November 30, 2015 Chemotherapy is a long word. The definition doesn’t do justice to the fear derived from a term that means only “chemical treatment”. In reality, “chemotherapy” is a word primarily used for a group of cytotoxic drugs, cell killing medicine used in the treatment of cancers. Cancer is a disease that can … Continue reading Chemotherapy in Lymphoma
Diseases
KCS or Dry Eye
November 16, 2015 His name was Chipotle. A mismatch for a name if ever I saw one. The timid salt-and-pepper curly coated little Shih Tzu weighed in under 20 pounds and his tail trailed after him over the floor as he puttered around the exam room. Happily I noted that he wasn’t sweeping up … Continue reading KCS or Dry Eye
Atresia Ani and Medical Jargon
October 27, 2015 They say communication is the key to understanding. Hmph! Many years ago I was in conversation with a Southern grandmother. “I like Datsuns”, she told me. Encouraged by this opening, I nodded in agreement, saying that I believed both the Datsun and Toyota cars to be very dependable. Warming to the … Continue reading Atresia Ani and Medical Jargon
Uric Acid Stones and Spotty the Dalmatian
August 12, 2015 Well if you don’t know that “Spotty” is the perfect name for a Dalmation dog then you’re not a kid. Clarity is not reserved to children, but I find they are less likely to obfuscate descriptive terms. And a Dalmatian dog, though born white, is soon covered with a myriad of … Continue reading Uric Acid Stones and Spotty the Dalmatian
Cat Scratch Fever
July 9, 2015 My mother wanted more articles on cats, but this time she’s gone too far. While her cats swirled about her feet in a breakfast feeding frenzy one nudged her along a little too hard, breaking skin. Three days later she almost landed in the hospital as her leg swelled up, an angry … Continue reading Cat Scratch Fever
Canine Distemper
June 24, 2015 There has been much dialogue and soul searching among the people of California after an outbreak of human measles occurred last Christmas. The source of contagion was traced to a child visiting Disneyland. Ultimately over 100 people were affected across many states. Part of the controversy? There is a preventative vaccine … Continue reading Canine Distemper
Pretzel and the Dislocating Knee
April 7, 2015 “Call me Pretzel”, the note said. I peered over the top of it to look at my patient. She was aptly named, wriggling and dancing on the exam table, tongue flashing as she air kissed in happy anticipation of meeting me. “Well, alright then! Pleased to meet you, Pretzel!” I greeted … Continue reading Pretzel and the Dislocating Knee
Heartworm
March 24, 2015 Moonshadow gently waved his tail from side to side, tongue pink as he greeted us. The older black lab moved with a stately grace across the exam room, a gentle cough escaping from his throat. “There, did you hear that? Why is he coughing like that?”, his owner queried anxiously. I stared … Continue reading Heartworm
Fleas Part Two : Is Zero Tolerance Possible?
September 14, 2014 In my previous column on fleas we discussed the mode of action and the suffering and disease which fleas inflict upon dogs, cats, and occasionally people. I stated that the tapeworm of dogs, Diplydium caninum, did not infect people. Dr. Jerry Menefee of Los Banos called to tell me how much he … Continue reading Fleas Part Two : Is Zero Tolerance Possible?
The Flea and Zero Tolerance : Part One
September 7, 2014 One of the more curious things worth pondering is the realization that “zero” is only as low as your ability to measure something, any given parameter, to zero. How much of a given substance is found in your food, how much radioactive activity persists in the ground, how fast a ball … Continue reading The Flea and Zero Tolerance : Part One