Vancouver Vets : How to recognize first signs of disease in dogs in the early stages of illness.

People suffering from disease will recognize in themselves any changes from the normal state and report them as symptoms. In veterinary medicine the term clinical signs is used instead of symptoms, to indicate that what is being reported is based on observation of the patient by someone else (often the owner), and not on a direct report from the patient.

The dog owner recognized disease as a change in the dog’s normal state. The more skilled an owner is at recognizing the normal state, the more likely it is that changes from normal state will be detected early in the course of disease. Skills in recognizing the normal state are gained through experience and study. Opportunities for gaining such experience include living and working with dogs at home, and in specialized situations in the many activities wherein dogs and people work together. Many owners gain additional information about the normal state by reading books and articles dealing with dogs, through discussions with other dog owners, especially those who have special interests and experience with dogs, and through discussions with our Vancouver Vet Clinic veterinarian and members of the...

By Vancouver Vets :  Healthy Cat Series

Cats have the same five senses as people do but to very different degree. Some senses are much better developed than in people.

Sight

Cats have keen vision, they can see much more detail than Dogs. Concentrated in the center of the retina of the eye, a specific type of cell called a cone gives cats excellent visual acuity and binocular vision. This allows them to judge speed and distance very well, an ability that help them survive as hunters.
However, although the cone cells are also responsible for color vision, it is uncertain whether cats can see colors. Like dogs, cats also have a lot of the retinal cells called rods, which are good at collecting dim light. In fact, cats can see six time better In dim light than people, giving rise to the myth that cats can see in the dark.
Cats also have a reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum, which magnifies incoming light and lands characteristic blue or greenish glint to their eyes at night.
A unique feature of both canine and feline eyes is the nictitating membrane, which is also called the third eyelid. This additional eyelid is a whitish pink color and is found under the other eyelids in the inside corner (near the nose) of the eye. The third eyelid extends up when needed to protect the eyeball...

Vancouver Vets: Healthy Pets Series

People have associated with cats for thousands of years. Cats were first domesticated in Egypt between 1600 and 1500 BC. Even earlier, they were worshiped as gods; the Egyptian gods of fertility and war were given feline personalities. Feline images can also be found on early Greek and Roman vases, statues, and coins.

Wild cats (such as tigers, leopards, civets, and bobcats, for example) are among the best hunters in the animal kingdom. Domestic cats share these characteristics and are still valued “mousers” around barns, granaries, and warehouses. However, most cats in the United States and Canada are primarily pets that provide companionship, typically with few demands then are associated with dog ownership.

The population of pet cats in the United States and Canada has steadily increased since the early 1970s, rivaling and now exceeding the number of pet dogs.

Like dogs, cats look very different from people but share many of our body’s characteristics, such as a circulatory system, lungs, a digestive tract, a nervous system, and so on.

There are many different breeds of cats, including Abyssinian, Himalayan, Main Coon, Manx, Persian, Scottish Fold, and Siamese, to name a few. The Cat Fanciers’ Association, which is the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats, recognizes about 40 distinct breeds.

The most familiar cats are the domestic shorthair and the domestic longhair, which...

Vancouver Vets: Healthy Dog Series

The aim of first-aid treatment of fractures should be to minimise further damage to the injured part, to make the dog as comfortable as possible and to control any associated haemorrhage. If the fracture involves the head or face it is essential that the dog's airway is kept unobstructed by removing any blood, mucus or other foreign material from the mouth and throat. Wounds may be covered with a clean dressing or cotton material. Immobilisation of the injured limb will do much to prevent further damage and reduce pain. If a Vancouver vets are not accessible it is best to support the fractured limb, holding it in as comfortable a position as possible.

Careless handling, or unskilled attempts at bandaging fractures which have little overlying muscle, may convert a closed fracture into an open one. However, a temporary splint, using a rolled-up newspaper, a piece of wood, or something similar, will provide good support, particularly when the fracture is below the elbow or hock until you are able to reach a Vancouver vet clinic. Dogs that are unable to stand may have neurological injuries and should be lifted on to a flat board or tray and moved very carefully.

TREATMENT OF FRACTURES

Unless there are life-threatening problems most veterinarians, including

Vancouver Animal Hospital: Healthy Pets

At Alta Vista Animal Hospital, our Vancouver veterinary clinic we are committed to pets' health and well-being.  That is why we want to share our veterinary knowledge with the wide community of pet lovers with the opening of a series of blog posts "Healthy Pets". 

If you are a responsible pet owner who is willing to devote time and energy to keeping your pet healthy and content, keep visiting our blog to learn more about nutrition, grooming, and training of your beloved pet.  In our posts we will describe signs of a healthy pet.  Our goal is also to teach you how to recognize first signs of animal diseases. 

Although cats, dogs and other animals cannot come right out and announce how they feel, the pet owner can always tell something is not quite right by observing changes in pet's behavior or it's appearance.  From our posts you will learn what steps to take when something goes wrong with your pet,  in what situations you can perform first-aid procedures at home and when it is better  to see a veterinarian right away.