Euthanasia of a pet | Dr. Justine Lee
I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve probably euthanized over a thousand cats and dogs in my 18-year career as a veterinarian. Thankfully, most of these pets needed to be euthanized; they were suffering, were riddled with cancer, weren’t eating, or had a poor quality of life. And as a veterinarian, I’m aware of the ethical debate that surrounds the topic of euthanasia. And I’m a huge proponent of quality of life. And I can empathize – I’ve been on the other side...
Read More
Are batteries poisonous to dogs? | Dr. Justine Lee
While a battery may seem harmless to you, they pose a big health danger to dogs and children when accidentally ingested. Battery ingestions by dogs are common emergencies that we veterinarians often see. Due to the curious chewing nature of dogs, they often will get into these dangerous household products. Many times, pet owners will come home to find the television remote control chewed on, only to find a punctured battery on the floor. Sometimes, the batteries may be missing. Unfortunately,...
Read More
Chronic diarrhea study in dogs | Dr. Justine Lee
Do you have a dog with chronic diarrhea? Live in the Tri-State area of New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania? University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Hospital is looking for dogs with chronic gastrointestinal problems in a new Penn Vet clinical trial. Clinical signs of: Chronic diarrhea Vomiting may make your dog eligible for this study. According to internal medicine specialist, Dr. Mark Rondeau, “What we know so far is that there are different populations of bacteria in...
Read More
My dog just ate an asthma inhaler! Is it poisonous? | Dr. Justine Lee
Asthma, which can be seen in humans, horses, and cats, can be life threatening without treatment. In cats, clinical signs of asthma include: coughing (which sounds like “hacking up a hairball” in cats) shortness of breath open-mouth breathing exercise intolerance difficulty breathing blue gums acute death In veterinary medicine, an acute asthmatic attack requires a visit to the emergency veterinarian for oxygen therapy and medications to alleviate the bronchoconstriction (e.g.,...
Read More
Is it ok to let your dog sleep with you? | Dr. Justine Lee
Did you know that an estimated 14 to 62 percent of pet owners let their dogs or cats sleep on their beds? In my book It’s a Dog’s Life … but It’s Your Carpet, I explain why this is OK. Don’t worry — you’re not the only one out there who lets that muddy-pawed monstrosity jump on your bed. Over thirty-one million people in the US do it, too. That’s almost 56% of pet owners! So why do so many otherwise sane and clear-headed adults let their hound-dogs have their way? Well,...
Read More
Why your dog doesn’t want to be your Valentine this year! | Dr. Justine Lee
Ah, the Hallmark holiday of romance. While I’m all for receiving flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day, I actually never really celebrate this day. Why? Because I’m a neurotic pet-owner and vigilant pet-proofer. Since I have pets in my house, I don’t want to risk accidental poisoning to my dog and cats. So, men: for once, you can skip the flowers and sweets! So why is Valentine’s Day potentially poisonous to your pets? It’s the time of the year when the following poisons are in...
Read More
Recent Comments