Does your dog have black stool, or bruises or other marks on his skin? This could be a lights and sirens emergency, and definitely requires a fast trip to the vet. Here’s what I told a reader about it. Q: My dog’s stool is black, and I noticed when I was grooming him that his […]

I’ve actually had a few patients rushed in for emergency care because it seemed like they were gasping for breath. That wasn’t actually what was going on. Here’s what I told a a Facebook follower who asked me about her pet’s “reverse sneezing.” Q: My little Chihuahua-mix makes a weird gasping sound at least once […]

Is your cat suddenly biting you when you pet her? Or have you recently adopted a new cat who is showing this behavior? The answer might be pain, as I explain to a reader who wrote asking about her cat’s biting. Q: Lately, every time I pet my cat, she tries to bite me. Why […]

I can’t tell you how many painful, infected, miserable mouths I see on cats whose owners are afraid for their pets to get dental care due to fears of anesthesia. Here’s what I told a worried reader. Q: My cat needs to have his teeth cleaned, but I’m afraid for him to go under anesthesia. […]

The big news in preventing mosquito-borne diseases in dogs, cats, and humans continues to be what’s known as vector control. In other words, instead of focusing exclusively on preventing or treating the diseases, we need to incorporate a robust prevention of the mosquitoes. Which, considering most people hate them and their itching, burning bites even […]