Archive for January, 2011
Monday, January 31st, 2011
Cats are stoic creatures, which means they’re often very good at hiding pain. Â But as this article points out, the things our cats do that we think are just normal signs of aging–becoming less active, finding new sleeping spots that don’t require jumping up, even pooping alongside, and not in, the litter box–may be signs of arthritis instead. Â Although this was written for veterinarians, it’s a good overview of feline arthritis, including symptoms, how it’s diagnosed, and what treatment options are available. Â From Veterinary Focus, courtesy of IVIS:
https://www.scoutshouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Feline-Arthritis.pdf
For more information about Scout’s House, go to scoutshouse.com
Posted in Arthritis in Dogs and Cats, Cats, Geriatric Dogs and Cats, Physical Rehabilitation Therapy, Veterinary Orthopedics | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
If your dog has torn his cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), chances are he’ll be getting a TPLO to repair it (especially if he’s a big dog). But did you know dogs may heal more quickly and more effectively from that surgery if they have physical rehabilitation therapy during their recovery?
Check out Scout’s House’s latest Before & After video to see just what a difference rehab can make in your dog’s TPLO recovery. And for more information, read this abstract of a study done on TPLO recoveries with rehab and without.
Tags: ACL in dogs, CCL, dogs ACL, TPLO
Posted in Dogs, Pets | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011
We’ve had more than one client ask us to explain the neurological exam that their pets have undergone, both at the veterinary neurologist’s office and at the initial exam at Scout’s House. Although this article was written for veterinarians, it’s a pretty clear explanation of what your vet is looking for during your pet’s neuro exam:
Making Sense of the Neuro Exam from Veterinary Practice News.
Tags: veterinary neuro
Posted in Cats, Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), Disk Disease in Dogs and Cats (IVDD), Dogs, Geriatric Dogs and Cats, Pets, Physical Rehabilitation Therapy, Scout's House, Veterinary Neurology | No Comments »
Friday, January 21st, 2011
Ever wonder how your veterinarian decides which joint supplement to recommend for your pet’s arthritis? Here’s an excellent article from Clinician’s Brief that helps veterinarians choose the right neutraceutical for a pet’s joint health. (Don’t be put off by the medical-speak; there are some really interesting facts in here.)
https://www.scoutshouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Neutraceuticals-for-Joint-Health-from-Clinicians-Brief.pdf
Tags: canine arthritis, cat arthritis, dog arthritis, feline arthritis, glucosamine for pets, neutraceuticals for dogs
Posted in Arthritis in Dogs and Cats, Cats, Dogs, Geriatric Dogs and Cats, Pet Nutrition and Weight Management, Pets, Veterinary Orthopedics | No Comments »
Thursday, January 20th, 2011
Over the years, I’ve seen dozens of homemade dog food and dog treat recipes that include onions and garlic, but I’d also heard that onions and garlic were dangerous for dogs. Naturally, I was confused. But after reading this blog post by veterinarian Dr. Sophia Yin, I have my answer. No more onions or garlic for my dogs–not even in small quantities.
Onions, the Secret Killer? | Blog | Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS.
Tags: dog food recipes, dogs and garlic, dogs and onions, homemade dog food recipe
Posted in Dogs, Pet Nutrition and Weight Management, Pets | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 19th, 2011
There’s a thought-provoking article in this month’s Veterinary Practice News by Dr. Narda Robinson that raises some good questions about the safety of stem cell therapy, which is being used more frequently in veterinary medicine to address a number of health issues, including arthritis and spinal cord damage.
If you’re considering stem cell therapy for your dog or cat, you might want to take a look:
Rush to Stem Cells Carries Some Risk.
Also, be sure to read this post from the International Society for Stem Cell Research. Although meant for human patients, it’s applicable to animal patients, too:
http://www.closerlookatstemcells.org/Top_10_Stem_Cell_Treatment_Facts.htm
Tags: risks of stem cell, stem cell therapy for cats, stem cell therapy for dogs
Posted in Arthritis in Dogs and Cats, Cancer in Dogs and Cats, Cats, Disk Disease in Dogs and Cats (IVDD), Dogs, Geriatric Dogs and Cats, Pets | No Comments »
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
by Lisa Stahr
I have a black Lab, Belle, whom we adopted from Golden Gate Lab Rescue two years ago. Belle is so sweet, so hungry for love, and so afraid of everything–falling leaves, parked cars, garbage cans, telephone poles, you name it–that my husband and I thought for sure she had vision problems. She doesn’t, but the veterinarian/animal behaviorist we worked with to help Belle be more comfortable in this world thinks it highly likely that Belle was a breeder dog in a puppy mill. And that makes total sense. As a breeder, she probably spent most of her time in a crate or a box, not outside, seeing leaves fall off a tree or a car parked on the street.
So it’s for Belle’s sake that I’m passing this on. If you love dogs, please read Dr. Nancy Kay’s blog post about dog auctions. We should all be aware of that these things exist (I didn’t know)–and do something about it.
speakingforspot.com.
Tags: dog auctions, Dr. Nancy Kay, puppy mills, Speaking for Spot
Posted in Dogs | 1 Comment »
