Articles by by Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Corticosteroid Medications -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Corticosteroid medications are similar to cortisone and other hormones produced by the adrenal glands.
Most treatments last 2 - 4 weeks. The amount of medication is gradually reduced, ending with a "maintenance dose" given every other day. This keeps the ...
Upper Respiratory Infections in Cats -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Your cat has just been diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. This is an extremely common condition, especially in cats just acquired from any multi-cat situation (i.e. humane shelter, rescue facility, breeders' cattery, a multi-cat household). It may be ...
Seizures & Your Pet -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Definition
Seizures have specific characteristics according to if they are generalized or partial.
Generalized Seizures
There is whole body involvement with some or all of the following signs: loss of consciousness (the pet is unaware of its surroundings and ...
Hyposensitization Treatments -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Now that your animal has been tested for what has been triggering the allergic response, we can start treatment.
Hyposensitization works on the same principles as "allergy shots" for humans. The idea is to initially expose your pet to ...
Lick Granulomas -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
The so-called "Lick granuloma" is a raised, usually ulcerated area on a dog's wrist or ankle area caused by the dog's own incessant licking.
WHY DO DOGS LICK THEMSELVES RAW?
This type of foot-chewing may be compared to nail-biting in people. ...
Hip Dysplasia -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Definition
The term "hip dysplasia" refers to poorly formed hip joints, comprised of the head of the femur (thigh bone) and the acetabular cup (hip socket). It is thought to be the result of many factors including breed tendencies, ...
Heartworm Disease and Prevention -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Heartworms can cause a serious and sometimes fatal disease of the heart, lungs, and other organs. Heartworm disease can be cured with appropriate therapy. More important, it can be prevented with heartworm medication. This education sheet will help you ...
Murmurs, Arrythmias, Heart Disease, & Failure -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Basic heart function
The heart is divided into four chambers. The right atrium receives unoxygenated blood which then goes past the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. From here, blood is pumped into the lungs through the pulmonic arteries as ...
Gastroenteritis - Vomiting and Diarrhea -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Definition
"Gastroenteritis" is another name for an inflamed stomach and intestines which can result in vomiting and/or diarrhea.
Causes
The causes of gastroenteritis are multiple. These can include: dietary indiscretion such as eating something from the garbage or yard or ...
Glycoflex, Vetri-Disc, Cosequin, and Adequan -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Veterinarians and owners want to make dogs and cats with bone problems more comfortable - whether the problem is arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or trauma related injuries. Treatment has included rest and medication such as steroids (i.e. prednisone) or ...
Treating Pets with Eye Medications -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
To treat your pet's eyes with medication, try to following steps:
Gently tilt the head back so the eyes are looking at the ceiling.
Medicated Ointment:
Roll the lower eyelid out, forming a 'pocket', and place a small amount of ointment ...
Treating Pets with Ear Medications -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
To treat your pet's ears with medication, try to following steps:
Tilt the animal's head so the ear to be treated is 'up.' (If your pet's ear flap hangs down, lift it as you are tilting the head.)
Medicated ointment:
Place ...
Ear Infections in Pets -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Ear infections in animals usually involve just the outer ear, that is, the portion that is visible to you, the ear flap and the portion that is visible to your veterinarian with the aid of an otoscope, the ear ...
Common Toxins and Foods -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Food items that dogs may get exposed to by pilfering in the garbage or compost pile or rutting around in the yard can pose a problem. Ingestion of certain items can be especially troublesome for pets. Sprouted potato peels, ...
Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's Disease) -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
What Causes Cushing's Disease?
The pituitary gland, located within the brain, acts like the master gland of the body. It makes hormones that control other glands, two of which are the adrenal glands, paired glands located next to the kidneys. ...
Dental Disease in Pets -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
People are often surprised to learn that animals get the same aliments that humans do- from heart disease to diabetes to cancer. Among the other conditions that animals can develop are dental and periodontal disease. Gum erosion, inflamed gums, ...
Care of Neonates -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Either voluntarily or involuntarily, you may find yourself to be the primary caretaker of a one or more orphaned baby kittens or puppies or those "runts" of the litter that can less effectively compete for food. Sometimes, the mother ...
Atopy (Inhaled Allergies) and Hyposensitization -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Atopy or inhaled allergies happens when your animal develops antibodies in response to environmental allergens. This condition tends to be seasonal but sometimes can affect your pet all year round. This results in itchiness (often directed to the face ...
Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's) -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
Disease
This condition occurs when the adrenal glands, two small glands that are near the kidneys, don't secrete enough hormones. The most important hormones are mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids (cortisol). These hormones are responsible for many of the body's functions including ...
Adequan -
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Linda Mar Veterinary Hospital
The Product
Adequan is an injectable form of glucosamine that can be safely given to dogs and cats in the management of arthritis. Note that it is FDA approved for dogs but can be safely used off-label for cats. The ...