Doggy Hay Fever Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic relapsing itchy skin disease of dogs. Affected dogs first show symptoms between 6 months and 3 years of age and then itch more or less for the rest of their life. The easiest analogy to a human disease is “hay fever” but instead of a runny […]
Autumn Ramblings Food Lure Training for Pups First show and give your pup a small treat, then ignore them for a few seconds. When they jump up gently move your legs out of the way until they stand still next to you (even for a microsecond) then reward immediately with another small snack. Continue for […]
Our star, the Sun, can induce cancerous change in the skin cells of humans as well as our pet cats and dogs. Long term ultraviolet light exposure is a known risk factor for development of skin cancers in white cats and lightly pigmented short haired breeds of dogs. The presumed reason is that white coats […]
Tick Guru Professor Rick Atwell is Australia’s foremost veterinary researcher of the deadly paralysis tick [Ixodes holocyclus]. He recently updated our regional AVA [Aust Vet Assoc] on the latest evidence. He warned that early season ticks [Spring] have been proven to attach, feed and inject their neurotoxin with greater deadly affect. He also reinforced the […]
An accurate and comprehensive history taking of a pet’s illness as described by their owner(s) is the first step of any diagnostic workup. Did you know that vets and human doctors can often make a diagnosis based on history alone?! Veterinarians worldwide have started to realise that effective communication is probably the most important “procedure” […]
a 1980s Goth band fond of eyeliner an expensive vet bill the cure all of the above If you answered B to the question above then prevention requires a degree of foresight from you, the owner, in combination with sound evidence based advice from your vet. Common veterinary preventatives include; vaccinations, endoparasitics and ectoparasitics for […]
“Pain is perfect misery, The worse of all evils, And excessive, Overturns all patients.” John Milton, Paradise Lost Cause Trauma to body tissues results in the release of chemicals that induce inflammation and stimulate pain receptive nerve endings called nociceptors. These pain impulses are transmitted initially to the spinal cord then to the thalamus and […]
A ruptured ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] is every footballer/netballer/dog owner’s worst nightmare. ACL injuries are a common cause of sudden, non weight bearing, hind limb lameness in the dog and most require surgery. A functioning ACL prevents forward translocation and rotation of the tibia during weight bearing. Without one the knee joint quickly becomes inflamed, […]
