This is amazing: a new treatment for paralyzed dogs! This happened at the University of Cambridge. Olfactory nerve cells from the noses of the dogs were injected into the injured part of the spinal cord and some of the spinal tissue regenerated and the dogs were able to walk again!

Now that Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is coming many of us are thinking about doing a little dieting before all the rest of the holiday feasts. If you are going to include items in your diet that contain the sugar substitute, xylitol, be sure not to share those with your pets! Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and is found naturally in very tiny amounts in some foods like berries and corn, mushrooms and oats. The commercial product is made… Continue reading →

This is my favourite recipe for sweet potato treats for dogs with food allergies. 4 Large Sweet Potatoes 2 TBSP Olive Oil Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake them in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Hollow out the sweet potatoes and mash and mix with olive oil. You may add extra if they do not get really creamy. Place baking paper on a cookie sheet and spread the mash over the sheet about… Continue reading →

With colder weather approaching, many people are getting their cars, cottages, and mobile homes ready for winter. This often involves using antifreeze (ethylene glycol) to winterize pipes and toilets and the car radiator. Antifreeze is the most common poisoning found in pets. Most pets get exposed to antifreeze from leaking car radiators. This substance is lethal and it only takes a small amount to poison your pet. The substance is sweet and less than 3 ounces is enough to poison… Continue reading →

Milk Thistle is a well known “liver herb” for people and pets. The active ingredient is “silymarin” which is actually a combination of other active compounds. Milk Thistle is used to treat liver disease, kidney disease, mushroom and other toxicities, and lead poisoning. Holistic veterinarians have used it for years to treat liver diseases of all sorts in dogs and cats. It has an excellent safety record and no known adverse drug interactions, although taking too much of the herb at a time can… Continue reading →

According to the Pet Insurance industry, the most common reason for an owner to take his or her dog to the veterinarian is an ear problem. Ear problems are common in many breeds of dogs but are particularly common in those dog breeds who have long floppy ears, such as Cocker Spaniels and Hound Dogs. Ear infections in dogs most commonly involve the external or outer ear canal, whereas in people the middle ear is more commonly involved. Infections caused… Continue reading →

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is common and well recognized in dogs, particularly dachshunds and beagles, but it is frequently underdiagnosed in cats. It is not as common in cats. The incidence of IVDD in the cat is less than 1% whereas in the dog it is about 2%. Disc disease is more common in middle aged to older cats and the signs can be variable. Some cats will show stiff hind limbs, inability to jump up on the couch or bed,… Continue reading →

This week I am in Tampa, Florida attending the American Veterinary Chiropractic Conference and I will be speaking at this conference on the subject of Chiropractic in Cats. I thought I would share a few insights on cat chiropractic. When Dr Palmer developed chiropractic over 100 years ago, he developed it as a system that could be used on any animal with a vertebral system. In the early 1900’s chiropractors were trained to adjust humans, horses, dogs, cats, and other… Continue reading →

The medical community is pushing influenza or flu vaccinations at this time of year. I find it interesting that here in Canada where we have universal health care, many of our health care workers refuse to get the flu vaccine. Last year Canine Influenza was in the news. It was predicted that our canine friends were likely to suffer from the flu. If we look at the rate of dog-flu cases reported at major veterinary labs, we find that it… Continue reading →

There are essentially three types of heart diseases that cats get and these have different treatments. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common form of feline heart disease. It occurs when the heart muscle wall becomes thickened and the inside of the heart becomes smaller. Less blood can be pumped with every beat and the heart has to work harder. A murmur can develop as the valves also become involved. As the cat ages the heart becomes thicker and less… Continue reading →