Dogs and cats are invaluable members of the family; however in some cases they can transmit disease. A zoonotic disease is a disease transmitted directly or indirectly from animals to people. People most at risk of developing a zoonotic disease are children under 5, the elderly, pregnant women, and people who have poor immune systems due to chemotherapy or chronic disease.

Dogs and cats look and smell better when they are clean. Cleanliness provides a distinct health advantage, for them and the rest of the household as well.

By: Dr. Kathryn Stoltzfus
We all know that our pets age faster than us but we can now do a lot more to help them in their “super-senior” years. Noone likes to think of their pet as geriatric, but no matter how we label this period they have some unique medical issues that can be easily addressed to help them live as long and healthy a life as possible.

By the age of 3 yrs over 80% of all dogs and cats have some form of dental disease; this can have serious consequences for their general health. The bacteria in the mouth can seed to other areas of the body such as the heart, kidneys, intestinal tract and joints causing infection and disease. Therefore, it is important to start regular dental care for your pets early in life.

Dogs and cats, on average, age 7 times faster than people. Because of this veterinarians consider pets that are age 6 years and older to be senior or geriatric pets.

Cancer is a disease that is of concern to many people as they may have experienced it directly or indirectly. Our pets are also susceptible to cancer. Today large strides have been made in cancer treatment, and our pets can be cured of cancer, or at least be given the opportunity to live disease free for significant periods of time.

Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, remains pervasive throughout many parts of the United States and Europe both in humans and dogs.

This article will strive to give the reader some background and insights into ear diseases in dogs. I will describe some home care procedure, anatomy and explain predisposing factors to disease; pointing out that many cases of ear disease have causes elsewhere in the body and that some medications used in the wrong manner can actually cause ear disease.

By: Dr. Margaret Jordan White, DVM

40% of American pets are reported to be overweight or obese. Obesity is the most common nutritional disease of dogs. So, the answer for many of our pets is yes! How do you know if your cat or dog is overweight?

By: Dr. Lauren Simermeyer

Working the overnight emergency shift brings lots of phone calls from concerned clients. We are more than happy to answer any questions a caller may present about their pet’s health. If your pet’s behavior is “off” or different in a way that concerns you, it is best to go ahead and make a call to have a veterinary technician or veterinarian help you to determine if you are indeed experiencing an emergency.