Your Vet Wants You to Know

Symmetric lupoid onychitis/onychodystrophy (SLO) is a rare autoimmune disease of dogs. In this disease, the immune system, which usually keeps the body safe from germs and cancer cells, decides the connections between the claws and the skin should be attacked. This leads to easily damaged and ripped off claws in affected dogs. In this episode, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Brittany Lancellotti disc...

If you have a cat who is vomiting a hairball more than two times per month, there is a problem. In this episode, Dr. Chris Byers, veterinary internal medicine specialist and critical care specialist, join us to explain: How much puke is too much? Is your cat vomiting or coughing too hard? When should you take your cat to the vet? What tests are recommended for vomiting and why? What treatments are...

**Originally published December, 2021** This time of year, there are more and more questions about reindeer, especially from fascinated children. We sat down with Dr. Josh Link of the North Pole Veterinary Hospital and asked questions submitted by some of our littlest audience members all about reindeer. Check out this special holiday episode of Your Vet Wants You to Know with your kids and whole...

August is Itchy Pet Awareness Month. When it comes to itchy cats and dogs, the pets are not the only ones suffering. Caregiver burden is directly related to treatment complexity and treating allergies can be very complex. Dr. Meagan Painter, veterinary dermatologist, founder of The Allergic Dog and The Allergic Cat, and pet owner of her own allergic cat, talks about Stella and how managing her cat...

August is Itchy Pet Awareness month. Many pet owners are not aware of veterinary dermatologists who can help. There are about 300 board certified veterinary dermatologists in the American College of Veterinary Dermatology who have undergone extensive training and completed research after veterinary school in order to specialize in the study of skin and ear disease, as well as allergies, immunology...

No, it's not actually a worm. This fungal infection of the skin is most commonly seen in young kittens and puppies. Certain breeds, such as Yorkshire Terriers and Persian cats, and older animals whose immune systems are compromised can be at risk for ringworm. This infection can be spread to people who come in contact with these animals. Join Dr. Nellie Choi, veterinary dermatologist, to find out...

When Dr. Jess Torok traveled to Tanzania with Mission Rabies in 2017, she wanted to help underserved communities by providing much needed veterinary care. But on day 3 of her mission, an unexpected health crisis changed everything. Listen to our first installment of Vet Stories, where we take our experts out of the clinic and take you into their lives.  

Rabies is a deadly disease that can affect all mammals, including humans and their companion dogs and cats. While rabies deaths are rare in the United States, tens of thousands of people die each year from rabies, primarily in Africa and Asia. Almost 99% of rabies cases in humans are transmitted by dogs. The rabies vaccine is safe and effective against this fatal virus. In this episode, Dr. Jess T...

It's our 50th episode!! If you've learned something from this show, please take a moment to leave a review and let us know.  Need a refresher on how to leave a review? Here's a quick tutorial: https://yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com/review/     Tiny kittens bring big smiles to our faces. If you have a new cat at home, vaccines are important for keeping them healthy for many years with your family. In th...

Congratulations on your new puppy! To make sure you enjoy a happy, healthy best friend for many years to come, it's time to talk to your veterinarian about which vaccines they recommend to protect your bouncing ball of tail wags against preventable diseases. Join Dr. Alina Barland, family veterinarian, to discuss core vaccines for dogs and common vaccine questions from pet owners.    Episode page...

Sometimes, despite a veterinarian's best efforts to clear an ear infection with medicated drops and cleaners, the infection will stubbornly persist. When a veterinarian is worried about conditions such as a long-term ear infection, a mass in the ear canal, material like matted hair, a foxtail, or trapped ear wax, or a deep infection in the middle ear on the other side of the ear drum, a video otos...

An aural hematoma is a painful swelling of a pet's ear from buildup of fluid when the ear flap is damaged. It is not uncommon for ear infections to cause a pet to shake its head back and forth, leading to a swollen ear flap, also known as an aural hematoma. Golden retrievers, labrador retrievers, and dogs with allergies are at a higher risk for developing one or even multiple aural hematomas. Sinc...

