The FDA once again has warned about CHICKEN JERKY TREATS made in China. This follows previous warnings regarding these treats. Other treats made in China have been implicated in the deaths of many dogs due to kidney failure. These warning seem to come on a regular basis since the discovery of Melamine poisoning in cat food and contaminated gluten barrels arriving from China. Unfortunately,…Read More
You know how stressful a trip to the vet can be--for you and your pet. Some pets hate riding in the car, which elevates their stress levels before they even get in the door of a vet's office. Other pets experience extreme stress when they get into the vet's office, which can make them fearful and even aggressive. Some pets are simply too old or sick to easily move out of your home. It's hard on yo…Read More
Don't feed your pets Halloween candy, some may contains chocolate or xylitol (a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies and gum); Make sure your pet has proper identification (microchip, collar and ID tag) in case s/he escapes through an open door while you're distracted with a crowd of trick-or-treaters; Keep lit candles and jack-o-lanterns out of pets' reach; If you plan to place a …Read More
Disease is inconvenient. It comes to ruin your birthday. It hits right before vacation. It won't wait for your brother to come visit from Wisconsin. You can't schedule disease. It schedules you. Seems obvious, right? Then why would anyone delay medical attention for a pet in serious need? Unfortunately, many diseases are hidden from our view. And in our pets, it is hidden for survival. You see, an…Read More
The City of Los Angeles joins a growing list of cities in the ban of a surgical procedure that has long been on the list of elective surgeries at many or most veterinary hospitals in this country. I believe this procedure has been targeted for several reasons. The largest problem has been the botched procedure done by hack surgeons leads to painful disfigurement and is very inhumane. While I agree…Read More
On our travels in the Greater LA area we encounter all types of pet owners and the living situations, social interactions and environmental hazards. It goes without saying that clinical practice is limited by what is told to them by the owner in the clean, shiny exam room. I find that by visiting the home of the patient I gain an insight to the general attitude that the human caretaker possesses t…Read More
You receive a phone consult from a worried pet owner about their pet who has symptoms of a chronic disease. You assess that the current condition is not an emergency but rather one that needs further scrutiny of previous veterinary care and the current pet in question. You convince the owner of said pet that as housecall exam would help to shed light on the current situation. The owner may ask a m…Read More
You receive a phone consult from a worried pet owner about their pet who has symptoms of a chronic disease. You assess that the current condition is not an emergency but rather one that needs further scrutiny of previous veterinary care and the current pet in question. You convince the owner of said pet that as housecall exam would help to shed light on the current situation. The owner may ask a m…Read More
You have arrived at your destination says Siri in that pleasing yet authoritative tone where another friend's pet in trouble. Your friends give you keys to their place allowing you go in and treat their pet while they work. What are friends for? A vet friend is a great friend because he loves his friends animals like they were his own. Friends compensate friends by knowing who owes who a favor or …Read More
You walk into a room. The foyer. High ceilings. Marble for miles. Buddhas. For some reason there's a lot of Buddhas. Bathed in exquisite light. Buddhas in different poses along the long wide marbled corridor. Or maybe there's signed movie posters covering the high walls. Signed baseball bats in collector plexiglas cases. Ty Cobb signed his baseball card and it's on the wall. Babe Ruth signed a bas…Read More
