Lumps on dogs are usually benign, but not always
A growth can be easily biopsied or removed, but many do not require treatment.
What to do when pets ingest poisons
Poison by ingestion is the most common scenario, but exposure to harmful substances can also occur via skin, eyes, even lungs.
Blocked urinary tracts can kill male cats, and quickly
The small tear in his bladder was easily repaired, and Mister recovered uneventfully. So did I...more or less.
Horses they are not, but guinea pigs have their own charms
They rarely bite or scratch, making them nice pets for children who are mature enough to handle them gently.
House-training some male dogs is challenging
Dogs use urine to communicate territorial boundaries, pack hierarchy, and whether an individual is in heat, pregnant, orneutered.
Anemia, treatable, beats cancer, on Martha’s Vineyard and off
But today, I am still hopeful she will respond to doxycycline, confirming our presumptive diagnosis of FIA.
It is never too late to learn, or be surprised by something new
Although I don't take many new clients these days, when a dear former client asked if I would look at a cat belonging to a friend of hers, I was happy to oblige.
Vets blend modern equipment with experience on Martha’s Vineyard
You can't buy 30 years of experience in a catalog, and I can still climb over an occasional gate.
Pets can help us through the darkest days
There is a long tradition of pets being used to comfort the afflicted. The Newtown killings bring this venerable practice to mind.
Precious has a heart murmur, and now a guarded prognosis
With helpful medications, an older coon cat with a heart ailment has a few of its nine lives left to live, its owner hopes.
Martha’s Vineyard dog requires extensive testing for diagnosis
This fall at his annual physical examination, his mom mentioned he had been drinking a lot of water.
Pets need help in wild weather, on Martha’s Vineyard and elsewhere
We can never know as each new episode of severe weather approaches whether it will be a near miss or a major disaster.
Alcohol and pets don’t mix, on Martha’s Vineyard or anywhere else
The six-pound Yorkshire terrier had drunk an ounce of bourbon and was passed out on the floor.
Even on Martha’s Vineyard, dogs get anxious, nervous
Based on his history, altered mental status, and twitching, I suspected something neurological. "This may be serotonin syndrome," I concluded.
On Martha’s Vineyard, YouTube provides cherry eye surgery assist
Usually seen in pups under two years of age, cherry eye can occur in any dog.
A slow pulse can stump the best vets on Martha’s Vineyard
Normal heart rates for dogs range from 60 to 160 beats per minute. Zev's was 40 beats per minute.
Exposure to lilies can be toxic for cats
If ingested, any part of the lily plant "” stems, leaves, blossoms, even pollen "” can cause acute kidney failure.
X-rays are helpful diagnostic tools, but they can be misleading
It was still likely that a fish bone, or similar item, swallowed at the beach that day was the source of Sito's troubles.
Summer on Martha’s Vineyard can’t prevent pet illness
Even pets enjoy vacation on the Island, but there's no immunity from getting sick here.