dogs

Perianal Fistula in Dogs: Breeds at Risk, Symptoms, and Treatment

Perianal fistula, often referred to as anal furunculosis , is one of those conditions that can sneak up on families because it starts as “just some licking” or a little staining under the tail. In everyday veterinary use, you will hear both terms used for the same painful disease process. But...

Swimmer Puppy Syndrome: Exercises, Bracing, and Timelines

Swimmer Puppy Syndrome can look scary the first time you see it. A puppy that should be toddling around instead lies flat, paddles, and seems unable to get their feet under their body. The encouraging news is that many affected puppies improve dramatically with early intervention , better traction...

Lungworm in Dogs: Symptoms, Testing, and How It Differs From Heartworm

If your dog has a new cough, seems winded on walks, or just isn’t themselves, parasites may not be the first thing you think of. But there is a group of worms called lungworms that can live in or around the airways and lungs and cause respiratory symptoms that look a lot like kennel cough,...

Dog Pacing at Night

It can be so unsettling to hear the quiet of the house, then realize your dog is up again. Back and forth. Room to room. A little panting. Maybe a whine. Night pacing is one of those symptoms that can mean several different things, and the most helpful question is not “Why won’t my dog...

Toad Poisoning in Dogs

If your dog just mouthed a toad and suddenly starts drooling like a faucet, pawing at their face, or acting panicky, treat it as an emergency. Some toads, especially highly toxic bufonid toads (the family that includes cane toads and the Colorado River, also called Sonoran Desert, toad), secrete...

Water Intoxication in Dogs

On a hot Texas day, it feels like a great way to cool off to let your dog swim, chase a ball in the lake, or bite at the hose. Most of the time, that is true. But there is an uncommon but serious danger many pet parents have never heard of: water intoxication , also called hyponatremia . As a...

Submissive Urination in Dogs

If your dog pees when you walk in the door, it can feel confusing and frustrating, especially if you have been working hard on house-training. As a veterinary assistant, I want you to know this first: submissive urination is not “bad behavior” . It is usually a dog’s way of saying, “Please...

IVDD in Dogs: Crate Rest vs Surgery

When your dog suddenly yelps, refuses to jump, or starts walking wobbly, it can feel like everything changes in one moment. Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a common cause of spinal pain and sudden weakness in dogs, especially in long-backed breeds and some mixes. The big question most...

CCL Tear in Dogs: Non-Surgical Management

A sudden back-leg limp can be scary, especially when your dog yelps, refuses stairs, or sits with one leg extended out to the side. One common cause is a cranial cruciate ligament injury, often shortened to CCL tear . It is similar to an ACL injury in people, but in many dogs it behaves more like a...

Bloat and GDV in Dogs

Bloat is one of those words that makes dog people pause, and for good reason. In the veterinary world, we see two very different situations that often get lumped together: a dog that is uncomfortably gassy or “bloated,” and a true emergency called GDV , short for gastric dilatation-volvulus ,...

Heat Stroke in Dogs: Signs, Cooling First Aid, and When It’s an Emergency

As a veterinary assistant here in Texas, I can tell you this with a lot of love and urgency: heat stroke can go from “my dog seems hot” to life-threatening shock faster than most people expect . The good news is that when you know what to look for and how to cool safely, you can buy your dog...

Horner’s Syndrome in Dogs: Benign or Emergency?

If your dog suddenly looks like they are squinting on one side, with a smaller pupil and a slightly sunken eye, it can be alarming. I get it. As a veterinary assistant, I have seen how fast pet parents go from “Is this just allergies?” to “Is my dog having a stroke?” Horner’s syndrome is...

IMHA in Dogs: Pale Gums, Jaundice, and Emergency Care

Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia (IMHA) is one of those diagnoses that can make your heart drop. I have seen how quickly a dog can go from “just a little tired” to an emergency, and I want you to have clear, calm information you can use right now. IMHA happens when a dog’s immune system...

Fading Puppy Syndrome: The First 72 Hours

The first three days of a puppy’s life are intense, even when everything goes perfectly. Newborns are meant to eat, sleep, and gain weight. But a puppy that is fading is not simply “the quiet one.” They are in trouble, and the window to turn things around can be measured in hours. As a...

HGE in Dogs: Sudden Bloody Diarrhea

Seeing bright red, bloody diarrhea in your dog can stop you in your tracks. One minute your dog is acting fairly normal, and the next you are cleaning up a mess that looks like raspberry jam. Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, often shortened to HGE , is one possible cause of sudden bloody diarrhea, and...

Acral Lick Granuloma in Dogs

If your dog has one specific spot they cannot stop licking, especially on a leg, you are not dealing with “a little itch.” One common cause is an acral lick granuloma , also called lick dermatitis . It can start small, then the constant licking inflames the skin, breaks the barrier, and can...

Foxtails and Grass Awns in Dogs

Here in Texas and across the U.S., foxtails and other grass awns can be a sneaky hazard for dogs, especially in the warmer months. (Timing varies by region, rainfall, and what grasses grow where.) These dry, barbed seed heads are shaped in a way that helps them move forward through fur and tissue....

Eclampsia (Milk Fever) in Nursing Dogs

Eclampsia, also called puerperal tetany or periparturient (puerperal) hypocalcemia , is one of those postpartum emergencies that can look like it comes out of nowhere. You might also hear people call it milk fever . That is a common lay term, but it can be confusing because the “fever” is...

Histoplasmosis in Dogs: Symptoms, Hotspot Regions, and ER Red Flags

If you live in an area with lots of river valleys, moist soil, or old bird and bat droppings, it is normal to worry when your dog starts coughing, acting tired, or losing weight. Histoplasmosis is one of those infections that can look like several other illnesses at first, but it can become serious...

Farmer’s Dog–Style Homemade Dog Food: Simple Copycat Meals

If you have been eyeing fresh, subscription-style dog food (the kind that shows up in a cooler box), you are not alone. I am a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and I talk with pet parents every week who want the benefits of fresh food without the subscription price tag. This page is here to...