Why do cats eat plants, and should I be worried? | Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC, DABT, Board-Certified Veterinary Specailist
I’m really passionate about educating pet owners about the dangers of houseplants to pets. That’s because my own sister’s cat (that I gave her) died of acute kidney injury (AKI) secondary to getting into dangerous Asiatic lilies from a bouquet several years ago. While I want you to know what plants to be wary of, I’ll admit that I have at least 10 houseplants in my house! You just need to know which are potentially dangerous to cats, as some are very safe. In fact, the majority of...
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Marijuana poisoning in dogs | Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC, DABT, Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist
As a board-certified emergency critical care veterinary specialist and toxicologist, I see a lot of marijuana poisoning in dogs. More and more pets are getting into marijuana due to the legalization of medicinal marijuana, resulting in accidental ingestion in dogs. You can hear more at my radio show on Pet Life Radio ER VET. Well, according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, the only non-profit Animal Poison Control Center in the world, there was a 765% increase in calls about pet...
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What to do if your cat eats something poisonous | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, Board-certified Veterinary Specialist
If your cat just ate something poisonous, unfortunately there is nothing you can safely do at home! While we can safely induce vomiting in dogs when they eat something poisonous, there is nothing you can do for cats at home. (For dog owners, check out this “How to induce vomiting in your dog” video here). While cats vomit all the time at home, getting them to vomit up poisons is actually difficult. Keep in mind that there is A LOT of misinformation on Google about how to inducing...
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5-FU topical chemotherapy poisoning in dogs | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT
My dog chewed my 5-FU. If this happened to you, get to your veterinarian or emergency veterinarian STAT, even if it’s in the middle of the night. That’s because this topical medication is deadly to dogs (and cats) when ingested. 5-Fluorouracil (abbreviated 5-FU), commonly known by the brand names Efudex®, Carac®, Adrucil®, and Fluoroplex®, is a chemotherapy medication used for humans with skin cancer like superficial basal cell cancer or actinic keratosis. It is commonly sold in...
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New fatty acid to help with allergies in dogs | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist
My dog has allergies. What can I do at home? Well, read on. Did you know that allergic skin disease is one of the top causes of skin and ear disease in dogs and cats? It’s estimated that up to 15% of dogs are affected by atopy. What are some of the signs of allergies in dogs? Licking at the paws Foul smell in the ears Scratching at the ears Brown staining of the toes/paws Itching Hair thinness or loss over the thighs, ears, backend Red bumps on the skin Malodorous skin Greasy feel to the...
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Dog Illnesses (Liver Failure) Associated with Dark False Mussel Ingestion | Dr. Justine Lee, DACVECC, DABT, Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist
If you live in the Maryland area and have a dog who loves to go boating with you, please make sure you are aware of a recent notification from the Maryland Department of Agriculture. There have been recent dog illnesses – specifically liver failure – from dogs ingesting Dark False Mussel. For dog owners, boat owners, marina operators, please make sure that if you are removing mussels from boats, please make sure to dispose of them properly. Signs of liver failure in dogs...
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