PET HEALTH BLOG

DHPP Vaccine – What is it and who needs it?

These 4, often fatal, viruses can be easily prevented by the administration of the DHPP vaccine.  The vaccine should be given to puppies at 8 weeks of age, and then again as boosters at 12 and 16 weeks of age.  The vaccine should then be administered annually or tri-annually depending on the brand of vaccine given and the recommendations of your veterinarian. 

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Blocked Cats – What does that mean?

The term “blocked cat” actually refers to the obstruction of the urethra in a male cat.  (But it is important to remember that it can happen to both dogs and cats, and also in females – just less commonly). The urethra is the tube that drains urine from the bladder and when it becomes blocked, a cat cannot pass its urine.  This is an emergency situation and needs to be addressed immediately.

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Pet Fire Safety

As we’re all well aware, the late summer months are the peak of “wildfire season”.  Most families have some sort of evacuation plan, but are your pets part of your plan?  Fires, whether they are grass fires or house fires, can start and travel very quickly.  Having a written out and practiced plan is the best way to keep you and your entire household safe. 

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Cat health, Cats, Veterinary Cat health, Cats, Veterinary

Hyperthyroidism in Cats

Hyperthyroidism is very rare in dogs but fairly common in cats.  Also called thyrotoxicosis, hyperthyroidism is caused by an increase in production of T3 and T4 (thyroid hormones) from an enlarged thyroid gland in a cat’s neck region.  In most cases, this is caused by an adenoma, a non-cancerous tumor.

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Feline Chin Acne

Cats can get acne too??  That’s right; we humans aren’t the only ones!  Some cats will only get acne one time in their life, while others may have a life-long struggle with it.  Feline acne doesn’t seem to have any preference for age, gender or breed either.  (Boy, it is a lot like human acne isn’t it?!)  Understanding what it is and how to treat it will make things easier on both you and your feline friend.

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Pet Dangers Lurking in your Home

We all like to think of our homes as being safe havens for our pets.  We are offering them protection from the dangers of the outside world, right?  What some people are not aware of however, are the dangers that lurk INSIDE our homes.  Unfortunately, there are several products that we may use on a daily basis that are very dangerous, and sometimes even fatal, to our animals. 

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