Your Vet Wants You to Know

Rodents, like rats and mice, can make pets and their owners sick from a bacterial infection called leptospirosis, or lepto for short. Urine from infected rodents can be found in puddles in the city and in rural areas. Finding out a pet has lepto as early in the disease as possible is crucial for recovery. Talk to your family veterinarian about vaccinating your dog against this infection. Listen to...

Are you interested in adding pet fish to your home? Dive into this fun-filled episode with Dr. Ashley Emanuele, certified aquatic veterinarian, and you'll be up to the gills with information on how to care for these finned aquarium friends. Learn how bacteria are necessary to keep your fish swimming along, what's wrong with Elmo's fish tank, and how giving a fish a pea will not fix everything. Thi...

Bee and wasp allergies can be life threatening to pets. Animals who have had an anaphylactic reaction to a sting are at risk for worsening reactions with each future sting. In this episode, Dr. Trenton Ewing joins Dr. Lancellotti to discuss a life-saving therapy in which pets are desensitized to bee and wasp allergies. 85% of animals who have gone through this therapy will have a reduction in the...

Dental chews? Raw hides? Bully sticks? Greenies? The selection of items marketed towards keeping your pets' teeth healthy can be overwhelming. In this episode, Dr. Nicky Diaz discusses the Veterinary Oral Health Council recommendations for dental products that, combined with regular dental care with your veterinarian, can help keep your pets teeth healthy throughout their lives. Transcript and ima...

Has your vet ever asked you to brush your pet's teeth? This episode's guest, Veterinary Dentist, Dr. Amy Thomson, breaks down why toothbrushing is important, answers common questions about dental disease, and walks you through a step by step approach to help set up your toothbrushing routine for success and long term dental health.    Episode page: https://www.yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com/toothbrushi...

Thinking of hitting the road with your pup? This episode is filled with planning and packing info to make adventuring with your dog as fun as possible while keeping everyone safe. Get your free packing checklist at https://www.yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Number: (888) 426-4435 Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661 ASPCA First Aid checklist: https://www.aspcapro...

This episode is a must listen for anyone with a dog and provides the tools you need to prevent and save your dog's life from heat stroke. For a pet left in a car when the temperature outside is 72 to 96°F, the temperature inside the car rises an average of 41°F within 30 minutes. 80% of that increase takes place within the first 5 minutes. Cracking the windows makes no significant difference, even...

Warfarin is an anti-coagulant rodenticide that causes rodents to bleed excessively and die. In this week's episode, Dr. Monica Sterk, emergency veterinarian and Regional Operations Director with Veterinary Emergency Group, describes the risks behind rat bait toxicity and what to expect if your dog does get into this poison. Hear what happened when one of her patients swallowed a dead rat and there...

Green is not always good. In this week's episode, Dr. Amanda Zetwo recounts her experience with her two dogs, Faith and Moses, when they happened to eat something they weren't supposed to while out at a park one winter's evening. Hear Dr. Zetwo's harrowing tale of Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) toxicosis and what she went through to save Faith and Moses's lives from this newer form of rat bait. Learn...

We often think of dogs when it comes to pets eating something that can make them ill, but cats are at risk of becoming sick from exposure to toxic substances also. In part 2 of our series on common cat toxins, Dr. Christine Klippen, emergency veterinarian, gives pet owners advice on household dangers for cats to avoid, including essential oils, certain houseplants, over the counter cold medicines...

Kitty cats can be sneakier than dogs when it comes to getting into something they are not supposed to eat. Their bodies have unique enzymes that may not be able to process common medications with which people and dogs have no problem. Certain plants, like lilies, are beautiful, but dangers to have in homes with cats. Dr. Christine Klippen discusses ways to keep your cat healthy by avoiding these c...

Do you ever wonder what toxic substances you should prevent your dog from getting into? This week's episode continues the discussion of common dog poisons with emergency veterinarian, Dr. Christine Klippen. Listen to find out why you should keep your dog away from rat bait, antidepressants or ADHD medications, your other pets' medications, and gardening supplies, as well as what to look for if you...

