http://www.veterinaryhelp.net We Care For Your Pets Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:31:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en There are many reasons that spaying or neutering your dog or cat is important. Spay is the term used for the surgical removal of the female's uterus and ovaries. It is also called an ovariohysterectomy. Neuter is the term used for removal of a male's testicles. ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/qa/why-is-spaying-and-neutering-your-pet-important.html Onions and garlic are toxic to pets! On a recent episode of Good Eats - a cooking show hosted by Alton Brown on the Food Network - the host feeds his dog Matilda left over onion, garlic and salt pork! Now this is intended in jest but in real life ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/qa/onions-and-garlic-are-toxic-to-pets.html There are multiple things to consider when choosing to add a dog to the family - big or small, adult or puppy, purebred or mix-breed. The following are just some issues to think about before you make your decision. Size matters. How much room do you have for ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/how-to/how-to-pick-a-new-dog.html Chocolate is toxic to pets but intoxication problems are typically seen in dogs. Cats just don't seem to be interested in consuming chocolate, though intoxication is possible if they do. Ingestion of chocolate can lead to acute gastrointestinal upset, heart problems and neurologic complications. The toxic ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/articles/chocolate-intoxication-in-pets.html Demodex canis mites are a normal inhabitant of canine skin. They live in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands of the skin. These mites are not contagious and in most cases cause no clinical signs. Skin problems develop when the mites multiply and become overwhelming to the ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/articles/demodex-mites-canine.html Sarcoptic mange is caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei and can lead to severe pruritus in dogs. It is contagious from dog to dog and can also be transmitted to humans. The most notable clinical sign is a severe pruritus. Unlike itching due to allergies, it is ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/qa/sarcoptic-mange.html Feline Leukemia (FeLV) is a viral disease transmitted either from mother to kittens via milk or the placenta or from cat to cat via saliva and urine. It is often referred to as a "disease of friendly cats" since close contact is required for transmission. This includes grooming, ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/articles/feline-leukemia-virus.html Hypothyroidism is caused by a decrease in production of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland. This usually occurs due to either atrophy of the thyroid gland where thyroid tissue is replaced by inactive tissue, or immune mediated inflammation where the immune system inappropriately destroys thyroid tissue. It ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/qa/hypothyroidism-in-dogs.html Idiopathic vestibular disease is also referred to as old dog vestibular disease or geriatric vestibular syndrome because it is typically seen in older dogs. Clinical signs are acute in onset and are often described as a stroke. This is due to disruption of the peripheral vestibular system that ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/qa/idiopathic-vestibular-disease-in-dogs.html The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus that is transmitted from cat to cat via direct inoculation. It is often referred to as a disease of unfriendly cats because bite wounds are the most common mode of transmission. Infection is for life as there is not cure. ... http://www.veterinaryhelp.net/qa/feline-immunodeficiency-virus.html