Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.
Blood work is a standard, non-invasive evaluation tool in veterinary medicine. The results can shed light on your dog’s general health and organ function. Blood testing is used for the following: wellness evaluation pre-surgical screening illness diagnosis Introduction Every day, all day, cells within the body are being constantly replaced. You lose a layer of skin, and a new layer…
Cortisol is a vital hormone from the glucocorticoid family of steroid hormones. Cortisol is primarily produced by a dog’s adrenal glands. In health, cortisol plays a critical role in the dog’s ability to cope with stress. It stimulates glucose production and the breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to provide fuel for the body. Cortisol also suppresses the immune system.…
In my last post about xylitol poisoning, I mentioned that dogs respond to high blood xylitol levels with a spike in insulin secretion. This spike results in a dramatic drop in blood sugar levels. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to delve into how insulin works. Insulin is a hormone. It is produced by beta cells within the pancreas…
As you proceed with any treatment plan, it essential to continue to evaluate its effectiveness. About 2 months ago I was evaluating a new patient named Molly, a chocolate Lab, in the client’s home. While taking a history the client mentioned that Molly had prior cold laser treatments in the veterinarian’s office. “We bought a package of twelve treatments”, she…
Take an active role in your dogs treatment. I have an obsession with helping dog owners gain knowledge and empower them to be proactive in their dog’s health care. It must be the force behind what inevitably connected me to your blog author, Jana Rade and a host of others such as Dr. Patrick Mahaney, Carol Bryant, etc. It’s a…