Thirteen years ago, Doris Day started a national event to draw attention to the need for spaying and neutering dogs and cats in the United States. In San Luis County, this event, known as Spay Day USA, has expanded to 6 weeks. Many veterinary clinics provide discounted surgeries or expand availability for spay/neuter appointments during [...]
I told you at the first of the year that we were going to review body systems in the order that I do a physical exam. In honor of Valentine ™s Day, we ™ll be looking at the heart early. The heart is truly just a big pump. It has four chambers with one-way valves [...]
I just love the new Jack-In-The-Box® commercial showing Jack ™s son confessing that he doesn ™t want to grow up to make steak sandwiches - he wants to be a vegetarian. When he explains how the vegetarian was able to fix his dog ™s hurt paw, Jack ™s disgust turns to pride! While it is [...]
A few years after I became a veterinarian, I hospitalized a young tabby cat for a urinary blockage. That cat ™s name was Cody, and due to unfortunate circumstances with his owner, he became our hospital cat. That was 15 years ago. Most of you who have visited Animal Care Clinic have met Cody, either [...]
February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Many people expect veterinarians to provide basic dental care such as teeth cleanings and extractions. At Animal Care Clinic, we also perform endodontics and periodontics.* Endodontic care refers to procedures such as root canal therapy. If the inner canal of a tooth is damaged or opened up, it [...]
February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Many people expect veterinarians to provide basic dental care such as teeth cleanings and extractions. At Animal Care Clinic, we also perform endodontics and periodontics.* Endodontic care refers to procedures such as root canal therapy. If the inner canal of a tooth is damaged or opened up, it [...]
This is National Pet Dental Health Month and we have been looking at veterinary dentistry. Dental disease is probably the most frequent problem we find during our routine physical exams. Animals are able to live with and conceal from their owners a great deal of dental pathology - infection and pain. I have seen animals [...]
This is National Pet Dental Health Month. Dentistry is one of those areas where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - maybe more like a ton of cure! I ™m sure that almost everyone reading this article brushes their teeth twice daily, flosses at least every now and then, and still [...]
While we have been enduring freezing temperatures on the Central Coast and watching many agricultural industries suffer, I thought I would put a positive spin on the cold spell. In our beach communities, we generally tell people that we have flea problems all year ˜round. Fleas like our temperate climate. The repeated frosty mornings should [...]
You may have heard people talking about the benefits of fish oil or flax seed oil. These products contain omega-3 fatty acids, abbreviated EPA and DHA. Animals, including people, dogs, cats and the red meats we eat are made mainly from omega-6 fatty acids. Chemically, these molecules are quite similar, but their actions in the [...]