Ingestion of toxic substances is a common reason for emergency room visits for dogs. One of the best ways for pet owners to prevent pet health emergencies is to be knowledgeable about common toxins in and around the home. Emergency veterinarian Dr. Christine Klippen discusses some of the most common toxins for dogs in part one of this two part episode.  ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Phone Num...

Common myths about dog and cat allergies can lead well-intentioned pet owners astray when it comes to getting relief for their itchy pet. In this episode, veterinary dermatologist Dr. Nellie Choi joins Dr. Brittany Lancellotti to dispel some common misconceptions they hear regarding allergic skin and ear disease in pets including: Why antihistamines are not very helpful Why ear infections don't ju...

On many of our episodes, we have talked about the teamwork that's required between pet owners and veterinarians, as far as managing their animal, figuring out what's going on, and coming up with a plan together. This episode takes a deeper dive into how exactly to build that relationship, giving you some actionable tips for what you can do to talk to your veterinarian in a way that helps create a...

Scared pets at the vet are displaying perfectly normal fear responses, but it doesn't have to be like this. Pre-visit medications can be part of a plan to minimize fear, anxiety and stress when your dog or cat needs veterinary medical care. Fear Free certified veterinarian, Dr. Hope Jankunas joins us in this week's episode, which focuses on how pre-visit medications, such as pheromones, gabapentin...

Some pet owners may feel dread when thinking about bringing their pet to the vet. Fear, anxiety, and stress can be major barriers to bringing dogs, and especially cats, in for much needed medical care. Stress can cause major obstacles to providing the highest medical care once the animal is at the vet. A relaxed, happy vet visit starts at home by decreasing anxiety before your pet reaches the vet'...

The only test to determine if a pet has allergies to food is an 8 week diet trial. No blood test has been shown to be accurate. If you've listened to episode 2 on Food Allergies and want more information on how to successfully perform a diet trial, then check out this week's episode with Dr. Meagan Painter, board certified veterinary dermatologist, as she discusses her tips and tricks for setting...

Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and urinary obstructions (UO) are common medical reasons for cats to visit the veterinarian. FLUTD can be chronic and frustrating for cat owners. Urinary obstructions can be life threatening if the obstruction is not removed. In this week's episode, emergency veterinarian Dr. Christine Klippin talks about what to watch for at home and how your veterinaria...

Cats who pee outside the litter box are 2-6 times more likely to be relinquished to a shelter. In today's episode, Dr. Lauren Harris talks about inappropriate elimination and the significant damage to the human animal bond. Restoring that bond requires appropriate diagnosis, which is obtained by partnering with the veterinarian to evaluate for underlying medical conditions. If no medical reason ca...

If you're itching to know more about one of our pets' most pesky parasites, this episode is for you. Scabies, or sarcoptic mange, is caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei mite. This mite burrows into the skin and makes the animal intensely itchy! Scabies can be confused for allergies because of redness, hair loss, crusting and scratching. Dogs commonly contract scabies mites from wildlife, including fox...

Demodex mites are a common cause of hair loss, redness and crusting in young dogs whose immune systems are still developing, as well as older dogs and cats with an underlying immune abnormality. Listen to this week's episode to hear where these mites come from, what problems they cause, how they can be treated, and why they are Dr. Lancellotti's favorite parasite. Links mentioned in the episode: Y...

One of the gifts we can give our pets is the comfort of a peaceful end of life goodbye. But how do you know when it's time? Having conversations about what brings your pet its quality of life early helps lessen the burden of grief when making the decision of euthanasia. Listen to Dr. Donny Consla tell us Avett's story while he discusses "The 5 Things" and how he and his family knew it was time to...

In our final installment in the series on Cushing's disease in dogs, special guest Dr. Amy Oberstadt, veterinary internal medicine specialist, discusses the process of treatment, including the common medications used, as well as recommendations for monitoring, to make sure your pet is getting that "just right" dose.  Images, transcript, and references: https://www.yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com/ Follow...

In part two of our three part series on Cushing's disease in dogs, special guest Dr. Amy Oberstadt, veterinary internal medicine specialist, discusses the different tests available for Cushing's disease and what pet owners should communicate with their veterinarian.  Images, transcript, and references: https://www.yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com/ Follow us on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourvet...