Designer Mixes

Canine Herpesvirus in Newborn Puppies

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. The first days in the whelping box can be surprisingly fragile. Newborn puppies can go from “tiny squeaks” to “something is wrong” fast. One of the scariest reasons is canine herpesvirus (often shortened to CHV-1). It can look like simple fading at first,...

Metaldehyde Poisoning in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog has suddenly started trembling, wobbling, or seizing and there’s any chance they got into slug or snail bait, treat it like an emergency. One common ingredient in these products, metaldehyde , can cause rapid-onset neurologic signs and a dangerously...

Tetanus in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Dogs are experts at finding trouble with their faces and feet, which is why I take wound-related issues seriously. Tetanus in dogs is one of those conditions that sounds old-fashioned until it is suddenly not. It usually starts after a wound and shows up as...

Can a Paralyzed Dog Use a Wheelchair After a Disc Injury?

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog has paralysis after a spinal disc injury, it is completely normal to stare at those little dog wheelchairs and think: Is this the answer, or am I just trying to wish-wag my way out of a scary situation? A cart can be a wonderful tool for many dogs...

Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Sometimes a “weird spot” is just a scab that heals. Sometimes it is a stubborn sore, an odd nail problem, or a mouth bump you only notice when your dog yawns. One diagnosis vets take seriously in all of those places is squamous cell carcinoma , often shortened...

Deer Tick vs Brown Dog Tick: How to Tell

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If you have already pulled a tick off your dog (nice job, human hands), the next big question is usually: what kind was it? Ticks can look annoyingly similar, especially when they are tiny or when they have been feeding. But there are a few visible clues that...

High Blood Pressure in Cats

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Yes, I am a dog person, but my soft spot for cats is real. So if your older cat is suddenly yowling at night, bumping into furniture, or staring around with big, dilated pupils, my puppy-scout brain goes straight to one big question: what changed in their body...

How to Perform CPR on a Dog

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. CPR is one of those skills you hope you never need. But if your dog is truly unresponsive, not breathing, and has no heartbeat , CPR can buy precious time while you get to emergency care. Important: This page is about CPR for a dog with no pulse . If your dog...

How Long After Flea Medicine Can My Dog Swim or Be Bathed?

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog just got flea medicine and is now staring at a pool, a lake, or the bathtub like it is their life’s calling, you are not alone. The tricky part is that “flea medicine” can mean two totally different delivery styles, and water matters a lot for one...

Canine Coronavirus Diarrhea vs Parvo

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If a puppy suddenly has diarrhea, it is normal for our brains to leap straight to one scary word: parvo . But there is another contagious virus that can look similar at first sniff, especially in young dogs: canine enteric coronavirus . Despite the name, this...

Paraphimosis in Dogs

I am a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and one of the scariest calls I get from dog parents is, “My dog’s penis is out and it won’t go back in.” If that is happening to your dog, you are right to take it seriously. Paraphimosis can go from uncomfortable to urgent fast because the exposed...

How to Give a Cat Liquid Medicine

I am Shari Shidate, a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and if there is one thing I have learned at work and at home, it is this: cats do not “cooperate” with medicine. We set them up for success with good positioning, small amounts at a time, and a calm plan. This guide walks you through the...

What a Positive Lyme Test Means When Your Dog Seems Fine

When a dog feels perfectly normal and you still see that little Lyme “positive” line on a screening test, it can feel like the ground drops out from under you. I get it. In my work as a veterinary assistant, I have seen many families go from a routine wellness visit to sudden worry in about 30...

Organs Visible Through a Dog’s Spay Incision: What to Do Now

I am writing this with a lot of care, because if you are reading it, you are probably scared. If you can actually see internal tissue, fatty tissue, or especially intestine through your dog’s spay incision, this is not a “wait and see” situation. It is an emergency. This kind of incision failure is...

How Do I Stop My Dog From Jumping the Fence?

If your dog is jumping the fence, I want you to hear this first: it is not a “bad dog” problem. It is a safety problem. As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have seen too many heartbreaking injuries from escape attempts, including lacerations, broken nails , torn dewclaws, and...

What Should a Puppy Eat After Parvo?

When a puppy survives parvo, it can feel like you can finally exhale. As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have seen the relief on families’ faces when they get to bring their puppy home. Then the next question hits fast: What can I feed them now? The intestine takes a real beating...

Why Does My Dog Eat Horse Manure?

I have to tell you, this is one of those dog habits that makes people gasp, laugh, and then immediately say, “Wait, is that dangerous?” If your dog is eating horse manure on trails, around barns, or anywhere horses are kept, you are not alone. In veterinary clinics, we hear about this a lot. The...

Did My Dog Retain a Placenta After Birth?

When I talk with new mother dogs and their people, one worry comes up again and again: “All the puppies are out, but did she pass all the placentas?” That is a very fair question. A retained placenta (retained afterbirth) can lead to infection, and the sooner you catch it, the easier it is to...

When Do Kittens Lose Their Baby Teeth?

If you have a kitten who suddenly seems extra mouthy, you are not imagining it. As a vet assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I hear the same question every week: When do kittens lose their baby teeth? The good news is that kitten teething is usually quick, normal, and manageable once you know the...

Can a Heavy Flea Infestation Make a Puppy Anemic?

Yes, a heavy flea infestation can absolutely make a puppy anemic, and it can happen faster than many families realize. I am a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and one of the hardest things to see is a tiny puppy that is “just covered in fleas” and now too weak to play, too tired to eat, and...