Easter Lily or Trumpet Lily Toxicosis in Cats

The “Easter” or “trumpet lily”, whose scientific name is Lilium longiflorum, is a plant which is grown from bulbs. The plant itself has large, showy, funnel-formed flowers. The trumpet lily is popular at Easter, and for many it is symbolic of the resurrection of Christ. Sales of these lilies at Easter help to make them the fourth most popular selling potted plant in the United States. Unfortunately, these short-lived plants can shorten the life of your cat to days when eaten. Read more...

Canine Perianal Fistula or Anal Furunculosis

Perianal fistulas or anal furunculosis is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by ulceration of the perianal tissue (tissue surrounding the anus) in the dog. The clinical signs of perianal fistulas may be present for years, gradually worsening over time.

Lyme Disease or Borreliosis

In the United States, Lyme Borreliosis is the most commonly-reported tick-transmitted disease in humans. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi which is a spirochete (corkscrew-shaped bacteria) that is transmitted by various Ixodes ticks.

Milk Thistle: Treating Chronic Liver Problems and Diabetes

Is your dog or cat suffering from liver failure, or have you just found out there is an elevation in their liver enzyme levels? Milk thistle, or an extract thereof, may prove to be helpful. In fact, milk thistle may help with that case of pancreatitis or diabetes.

Lead Poisoning in Dogs and Cats

According to both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, pets are more likely to exceed recommended levels of lead exposure through household contamination rather than by pet toys. Pets and children may be exposed to lead contained in consumer products like lead sinkers used to weigh down fishing lines, the consumption of old paint chips, linoleum, certain paints used by artists, or the inhalation of lead dust when surfaces of older homes are scraped or sanded.

Heartwater or Cowdriosis in Cattle, Sheep, and Goats

Heartwater or Cowdriosis is a disease of cattle, sheep, goats and wild ruminants endemic to Sub-Sahara Africa, Madagascar, and portions of the Caribbean such as Antigua and Guadeloupe. Heartwater is caused by obligate intracellular rickettsial organisms that parasitize macrophages (a type of white blood cell).

Raw Food Diets for Cats and Dogs

Most pet owners feed their pets traditionally-prepared commercial food. Due in part to the

Tularemia or Rabbit Fever

A disease first described in a California ground squirrel around 1913, tularemia is also known as "rabbit" or "deerfly fever". The disease is caused by a gram-negative bacterium by the name of "Francisella tularensis".

Rift Valley Fever

Endemic to Madagascar, eastern, and southern Africa is an RNA disease causing virus named for the area in which it was first reported in 1930 called Rift Valley Fever (RVF). The virus has since been detected as far north as Egypt and over to the Arabian Peninsula countries of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Vesicular Stomatitis in Horses, Cows, and Pigs

Vesicular stomatitis (VS) is a viral disease of horses, cattle and swine that produces characteristic lesions known as vesicles and erosions. After a short incubation period of anywhere from 3 to 15 days, affected animals will have an elevated temperature, appear lethargic (depressed) and anorexic, and often exhibit drooling of saliva (ptyalism) and lameness.

Fescue Toxicosis in Cattle

Tall fescue (Festuca elatior or F. arundinace) is among the most common cool season pasture grasses grown in North America and in other countries having a temperate climate.

Main Page

Featured Article