Top Veterinary Articles of the Week: Foot Pad Lacerations, Lumps, Bumps and more

The Deep Foot Pad Lacerations. What To Do, and When To Do It

Cookie cut her paw pad early in the Winter. Must have found a piece of glass at the neighbor's field. It wasn't really deep but it was deep enough. If the vet was open, we would have taken her. But since they weren't and it didn't make sense to make it an emergency, we treated it ourselves. I was probably overly diligent with it but it worked and the pad didn't get infected and healed.

Find out what Dr. Krista recommends.


Remove Masses When They’re Small… Please!

Nobody likes the idea of a surgery. But how is giving cancer time to grow better? The bigger the lump gets, the harder it is to remove and the more collateral damage along with it.

With lumps and bumps, the rules are simple. Have it checked and identified while it's small. My rule is having it checked and identified right when I find it. What is the way to truly identify a bump? Looking at it does not cut it. Only looking at the actual cells does. That is done by getting a sample with fine needle aspirate or a biopsy. Only when it's identified a decision can be made what to do with it.

Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) – The Dreaded Bloat in Dogs  

There is never enough you can read about Gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV, or as it is generally referred to - bloat. Many veterinarians call this one the mother of all emergencies. If you have a deep-chested breed, read about is over and over to know what to watch for.

Unfortunately, the science is still fuzzy on the definitive cause. The notorious risk factors seem to be body conformation, age, temperament and feeding habits. Some studies point out dietary ingredients, stomach transit time, family history ...

Note that dogs who are fearful or anxious seem to be more likely to develop GDV.

Know the signs. With GDV, time is of the essence.

The ABC’s of Antibodies & the Effects of Food

You probably have a rough idea what antibodies are. Learn about the different types and their relationship with food. If you try the Nutriscan, let me hear from you.

Listen With Your Eyes to Tell if Your Pet is in Pain

This is another subject people can never read enough about. The signs of pain in your dog can be quite subtle, confused with effects of aging, settling down, getting grumpy ... Your dog cannot tell you, "man, by joints really hurt today." It's your job to see the signs.

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