Anal glands are small glands that live just inside the anus of most mammals. they are small and contain a smelly fluid. If the glands act as they should every time your cat or dog defecates, the feces presses against the glands before leaving the large intestines and glandular material is released. The exact purpose of these glands are not 100% known but they are believed to help animals mark their territory. What Happens When the Glands are Too Small or are Inflamed? Symptoms like scooting are noticed by most pet owners when the glands cannot empty easily and need to be expressed. This can b ..read more

As veterinary medicine advances and human diets evolve through phases like Akins, Keto there has been a movement in the boutique pet food industry to create diets that pet owners may perceive as being more healthy than regular dog food brands. Some owners also feel that their pets come from wild animals who eat small prey and raw diets may be closer to what they’d be eating in the wild. Some of the things that are overlooked when considering these diets are: cats and dogs are over 10,000 years evolved from their wild cat and wild dog ancestry. It stands with good reason that their gastrointes ..read more

Just like people, advances in medicine mean our canine and feline companions are living longer than ever before. As they age, different issues may arise. Being one step ahead of you pet’s illness can help catch things early, slow down disease progression and ensure your companion animal lives a comfortable and happy life. Common age-related illnesses: We have the benefit of being able to speak to our doctors, friends and family. Our companion animals can’t talk, so symptoms can include decreased energy, decreased mobility, weight loss, fur loss, panting, not eating, not wanting to run or jump ..read more

Our pets love us and we love them. So, what can we do to try and give your cat, dog or other animal companion a life that keeps them healthy? Besides our love and time, what else can we do? This article reviews the basics for ensuring your animal companion receives the best general preventative care. Dental Care One thing that is often overlooked but is important, is dental care. Bad breath and dental disease occurs in every species with teeth . Just like people, our pets are vulnerable to dental issues ranging from plaque and bad breath to painful tooth root infections.  The need for de ..read more

Recently, Harris County has updated some of its county requirements regarding licensing of cats and dogs. Currently, the county requires all cats and dogs over three months or 12 weeks to be vaccinated against rabies and microchipped. Cats and dogs (whether inside or outside) are required to be licensed, chipped and show proof of rabies vaccination. Failure to have your cat or dog microchipped, vaccinated against Rabies and registered with the county may result in fines. Pet owners should be aware that the county is requiring veterinarians to report the cats and dogs that they vaccinate agai ..read more

Just like people, advances in medicine mean our canine and feline companions are living longer than ever before. As they age, different issues may arise. Older companion animals Being one step ahead of you pet’s illness can help catch things early, slow down disease progression and ensure your companion animal lives a comfortable and happy life. Common age-related illnesses: Osteoarthritis – cats and dogs (often overlooked in cats) Diabetes Mellites – Older, heavier cats  Hyperthyroidism – (typically cats) Heart disease (cats and dogs) Cushing’s Disease (usually dogs) Internal cancer – o ..read more

Just like people, cats and dogs as they age experience changes to their joints. Over time cartilage wears down and can no longer pad the bones associated with the joint and arthritis (bony changes) occur. Ligaments that hold bones in place to prevent abnormal and excessive motion fray and tear, too, abnormal bone rubbing also leads to arthritis. As companion animals live longer and healthier lives than ever before, arthritis and joint issues along with ligament tears are seen more commonly. While in dogs, most pet owners notice a slowing down from walking or a reluctance to jump or run, many ..read more

How cats show fear like people, cats can also be afraid of things. When this happens, they change how they behave. Fear triggers can vary from cat to cat. What scares one cat may be fine for another. In order to know if something makes your cat anxious, you need to observe his/her behavior and body language. When cats are scared, they curl up, keep their bodies low to the ground and their ears move around and may become flattened against their heads. This cat is scared and hiding, note the position of the ears and keeping the body low to the ground Some scared cats move their tails with fast t ..read more

Clostridium – spore forming bacteria When companion pets have chronic diarrhea, one of the tests that is run looks for the bacteria Clostridium perfringens. Having the bacteria alone isn’t uncommon but it can produce a toxin in the intestinal tract called an enterotoxin, which in turn causes diarrhea. A little about Clostridium perfringens The bacteria in the Clostridial family have a bad reputation and for good reason. Clostridium is the bacteria behind tetanus and botulism – two historically serious diseases. What makes Clostridia bacteria so potent?  They produce t ..read more

Body temperature may be elevated because of an infection (fever), but it may also increase because of hot conditions outside, especially in the Houston climate.  When the body overheats to the point where it can no longer do it’s correct physiological functions, a life-threatening condition called heatstroke occurs.  Heatstroke is  a life-threatening condition, and requires immediate treatment.  A dog’s normal body temperature is typically between 100.5 and 102.5 usually averaging 101°F Fahrenheit. Any time the body temperature is higher than 105°F, a true emergen ..read more