Written and reviewed by board-certified veterinarians, find animal care advice and information for companion, exotic, equine, and livestock animals.
Hospice care, palliative care, end-of-life care – no matter how the phrase is turned, it rings with finality. For pet owners, the terminal diagnosis of a pet is fraught with conflicting emotions, confusing information, and confounding decisions that often are made within the walls of a veterinary clinic or hospital.
The medical term for hairball is “trichobezoar.” These masses accumulate in the digestive systems of animals that groom themselves, including cats, rabbits, cattle, even llamas. And hairballs are often no laughing matter for some species, sometimes requiring surgical removal because they may cause cause obstructions and dangerous medical conditions.
Have you ever had a massage? While many forms of massage exist, medical massage is a type of body work known as “outcome-based massage.” It is becoming increasingly available within human and veterinary medicine.
Parasites come in two main varieties, external and internal, but all are bad for your pet’s health. In some cases, they endanger human health as well. With the potential for parasites to harm both animal and human health, veterinarians at Colorado State University consider parasite control a cornerstone of preventive veterinary care.
For most pet owners in the United States, spaying and neutering dogs and cats is an important way to benefit animals, their households and society.
When Fido or Fifi gets sick or injured, unexpected medical expenses can create quite a financial strain. Like human health insurance, pet insurance is an option available to help families offset some or all of the costs of medical care.
In veterinary medicine, vaccination is the No. 1 defense against some very nasty – and often fatal – diseases in pets, including rabies and distemper in dogs and panleukopenia in cats.
Ear inflammation, or otitis, is one of the most common medical problems that dogs experience; because there are many causes, it is important to seek veterinary care to prevent severe pain and damage to deeper structures of the ear, which may lead to dizziness and long- term hearing loss.
Accidental poisoning is among the most common problems we see in emergency veterinary medicine, so it’s a good idea for pet owners to understand sources of toxicity, to take preventative steps, and to have a plan for response in case of ingestion.