Do I have to bring my dog to the emergency vet? | Dr. Justine Lee
Alright, raise your hand if you don’t mind getting up at 2 A.M. to bring your dog in to the emergency veterinarian? Didn’t think so. Often times, as a pet owner, it’s hard to know whether your dog’s condition is a true medical emergency or not… or more importantly, if it warrants getting up in the middle of the night to seek medical attention from a veterinary professional you don’t know. As an emergency critical care veterinary specialist, I’ll be honest in saying that some...
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Easter Lily Poisoning in Cats | Dr. Justine Lee
This time of the year makes all veterinarians and veterinary technicians cringe… Why? As Easter approaches, there are Easter lilies abounding everywhere. (Check out the order form for these poisonous plants from my church bulletin below – yikes!) Personally, this is my most hated type of poisoning, as my sister’s cat died from lily poisoning years ago. So my mission? To spread the word so all pet owners are aware of this horrible, dangerous poison! Before bringing home an Easter lily...
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National Service Animal Eye Exam Event | ACVO & Stokes Pharmacy team up!
Have a service dog? Does he or she have eye problems? Read on for a great opportunity for your dog! Kudos to the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO) and Stokes Pharmacy. They are offering their 8th annual National Service Animal Eye Exam Event. Since this event has taken place back in 2008, over 30,000 service animals have been helped! This event takes place in May and provides free eye exams to eligible service dogs (which includes guide, handicapped assistance, military,...
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Do I have to bring my cat to the emergency vet? | Dr. Justine Lee
Ah, cats. We love ‘em, but less so at two a.m. when they’re dry-heaving all over our carpet. What if your cat still continues to vomit multiple times all night? When do you decide to bring your cat into the ER? Can you wait to take Felix to your veterinarian in the morning? My simple rule? If your cat is hiding, seek immediate veterinary advice. Seriously. Hiding = bad. Cats hide their clinical signs of disease until it’s really severe, and by the time that you notice that they are...
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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...
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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,...
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