Sebastian vs. the Climbing Tree

During an exuberant play session, Sebastian failed to complete an acrobatic jump onto a carpeted climbing tree and instead pulled the tree over. The vertical portion of the tree landed across his…

Xylitol Update

Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener in many gums, candies, and baked goods. It is also appearing in some brands of toothpaste. Xylitol is a common sugar substitute providing sweetness…

What Won’t Dogs Eat?

After years of practice in veterinary medicine, I still find myself pondering astonishingly: what won’t dogs eat? We know that most dogs do not have discriminating tastes, but I remain amazed at the…

Back Breaking

History An 81#, nine year old male neutered Labrador Retriever presented to DoveLewis after being struck by a car. After the incident, he was not seen to rise. He had a history of an episode of…

Endotracheal Wash

Caring for patients in respiratory distress for any reason can be very daunting. As we watch their respiratory rates rise, our own heart rate and blood pressure can continue on this same trend.…

Intussusception - Case Study

' A four-month-old female Shepherd mix presented with a two day history of vomiting multiple times daily. Abdominal palpation demonstrated a tense abdomen and a possible firm tubular structure in…

MRSA/MRSI – Should You Be Alarmed?

I knew it was only a matter of time before the worry and fear of drug resistant infections jumped from the world of human medicine to our utopia of veterinary medicine. Veterinary Medicine: where we…

The Rules of the Hiring Game

Managers often talk about hiring like it’s a game of craps.  If you get a good employee, you hit the lottery, a bad one – tough luck.  I actually think of the hiring process a lot more like…

The Art of Decontamination

As long as there are Labrador Retrievers (and like-minded dogs) in this world the veterinary profession will have to deal with toxin ingestions. While identification and treatment of these toxin…

Communication Breakdown (old)

Pondering the busy weekend I often find myself strangely depleted and energized at the same time. After the myriad of conversations, countless emotions, sick animals and bereft owners, the day can…

Pancreatitis -

' A 12-year-old female spayed Lhasa Apso presented with several days history of vomiting, diarrhea and hyporexia. Physical examination revealed a tense abdomen as well as cranial abdominal pain.…