Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
We all know that vomiting is bad, but many dog owners don’t understand exactly how much damage severe or prolonged vomiting can do to a dog’s body. Dehydration Severe vomiting causes direct loss of water from the body but equally important is the fact that it prevents dogs from holding down and absorbing water that they try to drink to…
Hypothyroidism is one of the most common endocrine (hormonal) diseases I see in dogs. It occurs most frequently in middle-aged (4-10 years old) medium to large-breed dogs. Vulnerable breeds include: Doberman Pinschers Golden Retrievers Irish Setters Miniature Schnauzers Dachshunds Cocker Spaniels and Airedale Terriers Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland secretes less thyroid hormone than normal. Common causes include: inflammation…
What function does the thyroid have in the dog’s body? A while back, we talked about sick euthyroid syndrome – a condition that complicates the diagnosis of hypothyroidism in dogs. Say your veterinarian determines that your dog truly has hypothyroidism. What the thyroid gland does, and how does its dysfunction affects the body?. Thyroid gland: Image Pets Adviser What does…
What does the canine spleen do and how come a dog can live without it? The spleen just doesn’t get any respect. From the point of view of a veterinarian, this occurs for two reasons: We can completely remove it and our patients typically do just fine, and When we do have to deal with the spleen, it’s generally because…
You may have heard the phrase “defensive medicine” used during the recent health care debate in the United States. Defensive medicine describes the situation where a doctor decides a patient’s care not simply based on what is best for that patient but also considers a perceived need to cover his or her white-coated backside in case things don’t go well.…