Category Archives: Veterinary Medicine

Diarrhea is a non-specific medical condition. What that means is it can have many causes, some not too serious and others deadly. Here’s what I told a reader dealing with this problem in his cat. Q: Why does my cat get diarrhea, and what should I do about it? Is it serious? A: At one […]

People always want me to tell them what to do about their itchy dog without realizing there’s no one cause and no one treatment for this misery-making problem! Q: My dog seems to be scratching himself a lot. Does he have dry skin? Should I add oil to his food? A: Dogs who scratch may […]

There are plenty of over-the-counter first aid products that are safe to use on our own scrapes and minor wounds, but many of them are dangerous for pets. Do you know which ones? Q: I always used hydrogen peroxide to clean my pet’s scrapes or minor wounds, but I was told recently that’s bad for […]

It’s National Animal Poison Prevention Week. Do you know what yard and household substances put your dog or cat at risk? In the kitchen, beware of dark chocolate, grapes, mushrooms and anything moldy that your pet might snag from the trash. Your medicine cabinet holds ibuprofen, acetaminophen and your prescription medication; even without opposable thumbs, […]

Have you decided leptospirosis isn’t a threat to your dog? It may be time to think again. Here’s a look at the disease, which is on the rise, from the weekly syndicated feature I write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker. When you think of leptospirosis — if you think about […]