Scared pets at the vet are displaying perfectly normal fear responses, but it doesn’t have to be like this. Previsit medications can be part of a plan to minimize fear, anxiety and stress when your dog or cat needs veterinary medical care. This episode focuses on how previsit medications, such as pheromones, gabapentin, and trazodone, may help make your trip to the vet as pleasant as it could be.
Some pet owners may feel dread when thinking about bringing their pet to the vet. Fear, anxiety, and stress can be major barriers to bringing dogs, and especially cats, in for much needed medical care. Stress can cause major obstacles to providing the highest medical care once the animal is at the vet. A relaxed, happy vet visit starts at home by decreasing anxiety before your pet reaches the vet’s office. Listen to this week’s episode for valuable, actionable tools on decreasing stress before your pet’s trip to see the veterinarian.
The only test to determine if a pet has allergies to food is an 8 week diet trial. No blood test has been shown to be accurate. If you’re curious about food allergies and want more information on how to successfully perform a diet trial, then check out this episode with Dr. Meagan Painter, board certified veterinary dermatologist, as she discusses her tips and tricks for setting pet owners up to get an A+ on this crucial diagnostic test for the treatment of allergic dogs and cats.
Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and urinary obstructions (UO) are common medical reasons for cats to visit the veterinarian. FLUTD can be chronic and frustrating for cat owners. Urinary obstructions can be life threatening if the obstruction is not removed. Emergency veterinarian, Dr. Christine Klippin talks about what to watch for at home and how your veterinarian can help.
Cats who pee outside the litter box are 2-6 times more likely to be relinquished to a shelter. Dr. Lauren Harris talks about inappropriate elimination and the significant damage to the human animal bond in today’s episode. Restoring that bond requires appropriate diagnosis, which is obtained by partnering with the veterinarian to evaluate for underlying medical conditions. If no medical reason can be found, behavioral assessment can help determine a cat’s aversions and preferences to help get them going where they should.
Scabies, or sarcoptic mange, is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. This mite burrows into the skin and makes the animal intensely itchy! Scabies can be confused for allergies because of redness, hair loss, crusting and scratching. It is commonly contracted from wildlife, including foxes, and can cause skin disease and intense itching in pet owners as well. Listen to this week’s episode with special guest Dr. Curtis Plowgian, who has saved many miserable families from these mites.
Demodex mites are a common cause of hair loss, redness and crusting in young dogs whose immune systems are still developing, as well as older dogs and cats with an underlying immune abnormality. Listen to this week’s episode to hear where these mites come from, what problems they cause, how they can be treated, and why they are Dr. Lancellotti’s favorite parasite.
Cushing’s disease is a disease where the body produces too much of the natural steroid hormone called cortisol. When we test for this disease, we will often use an eight hour low dose dexamethasone suppression test, potentially a one hour ACTH stimulation test and an abdominal ultrasound to look at the adrenal glands and measure their size. In our final episode of the series on Cushing’s disease, we talk about treatment options, including a medication called trilostane that inhibits the enzyme to produce cortisol within the adrenal glands or an alternative medication like mitotane. The ACTH stimulation test is used to monitor the medication safely. Remember, this disease requires a lot of diligence and a lot of close monitoring with your veterinarian. We will work with you to make sure that your pet is getting the dosage of medication that is just right to control the clinical signs at home. 85 to 95% of dogs will do great with just a single medication. Find out more here.
Cushing’s disease is caused by an overproduction of the body’s natural steroid hormone or stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is needed to maintain a lot of the body’s normal functions, but, when the body starts making too much, cortisol can suppress the immune system, leading to infections of the skin, ears and urinary tract. Cortisol can also make dogs excessively hungry, thirsty, or have accidents in the house. These patients have weakened muscles, which gives them a potbellied appearance. Because there’s a wide range of body systems that are affected by cortisol, not all dogs with Cushing’s disease will look the same and there can be a wide range of severity to the signs as well. If you and your family veterinarian are suspicious for Cushing’s disease, this episode discusses the different tests available.