Dog Days of Summer
Top Ways to Save on Pet Care
Enjoy a Pet-Friendly Fourth of July
Insect Bite Hypersensitivity on the Rise
Wildfires Threaten Our Pets
Even ‘Bad’ Dogs Can Reform
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas This year the National Dog Bite Prevention Week is May 15-12, and I was recruited by the American Veterinary Medical Association to be the voice of their Spanish National Bite Prevention Campaign. It is an honor to help an awareness campaign that focuses on prevention. I believe all dogs have the potential to bite under the right stimuli and that pet owners and...Protect Your Pet From Heat Exposure
By Mitsie Vargas, DVM, CVA With temperatures on the rise, many of us don’t realize that our pets can have trouble with heat too. On a hot Florida day, a dog or cat, or child for that matter, could be stressed to the point of physical illness just because of the heat. On this weekend when you enjoy Mayfaire-by-the- Lake with your furry companion, please be aware of their heat...Solving Your Pet’s Storm Phobia!
The recent tornado disaster reminded me of the fact that over here summer storms are coming and they bring with them a rise in storm related phobias for pets. I have seen a myriad of dog injuries from fearful panicked dogs attempting to hide away from the noise. Many dogs and cats become anxious and even fearful when these thunderstorms approach. Some are even afraid of any loud...Pets get skin cancer too!
Summer time put the spotlight on our skins, the dangers of UV sunlight and the development of skin cancer. Our pets are also susceptible to skin tumors and sun damage. Lately I have been diagnosing and surgically removing a myriad of skin tumors and growths. The anxious pet owner suddenly discovers an abnormal skin growth and immediately fears the dreaded skin cancer. Unfortunately,...Protect Your Dog from the Deadly Sago Pa...
Look around Winter Haven and you will see many pretty Sago Palms used in landscapes. What you may not know is that the commonly used palm is extremely toxic to pets and humans. This came as a unwelcome surprise for one of my clients. Her dog, Baron, a gentle standard poodle, is currently fighting for his life after eating the bark of the palm tree. Baron came to see me after he...Non-Anesthesia Pet Dentistry Is Illegal ...
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas Veterinarians have long told pet lovers about the importance of good dental care. However, danger is lurking. Conscientious pet owners are being misled by aggressive marketing of a “fad” option, “Non-Anesthesia Pet Dentistry” (NAPD). This trend, using unlicensed and unsupervised individuals, advocates non-anesthetic techniques that may...Dressing your pet
The American Association Of Pet Products reports that despite the recession consumers spent well over 47 million dollars in clothing and accessories for their pets for 2010. That represents at least 16% of pet owners bought some pet apparel. Considering there are pets on 71 million US households this is a very surprising statistic. I was asked by BBC Mundo if I thought that dressing...Lasers and pets!
Lasers are now being used to help heal wounds or provide pain relief for arthritic pets! Photobiomodulation is the fancy word that describes how a laser is used to stimulate cells in an animal’s body. Unlike a surgical laser that uses a high energy output, lasers used to heal and relieve pain use a lower wattage. Although the actual mechanism is not known, advocates of “cold...Should you sleep with Fido?
In a recent Fox 13 news story they sounded an alarm for all the pet owners that sleep with their pets. They cited an article on the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal where the authors call out a concern about allowing your pets to sleep with you. Citing more than 100 zoonotic diseases that can be passed by our pets, Dr. Bruno Chomel states that having a pet in the bed is not a good...Weird Things Our Pets Eat
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas I just treated a case where a dog ingested a whole bag of hersheys kissess, aluminum foil and all! The dog was big and after inducing vomit we recovered all the offending kisses but it brought to mind all the other cases where dogs and cats have eaten strange things like plastic flowers, DVD covers, earrings and coins. Why do our pets eat these weird things in...February is National Pet Dental Care Mon...
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas When we go to the dentist, we are not surprised when the doctor tells us that we need to have dental cleanings at least twice a year but many pet owners are surprised when I tell them their pet needs a dental cleaning every two years. A large percentage of our pets suffer from gingivitis or even more advanced periodontal disease. We need to recognize pets need...The Power of Fish Oil
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of beneficial oils that are critical to body function. They cannot be produced by the body and so we and our pets must get them in our diets. While most of the research on omega-3s have been done in humans, dogs and cats are reaping the benefits. Thousands of studies have proven the benefits of fish oil such as reducing...Rabies is Still a Threat
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas As more and more people question the need to vaccinate their pets against infectious diseases, veterinarians are increasingly concerned about the resurgence of a killer. Thankfully, rabies is rare here in North America, but a reservoir of the disease is present in our wildlife. What’s the chance of your pet encountering a rabid animal? It’s a...Pets as Christmas Gifts
Pets as Christmas Gifts By Dr. Mitsie Vargas Christmas is the season of giving and unfortunately time for a major trend of gifting pets. The idea that a puppy or kitten makes for a nice stocking stuffer is a flawed one. Many gifted pets are indeed an unwanted liability and end up in shelters shortly after the holidays are over. Why is it still a common occurrence? For many people,...An Unusual Pet Choice
By Dr. Mitsie Vargas The love-for-animal’s gene appears to be amplified with each generation, at least that’s what I think based on my daughters’ devotion to all animals. It is that love that made us the owners of several pets including three cats, two dogs, two rats, a mouse, several fishes, about 14 finches, a quail, three bunnies and three cute guinea pigs. I...From the Publisher, Marialice Quinn
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