"My pet smells like yeast!" Many diseases can cause an animal to "smell like yeast." In this episode, Dr. Ashley Bourgeois, veterinary dermatologist and host of The Derm Vet podcast, joins Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to explain how cytology can help us figure out if the stink is really from yeast, or if there are other infections or diseases causing skin problems in your dog or cat. If your pet has e...

Itchy, smelly ears can be incredibly uncomfortable for dogs and cats with ear infections. Diego had such horrible ear infections, he was living in constant pain. This episode's guest, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Meagan Painter, joins Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to discuss common tests, such as ear exams, cytology, and culture and what these tests tell your veterinarian. They describe common treatmen...

If you have ever woken up in the middle of the night to your pet shaking its head and scratching its ears, you know how uncomfortable a pet can be when they have an ear infection. Ear infections have many causes. The key to treating the infection and stopping it from returning is understanding the primary, secondary, perpetuating and predisposing causes of ear infections. Join dermatologists Dr. M...

Are your kids pressuring you to add a pet rock to the family? Are they promising to feed it and turn it over every twelve hours so it doesn't collect moss? Do you fear that you'll be the one left holding the rock long after the kids have gone to college?  If you are considering bringing this loving and often overlooked pet into your family join me and self proclaimed rock expert Dave Gladstone for...

Skin infections with bacteria and yeast can make dogs and cats very itchy. Veterinarians often treat with topical therapy, like medicated bathing or spray. Sometimes the infection is too deep or severe for topicals. In this episode, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Alicia Webb Milum discusses how skin infections are diagnosed and when sets decide to reach for oral or injectable medications to treat th...

What's that smell? Dogs and cats with allergies or hormonal diseases can often develop infections on their skin with bacteria and yeast. These infections can cause itching, redness, scabs, and discomfort. In this episode, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Alicia Webb-Milum joins follow dermatologist Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to talk about why skin infections occur and the types of bacteria and yeast mos...

Are you scratching your head wondering why your cat has destroyed your furniture? Cat scratching is a natural behavior that many pet owners find frustrating. This episode discusses why cats scratch, the evidence and misconceptions about declawing, and ways you can train your cats to scratch where you prefer. Dr. Gwennyth Stair of High Ridge Animal Hospital shares her tricks for using nail caps to...

Guinea pigs are a great companion animal for any home, especially with children or as classroom pets. Dr. Nancy Alperson shares her knowledge on how to provide proper veterinary care to these small animals, including Vitamin C, foot care, and understanding night poops.  https://www.yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com/guinea-pigs https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/guinea-pigs-feeding https://lafeber.com/...

Just like people, pets can develop arthritis following injury or simply due to age-related changes. Arthritis can cause discomfort and pain, slowing an animal down, making them seem older and less able to enjoy their favorite activities. In this episode, veterinarian and Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, Dr. Jennifer Fletcher, discusses how to recognize signs of arthritis in dogs and c...

This time of year, there are more and more questions about reindeer, especially from fascinated children. We sat down with Dr. Josh Link of the North Pole Veterinary Hospital and asked questions submitted by some of our littlest audience members all about reindeer. Check out this special holiday episode of Your Vet Wants You to Know with your kids and whole family to learn more about these magic c...

Canine influenza is a respiratory virus that can be transmitted between dogs. The Los Angeles Public Health Veterinarians suspect that between July and October, 2021, there were over 1,000 cases, the largest outbreak ever in LA County. In this episode, Dr. Durocher-Babek, veterinary internal medicine specialist, talks about canine influenza. She provides prevention tips to help keep your pet safe,...

October 17-23rd, 2021 is National Veterinary Technician Week. This week, we take the time to recognize the hard work our veterinary technicians do every day to improve the lives of people and animals they encounter and celebrate their skills and contributions to the success of the entire veterinary healthcare team. Veterinary technicians are responsible for communicating with pet owners, obtaining...

Choosing a pet food for your dog or cat can feel overwhelming with the amount of variety and products available. In this episode, veterinary nutritionist, Dr. Dan Su, goes through the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee Guidelines on Selecting Pet Foods. These guidelines give pet owners the tools to decide whether a pet food company is investing in science and nutrition when formulating their diets,...