In November 2022, Junior—a senior cat who had been a healthy 12-13 pounds—arrived at the vet showing concerning symptoms of weight loss and decreased appetite. He began dropping food during meals and wincing as he tried to eat. After a thorough exam, the veterinarian discovered a new heart murmur and advanced periodontal disease. This level […]
Why Routine Dental Care is Important for Your Pet Read More »
Did you know that up to 80% of dogs over 8 years old, and 90% of cats over 12 years old will experience pain from osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis, or Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), is irreversible. Our Pets may not be able to tell us they are painful with words; but they do have ways of showing
Osteoarthritis in Dogs and Cats Read More »
Did you know that big dogs can require extra monthly parasite prevention? All flea/tick and heartworm monthly preventatives are dosed based on your dog’s weight. It is important to ensure your dog’s weight is up-to-date in our system. (Did you also know you can pop into our hospital any time without an appointment for a
Monthly Parasite Prevention for BIG Dogs Read More »
VMC’s Top Tips for Winter Horse Care The risk of impaction colic increases as the temperatures drop and horses drink less. The average horse (1000lb) needs to drink 10-12 gallons of water per day. In winter, we feed dried feeds such as grains and hay which are much lower in water content than grass. Because
VMC’s Top Tips for Winter Horse Care Read More »
Winter is one of my favorite seasons when it comes to horses. I know that may be an unpopular opinion, everybody reading this is thinking “but it’s so cold and soggy, you have to break ice on water buckets, the ground is hard, and yuck it is actually snowing!” But what winter brings to mind
“Winterizing” for Horses Read More »
What is Equine Coronavirus? Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is well known as a cause of gastrointestinal disease in foals. However, recently this virus has been linked with intestinal diseases in adults. What are the clinical signs of ECoV? Infected horses tend to develop high fevers (>103°F), inappetence, dullness, and lethargy that may last two to four
Equine Coronavirus Read More »
By Teresa Martinoli, DVM This is a common question asked by horse owners every fall and winter. The short answer: Probably not! Most horses do NOT need to be blanketed. Horses are naturally equipped to handle cold weather, and do not get cold nearly as easily as us humans do. Their long and thick winter coat
Should I blanket my horse? Read More »
I know we all use our horses for many different things. Some of us trail ride, some of us show, some of us just like to watch them in the field. It really doesn’t matter. What does matter, though, is that I think every horse should know 5 basic things. These 5 things may make
Five Lifesaving Skills that all Horses Need to Know Read More »
Giving treats is a common way we form a bond with our horses. Treats are also useful in many training situations. Unfortunately most commercially made horse treats, as well as apples and carrots, can be high in sugar. This presents a problem with horses that have Cushing’s disease, or Insulin Resistance/Metabolic Syndrome, as those horses’ sugar and starch
Horse Treats for Cushing’s Patients and Metabolic Syndrome Read More »
Happy National Pet Week! Well, it’s slightly belated, but nonetheless May is an important month to revel in the unique, quirky, loveable traits that make our pets the best in the world! National Pet Week®was May 4-10, 2014 and is always celebrated the first full week in May. National Pet Week®was created in 1981 by
