Cats who live where mosquitoes do, whether they live indoors or out, should [ideally] receive heartworm preventatives. That’s the premise of this post and I hope you’ll all take it to heart. 

While it’s true that cats are not the ideal host for heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis), they can become infected by heartworm carrying mosquitoes, nonetheless (as can humans, though usually only...

Here we go again. The veterinary establishment continues to find ways to tackle the increasing prevalence of raw food diets for pets. Yet another study is out on the adverse effects of raw feeding on animals. This time, however, it’s not the Salmonella that can make your pet sick. It’s about the Salmonella that can make YOU sick when you feed your pets a raw meat diet. 

Actually, this study...

Got an itchy pet? Losing hair? Diagnosed with “allergies” or “allergic skin disease”? Are the summer months causing your pet especial distress? Then you’ve likely been offered “allergy testing.” But what, exactly, does that mean? 

For starters, it means we rule out all other potential causes of skin disease to make sure we’re not all hung up on the allergy thing for no good reason. This...

An eBay savvy, Maryland veterinarian is offering a spay or neuter to anyone willing to bid on it. Really. 

Dr. Marcella Bonner used to auction purses on eBay to supplement her income. These days she’s got a new practice and a nut to cover. So she’s taking her well-honed eBay techniques to places veterinary services once feared to go. 

Well beyond a sophisticated website, an attention-getting...

Everyone thinks it always comes down to the heat stroke nightmare scenario. But it doesn’t––not always. Hot weather hazards are seriously diverse. And here’s a listing of what you need to look out for––beyond the heat stroke, which all of you should avoid like the plague, anyway:

1-Burnt pads

My burnt pad patients almost invariably come attached to owners who profess ignorance of this...

I refer many of my patients to specialists. I consider them my partners in practice, people who bring more to my patients than I can offer. They’re tools every veterinarian needs to learn how to wield wisely on their patients’ behalf. 

But sometimes, they’re our spouses, friends and lovers, too. Which can sometimes raise eyebrows, along with some very obvious ethical concerns. 

After all,...

It’s been two weeks today since Sophie’s been gone. I’ve been working hard, away for a spell (a weekend vacation I thought she’d attend), and immersing myself in random books and old miniseries.

Though lots of intense work keeps me busy, The Book Thief and The Shadow of the Wind were superb, my cooking time has skyrocketed (all these mangoes) and early Battlestar Galactica has it’s...

PETA’s at it again. Though I’ve tried desperately to ignore the subject, forgoing posts on the Presidential fly-swatting fiasco and the Seattle fish market kerfuffle, I finally broke down and the result is this...

PETA has a point. There. I said it. 

For once I’m finding myself thinking PETA’s on the right side of an issue. Though let me be clear: If nothing else, PETA has a knack for...

Ever thought it was about time you took on some kitchen detail that didn’t include human-only fare? I know lots of you have. But taking it to the next level is the hard part.

Where to start? Here’s where:

#1 Got a recipe?

Check. (Ask your veterinarian or consult with a veterinary nutritionist.) 

#2 A workable kitchen?

Check. (Mine’s small, but it’s well-equipped.)

#3 Lots of pots and...

Last October I embarked on a series of posts detailing the economics and other mechanics of hip disease in dogs. But somehow life intervened and I only got part 1 and part 2 completed before being swept away on some other, more immediately compelling Dolittler mission. 

To atone for my sins of omission, here’s the last enrty in this three part series. Perhaps the most interesting of the...