Blog
DIABETES IN PETS
Carolyn Matlock DVM Cascade Heights Veterinary Center (206) 403 – 1108 Diabetes Mellitus (DM): is a metabolic disorder that is caused when the pancreas does not make insulin, or when the body does not respond normally to insulin. Insulin’s job is to take up sugar from the blood and deliver it into the body’s tissues. Without normal insulin function, the result is high blood sugar (blood glucose). Diabetic Predispositions & Risk Factors: Breed Predisposition Dogs: Terriers, Bichon frises, Keeshonds, Poodles, …
My Dogs Heat Cycle & Spaying
There is a lot of debate nowadays regarding when to spay your dog. Additionally, with more and more dogs going through heat cycles people are having to navigate their dogs heat cycle (estrus) which is not straight forward if you have never had a dog in estrus. This blog will aim to guide you through these phases of your dog’s life. General Reasons to Spay Longer Life Span: spayed dogs live longer than intact. Increased Risk Cancer: mammary, ovarian, & …
My Aging Cat
Cats are complex but simple creatures. This is something we can use to our advantage as we approach their medical care as they age. The intention of this blog is to help guide lifestyle changes, direct your attention to common symptoms in our geriatric cats, and provide a brief diagnostic plan. In feline medicine, we label kitties as geriatric around 8 – 10 years of age. Starting at this age we recommend the following: At Home Care Switching to predominantly …
TACKLING CANINE ALLERGIES
Itching, scratching, licking, and skin, ear, and anal gland infections may all be indicators of underlying allergies. Unfortunately, allergies are fairly common in our canine patients. To address allergies we break them up into three categories: skin parasites, food, and environmental. We will walk through the most common allergies and considerations to work through with your dog’s doctor. Skin Parasites The most common skin parasites include: fleas, ticks, and mites. While this group of allergen-inducing bugs are unwanted they are …
Summer Safety with your Dog
With the return of beautiful weather, our pets and ourselves are celebrating the natural beauty of the PNW by enjoying more time outdoors. Keep in mind these potential hazards to keep your pets safe: * Mushrooms: particularly in spring and fall, mushrooms can sprout up quickly. Wild mushroom toxins can cause a range of symptoms from intestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia) to neurologic symptoms or liver damage, and some are potentially fatal (especially Amanita species, such as the classic red …
Surgery Day Is Stressful But Does It Have To Be?
We know anesthesia can cause stress and anxiety not only for your fur-baby but for you as well. CHVC has developed a presurgical plan to make the big day safer and less stressful for everyone. First, we know that anxiety and stress can make the car ride in harder, but it also means we often have to use higher quantities of our anesthetic medications. This can cause a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate under anesthesia which can increase …
CHVC Picking a Diet
SELECTING A DIET FOR YOUR DOG Just like humans, there is no perfect diet. Every dog is different and their diet should be individualized. When choosing a diet we must consider a pet’s lifestyle, environment, sensitivities, and underlying health conditions. There are many components to a pet’s diet: diet formulation, type, protein source, brand, feeding amount, and supplements. The following blog post is aimed to help you choose the best diet for your dog. Diet Formulation Kibble Canned Fresh-Cooked Home-Cooked …
Dogs and Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis (or “Lepto” for short) has been a hot topic this past year, at least in some circles in West Seattle. I’ve talked to a lot of clients who read about it on a local blog or saw a flier posted at their dog park. This potentially-fatal infection is typically very rare, but it struck a handful of local dogs during our summer pandemic lockdown in 2020. It was a heartbreaking reminder that this infection is present right here, in …