Call the Vet - an insider's guide to dog and cat health

Watching your dog having a seizure is an incredibly distressing event to witness. But what can you do to help stop their seizures if they're not having a fit caused by epilepsy? Sometimes treatment is tough and the prognosis poor.

Recognizing these situations is so important if you want to be sure that you are making the decisions that are in your dog’s best interest.Seizure causes are numerous. They fall into the five main categories of: Toxins, infection, organ dz, brain lesions, and epilepsy.

• Controlling seizures involves making a diagnosis and then being able to treat, manage, or cure it effectively. When there is a disease causing the seizures, other than epilepsy, then anti-seizure medication alone will often fail to control the seizures adequately - especially in the long term.
• Anti-seizure medication can though form part of symptomatic treatment plan while investigating and starting treatment targeted at the specific underlying cause.
• The kidneys help to regulate hydration, body salt levels and filter out numerous toxins from the blood
• In advanced kidney failure, seizures can result from the build up of toxins within the blood. This is typically only seen right at the end of long term failure, or if there has been a sudden failure - acute kidney injury - e.g. antifreeze toxicity. Seizures are a sign of severe and advanced kidney damage and unfortunately the prognosis is likely going to be really poor.
• Whenever our pet has a really serious disease, we need to be realistic about the likelihood of recovery and whether ongoing treatment is resulting in an improvement, whether the condition itself is curable, as well as the condition of your pet (e.g. are they comfortable or in pain)
• Vital that you work in conjunction with your veterinarian. It is important that you know what to expect, the likely outcome based on the treatment and investigation decisions made, as well as the potential costs involved.
• Decisions need to be re-evaluated on a weekly, daily or even hourly basis. We always need to be thinking what the best decision is for out pet, not for us

Head here for the full show notes about kidney disease and seizures

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

Make no mistake, if your dog or cat has a problem with their eye then it can go from being a minor inconvenience or irritation to something really serious within a day or two. It could even result in permanent blindness or loss of the eye.

You definitely want to make sure that they are being given the right treatment for keratitis or any other form of eye disease!

• Keratitis is an inflammation of the surface of the eye - the cornea. There are 2 main categories: ulcerative and non-ulcerative
• Keratitis in cats is most often caused by infection with herpesvirus, but can also be due to other causes including trauma, irritation, immune system dysfunction, increased intraocular pressure (glaucoma), and dry eye
• The surface of the eye becomes pink/white/chalky with raised lesions, you may also notice new blood vessels growing over the eye
• So long as no ulceration of cornea then steroid drops are the most common treatment of keratitis in cats, although this will depend on your cat’s history and the suspected underlying keratitis cause.
• If a corneal ulcer is present - something your vet will check using fluorescein stain - then antibiotics will be given first to allow the eye ulcer to heal
• Additional treatment may be needed alongside the steroid eye drop. These can include oral or injectible steroids and antiviral medication
• Treatment may be needed lifelong. Once a cat has herpesvirus then it is often with them for life and may cause a permanent or intermittent keratitis (as well as other problems)
• If your cat is receiving steroid eye drops and any discharge is geting worse or their eye becoming painful then stop the medication and get your cat’s eye checked over straight away. If an ulcer is present and steroid eye drops are continues then it is possible for a deep ulcer to form that can then burst

Calendar here

Check out the full show notes here

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

Grooming a long-haired cat can be a full-time job. If they don't like it then it can also be a nightmare where you end up being covered in scratches and blood!

This cat in question is getting poop stuck to her back end and the first step is to find out why this is happening and if there is an underlying condition that needs treating. If not, there are several steps that any owner can take to make grooming easier at home or to reduce the stress of any visit to your groomer or veterinarian.

Full show notes here

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

If we have a pet in our lives, then unfortunately at some point there will come a time when we will need to make a really difficult decision to say goodbye.

Today's question is all about how to speak to your children about the death of a pet. How to talk to them and involve them in the buildup to euthanasia. And once your dog or cat has died, how to help your child grieve.

Full show notes here

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

Are prescription diets really the best option for your dog or cat if they are unwell? Is raw feeding or switching to a home-cooked diet as good (or even better)? And are vets are paid to sell diets by the big food companies?

Feeding your dog or cat the best diet can be tricky and the choice is even more important if they are unwell!

Get your question answered at callthevet.org

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

Dental disease in rabbits is one of the most common problems they develop. It is also a big reason that a rabbit may need to be euthanized while they are still relatively young. Understanding why tooth problems develop and how to prevent then can ensure your rabbit lives a long and happy life! Check out the full show notes at callthevet.org

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

I'm tackling two completely separate topics this week

• Why a cat could be leaking urine after suffering from a blocked bladder (01:45)
• How to prevent cystitis in cats (09:52)
• The causes of a hard, bloated abdomen in a Chihuahua (25:32)

For full show notes, mentioned resources, and to get your dog and cat health questions answered by veterinarian Dr. Alex, simply head to callthevet.org

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

This episode I'm answering your pet health questions about:

• A female dog who is leaking urine while sleeping - the causes and treatment of this common problem (02:52)
• Reducing the stress of introducing a new cat into the house - helping the new and resident cats cope in a multi-cat home (12:22)
• How to wean a puppy onto solid food - taking them off Mum and dealing with bottle-fed puppies (19:42)

Sign up to the newsletter knowledge vault and gain access to all of my free pet health downloads here.

For full show notes and to get your dog and cat health questions answered by veterinarian Dr. Alex, simply head to callthevet.org

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

On today's show I'm answering your pet health questions about:

• Can CBD oil be used to treat dementia in dogs - and what other treatment options are there? (02:10)
• The causes of long term diarrhea in a puppy - and how to put a stop to it! (11:02)
• The best rabies vaccination protocol for your dog (18:55)

Sign up to my free arthritis mini-course here.

For full show notes and to get your dog and cat health questions answered by veterinarian Dr. Alex, simply head to callthevet.org

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review

This episode tackles the important pet health topics of:

• What to do if you’re scared of dogs jumping up - and what we can all do as dog owners to help people who are scared of dogs (01:25)
• The best way to treat a dog with a slipped disc (08:47)
• When to spay your female dog, along with the risks and benefits of having this surgery carried out (26:30)

Get a free copy of my hot weather dog care guide here.

Sign up for my free arthritis mini-course here

For full show notes and to get your dog and cat health questions answered by veterinarian Dr. Alex, simply head to callthevet.org

Love the show? Sharing this episode or leaving a review helps others know it's worth a listen! - https://ourpetshealth.com/review