now available in the US.  Though not yet having had any personal contact with the insurer, all indications… Continue reading