Feline Anemia
Q. What does it mean to be anemic? A. Anemia is a medical term referring to a reduced number of circulating red blood cells (RBC’s), hemoglobin (Hb), or both. It is not a specific disease but rather it is the result of some other disease process or condition. Hemoglobin delivers oxygen to the cells and […]
Feline Anesthesia
Pet owners are often very anxious about veterinary procedures that involve anesthesia. The word anesthesia comes from the Greek meaning “lack of sensation”. Anesthesia is accomplished by administering drugs that depress nerve function. With general anesthesia, the patient is made unconscious for a short period. During this unconscious state, there is muscular relaxation and a […]
Canine Inhalant Allergies
Q. What are allergies and how do they affect dogs? A. An allergy is a state of over-reactivity or hypersensitivity of the immune system to a particular substance called an allergen. Dogs with allergies develop a hypersensitivity reaction or response to substances such as pollens, flea saliva, and so on. Most dogs with allergies develop […]
Canine Food Allergies
Q. What is food allergy? A. Most people know someone who is allergic to certain foods, such as strawberries or nuts. Food allergy is one of the five most common allergies or hypersensitivities known to affect dogs. In a pet with an allergy, the immune system overreacts and produces antibodies to substances that it would […]
Feline Flea Allergies
Q. What are allergies and how do they affect cats? A. One of the most common conditions affecting cats is allergy. An allergy occurs when the cat’s immune system “overreacts” to foreign substances called allergens or antigens. Allergens and antigens are simply foreign proteins that the body’s immune system tries to remove. These overreactions are […]
Canine Flea Allergies
Q. My dog’s skin has always been itchy and every summer he has to be treated. After a recent series of tests and I was told that he has flea allergy dermatitis. The problem is that I have never seen a flea on him. Is this diagnosis correct? A. In an allergic reaction, the immune […]
