As long as your pet isn’t making frequent attempts to defecate (excessive squatting) then we don’t tend to be overly concerned. Don’t forget that your pet skipped their breakfast on the morning of the surgery and then they most likely didn’t eat a normal portion when you fed them dinner that night. If you don’t eat you don’t poop. The pain medications can also slow things down a bit too. Continue to keep an eye on your pet and it they are acting ok then you needn’t worry.

It is important that we protect the wounded area from excessive licking. Many pets do a lot of their licking in the middle of the night when you don’t know about it. Keep the e-collar on at all times. They are able to eat, sleep and drink with it on. It is important that we allow the area to heal quickly so your pet can return to its normal routine as soon as possible.

The two most common reasons we see dogs ‘scooting’ is because their anal glands are bothering them or they have an itchy anus as a result of tapeworm infestation. If you see your dog doing this frequently it is time for a visit to the vet.

Fleas are a year round concern in SW Florida.  Flea control failure can happen if; 1) flea products are not used on a regular and consistent basis   2) not all animals in the home are treated for fleas, and 3) topical products are applied improperly.   Topical products are designed to be absorbed into the oil glands of your dog or cat – the use of soap based shampoos will remove the product.   Swimming may dilute the product causing the loss of effectiveness before the full 4 weeks have passed, allowing a break in flea protection.   When live fleas are noted on your pet, your environment is also infested.   It will take at least 3 months or longer of treatment of all pets in the home and environment to get the infestation resolved.   Contact us so we can provide further guidance specific to your circumstances.

An annual heartworm and fecal test are highly recommended for the following reasons:

1) our heartworm test also tests for the more common tick borne diseases in the area.  Early identification of these diseases allows us to initiate treatment if warranted, and is an alert for other family members living in the same home.  If your pet has been exposed to ticks, there is a good chance you or one of your family members may have also been exposed to ticks from the environment.
The de-wormer in monthly heartworm prevention doesn’t protect against all intestinal parasites.   Evaluating fecal samples helps us identify any other intestinal parasites and allows for prompt treatment. Hookworm and roundworm infestation is fairly common in Florida and we can catch these from our pets!

Annual blood work is important as our pets age.  Organ failure is a frequent cause of reduced quality of life in our pets, renal and liver disorders are especially common.  Early identification of these disease processes, even before we see clinical signs, allows us to take proactive steps to slow, and sometimes reverse the process.   Often, simple steps like a diet change or the addition of over the counter supplements like SAMe are inexpensive and can extend the quality of our pets’ lives during their senior years.   Don’t forget that your 10 year old dog is the equivalent of a 70 year old human.

Weight control is a growing concern in our pet population.   It has been estimated that at least 60% of our dogs and cats are overweight.   Animals that have been sterilized require a lower amount of daily calories since they are not expending energy seeking a mate, supporting a pregnancy or nursing a litter. As animals age, weight gain is easier and weight loss becomes more difficult.   Often, we compound the problem by feeding table food in addition to a dog or cat’s regular diet.   It has been reported that a 20# dog eating a 1 ounce cube of cheese has the same caloric effect as an adult human eating 1 and 1/2 hamburgers.   None of us would stay slim, let alone lose weight, if we ate an extra hamburger in addition to our regular daily diet!

Over the counter weight loss diets are designed for mild weight loss.  When a substantial weight loss of greater than 10% is required, a prescription diet with a feeding plan designed specifically for your pet is required.   This custom plan takes into account the following: body condition score, the rate of weight loss required, the use of dry and/or canned rations, the feeding of treats and scheduling regular weight evaluations so your pet will lose weight in a realistic period of time. Additionally, all of our prescription diets have a 100% palatability guarantee – if they won’t eat it return the food and we will give you your money back!

Skin allergies can be very frustrating for you and your pet.   Scratching day and night, along with the foul odor of infected ears and skin can make life with an animal with allergies a painful and difficult process.

Allergies can take the form of food allergies, topical or contact allergies and seasonal allergies.  Food allergies occur all year long.  Typically, food allergies are related to the protein component of the diet.  Changing pet food brands will not help if the same protein is in the new diet.

Topical or contact allergies can occur from plants, molds, fungus or insects, especially fleas.  Seasonal allergies only occur during certain times of the year.  Many animals have multiple types of allergy.  Many allergies can be kept under control by using special foods with unique proteins, weekly ear cleaning to prevent wax buildup, and the use of specialized shampoos to remove topical allergens.  Allergy flair ups can be expected when the perfect storm of contact, food and seasonal allergies intersect.  If you live with an allergic dog or cat, allergy flair ups are a fact of life.  An animal will never be ‘allergy free’ but they can be comfortable as long as environmental controls are established and stringently followed.

Not every lump or bump on your canine will be a tumor. Some superficial bumps are simply sebaceous cysts on dogs that are just plugged oil glands in the skin and generally absolutely nothing to worry about. Skin cysts can be made up of dead cells or even sweat or clear fluid; these frequently rupture on their own, recover, and are never seen again.

The lipoma is among the most typical lumps seen by veterinarians throughout a physical pet examination. These soft, rounded, non-painful masses, typically present just under the skin but periodically developing from connective tissues deep in between muscles, are normally benign.

Fewer than half of lumps and bumps you find on a dog are malignant, or cancerous. So how are you to understand which lumps and bumps threaten and which can be left alone? Truthfully, you are really just making a guess without getting the pathologist involved. Most veterinarians take a conservative approach to the typical lipomas and eliminate them if they are proliferating or are located in a delicate location.

Some dogs chew their feet because they have arthritis pain, and some dogs chew their feet due to behavioral reasons, the most common reason for foot-chewing is allergic disease. It makes good sense when you consider it: considering that a lot of allergens are plant-based, and dogs walk on grasses, if they’re allergic to grass their feet will be irritated. And chewing and licking feels good to dogs, so they lick their feet when they are irritated.

Foot chewing and licking can likewise support food allergies. For this reason, we’ll frequently advise a change to a hypoallergenic diet when a pet dog is licking its feet. In some cases this takes care of the problem, but sadly most allergic dogs have an environmental allergic reaction, and the food does not always resolve the problem.

There are several causes of red eyes in dogs and can be as easy as allergies or more major such as glaucoma or an increase in pressure around the eye. Other possible causes could be an ulcer on the outer part of the eye that could be due to a trauma event, low tear production, or an infection either inside the eye or outside the eye. There are some cases of disease elsewhere in the body that can cause inflammation of the eye.

While not every case of “red eyes” is the indication of a major disease in dogs, it brings with it enough of a concern to require a trip to the vet to ensure that it’s not.