Oh, the anal glands! If you have ever had a dog with anal gland problems you know they stink (figuratively and literally!). Anatomically dogs have two little sacs that sit just inside their rectum -  they are scent glands.

It is very important to run a yearly urinalysis on your pet, especially as they get older. It is best to try and catch the first urine sample of the day.Keep in mind that the urine needs to be refrigerated. This will help to prevent bacterial growth.

Heartworm is a disease that is  easy to prevent and yet can be fatal if contracted. Heartworm is real and it is out there, it is contracted by a mosquito bite. Not all mosquitoes are infected, only some, but all it takes is for one bite from that one  infected mosquito!

Did you know that your pet can get frostbite and hypothermia? With this extreme winter cold we are experiencing, please be aware of the amount of time you and your pet spend outside. Not only can frostbite set in, but pets can also suffer from hypothermia.

Valentines Day is today and with it, amongst other things, comes chocolate. Most owners are aware that chocolate is not a good  dietary choice for their animals...however, your pets might  think differently! Especially dogs..cats tend not to engage in chocolate binging!

On any given day in my field I see animals come in with ear problems. When an infection is present the animal is usually shaking his/her head, scratching or rubbing their ears and nine times out of ten there is a pungent odor.

I was thinking the other day about my first pet ..the one that was really " all mine". I found him,I fed him,I talked my parents into having him and he lived happily with us for many years.Even travelling from England to USA when my family moved here in 1976.

I have many discussions with owners that are seeking advice on house training. I don't believe there is any right or wrong way, but in my experience I have found crate training to be the most effective.

Demodicosis is a  skin condition found in both dogs and cats. It is caused by skin mites that reside in the hair follicle or less often within the sebaceous gland-  the most common being Demodex canis

We have all heard of gorilla glue and I suspect most of us have used it at some point or another....it works well! Recently, I had a case of gorilla glue ingestion that I thought I would share.

Spring as wonderful as it is can be a time of year when allergies come alive! We forget or maybe just don't realize that our pets can also suffer from environmental allergens i.e. pollens, grasses,trees,molds etc.

Some interesting facts we all need to know about ticks.

- it typically takes less than 48 hours for a tick to transmit disease to your pet. Ask us about parasite control!