Preventive Care Archive

Wellness Testing for Young Adult Dogs and Cats

Wellness Testing for Young Adults – Early Detection Profile Dogs and cats are exceedingly skilled at hiding their illnesses from their owners. They can’t talk and often show no signs of an illness until something is terribly wrong. So how do you know if your pet is hiding an illness? A yearly physical examination with

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Brewing Beer at Home: Risk of Hops Toxicity in Pets

At my dinner table, my family frequently asks me about my workday. Most days I share crazy or funny stories about my patients. Regrettably, on a few days, I share tragic stories. This case that I am about to share with you is one of those tragic stories that every pet owner dreads to hear.

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Antifreeze Warning

As the weather changes in the northern hemisphere, many people start preparing for freezing temperatures by using antifreeze to protect their cars and plumbing in seasonal cabins. Spills and leaks of antifreeze pose problems for our curious pets, who like to investigate and taste interesting materials. There are basically three kinds of antifreeze available: Methanol

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Marijuana and Your Pet: Not a Good Time

Does Your Dog Get High On Marijuana? Not long ago one of my clients and her 17-year-old son came to see me with their almost one hundred pound Labrador retriever, whom I will fictitiously name “Chewy.” This big overgrown teddy bear was acutely ill. He stumbled into the examination room with dilated eyes and a

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Don’t Share Your Medication

Meet “Daisy” — an animated and sweet 15-year-old female West Highland White Terrier, owned by Susan. Despite her notorious appetite for small rocks and discarded spoiled food on the streets of Chicago, Daisy has been a remarkably healthy dog. In the past, I have prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, called Metacam, along with a pain

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Flea and Tick Control: Your Decision

Over the past 10 years there has been an explosion of newly released flea and tick products for dogs and cats. Choosing the right product for your pet has become daunting given the choices available. Additionally, advertisers and their makers make it more confusing to the pet owners by flaunting their flea and tick product

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Struck by a Bat: My Son’s Rabies Scare

Just over three weeks ago my son, Jacob, was riding his bicycle in River Forest, Illinois when a bat struck his head. When he arrived home, my husband immediately checked his head for any wounds, but did not see any. I was still at work when I heard about this and initially dismissed it as

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The Internet Diagnosis

I will be honest. I have searched online resources not just once, but many times to better understand what ails my husband, my children, and me. I cannot tell you how many times I have mistakenly frightened myself with inaccurate internet diagnoses of brain tumors, multiple sclerosis and other maladies. I know almost every one

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Pet Insurance

Pet insurance may help relieve a pet owner’s immediate financial burden of medical or surgical care for his/her dog or cat. Before selecting a pet insurance provider, you should consider the following: Coverage – What procedures and services are covered and excluded? Does it include “well visits” or just “sick visits”. Customer service – Will

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Rat Bait on Chicago Streets

After practicing over 26 years, one would have thought that I’ve seen almost everything. A few days ago, however, I saw a case that taught me something new and reconfirmed the importance of a thorough physical examination. Toby, a very lovable 2-year-old standard poodle, came to see me with an acute history of vomiting and

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