Designer Mixes

Hyperlipidemia in Miniature Schnauzers

I work with a lot of Miniature Schnauzers here in North Texas, and I have learned to pay close attention anytime a schnauzer owner tells me, “We have dealt with pancreatitis before.” Very often, there is a bigger background problem that helps explain the repeat episodes: hyperlipidemia , meaning...

How Much Does It Cost to Euthanize a Dog?

As a veterinary assistant, I can tell you this is one of the most loving decisions a family can make, and one of the hardest. The cost question often lands on top of grief, and that can feel overwhelming. My goal here is to give you realistic price ranges, explain what commonly changes the bill,...

Can People Catch Ringworm From Dogs?

Yes, people can catch ringworm from dogs. I know the name makes it sound like a parasite, but ringworm is actually a fungal infection of the skin, hair, or nails. In a busy household, it can spread quickly because the fungus sheds tiny spores that hitch a ride on fur, hands, clothing, bedding, and...

Uterine Inertia in Dogs: When Labor Contractions Stop

As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have seen how quickly a calm whelping can turn into an urgent situation when contractions stop. It is scary because dogs can have perfectly normal pauses between puppies, so many families wait, hoping it will restart. Sometimes it does. With...

What to Expect After a Dog Has a C-Section

I’m Shari Shidate, a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and I can tell you this: the hours and days after a dog’s C-section can feel like a blur. You are watching mom, watching puppies, watching the incision, watching everyone breathe, latch, sleep, and wiggle. It’s a lot. The good news is that...

Why Your Dog’s Lump Swelled After You Touched It

I have had more than one worried pet parent tell me, “I barely touched it and the lump got bigger.” If that happens to your dog, please do not feel silly or guilty. Some lumps react dramatically to even gentle handling, and that reaction can actually be an important clue for your veterinarian. The...

My Dog Ate a Sock: How Long Until It Is an Emergency?

If you are reading this because your dog just swallowed a sock, take a breath. As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have seen this exact situation more times than I can count. A sock is soft, but that does not make it safe. Fabric can bunch up, lodge in the stomach or intestines, and...

When to Adopt Another Dog After One Dies

I am a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and one of the most tender conversations I have with families is this: “When should we get another dog?” If you are asking, you are not replacing your dog. You are trying to find your footing after a loss, while also thinking about what your home and...

How to Clean a Dog That Rolled in a Dead Animal

If you have ever watched your dog gleefully grind their shoulders into something foul while you sprint toward them yelling, you are not alone. I am Shari, a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and I can tell you this is one of the most common panic moments I hear about from dog families. The...

My Cat Ate String: Should I Pull It Out?

If you are staring at a piece of string hanging out of your cat’s mouth (or, just as alarming, from the rear end), your instinct is totally human: pull it out and fix the problem. But as a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have to tell you as clearly as I can: do not pull the string ....

How Many Puppies Can a Dog Have?

As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, one of the most common questions I hear once a pregnancy is confirmed is: “How many puppies are we talking about?” It is such an exciting question, and it is also a practical one. Knowing whether you are expecting one puppy or a dozen changes how you...

What a Spec cPL Result Means

When I’m helping pet parents in a clinic setting, one of the most common reactions I see to lab work is this: someone fixates on a single number and feels like it must be the whole story. I get it. A Spec cPL result can look very black and white on paper, especially if your dog has vomiting,...

Why Do Cats Hump Blankets or Other Cats?

I have had a lot of pet parents whisper this question like it is a secret: “Why is my cat humping my blanket?” If you are seeing mounting behavior in your cat, you are not alone, and you are not “weird” for being concerned. Mounting can be a totally normal cat behavior, but it can also be your...

Is Psyllium Husk Safe for Dogs?

As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have seen the same pattern again and again: a dog gets constipated or has soft stool, a well-meaning family grabs a fiber product, and nobody talks about the most important part of fiber supplements. Water. Psyllium husk can be a very useful tool...

Rectal Prolapse in Dogs

If you are seeing pink or red tissue sticking out of your dog’s anus, it is scary for a reason. This can be a rectal prolapse , meaning tissue from inside the rectum has turned inside out and is now outside the body. It is painful, it can dry out quickly, and it is often linked to straining from...

Seroma After a Dog Spay

If you’ve looked at your dog’s belly after her spay and thought, “Wait, why is there a squishy little water balloon under that incision?”, you are not alone. As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, this is one of the most common post-spay worries I hear. The good news is that a soft,...

How Long After Exposure Does Parvo Show Up?

As a veterinary assistant here in Frisco, Texas, I have seen this pattern again and again: a puppy plays normally, eats breakfast, and looks perfectly fine, then suddenly the bottom drops out with vomiting and diarrhea. That “came out of nowhere” feeling is one of the scariest parts of parvovirus....

Puppy Vaginitis: What the Discharge Means

If you’ve noticed sticky, mucousy discharge around your puppy’s vulva, take a breath. As a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, I’ve talked with many worried pet parents who thought, “Is she going into heat already?” or “Is this an emergency?” The truth is that mild vulvar discharge in a puppy...

Vaginal Hyperplasia in Dogs

I’m Shari, a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and one of the most alarming calls I get is some version of: “My dog is in heat and there’s a pink donut coming out of her.” If you’re seeing a round, swollen ring of tissue protruding from your dog’s vulva, you are right to pause and take it...

How Much Does Parvo Treatment Cost?

As a veterinary assistant here in North Texas, I have seen how fast parvo can turn from “my puppy seems off” into a true emergency. And once you are sitting in an exam room hearing words like IV fluids , hospitalization , and isolation , the next question is completely normal: How much is this...