Westside Animal Hospital Blog
Are Nutritional Supplements Right for My Dog?
If you are feeding your dog or cat an AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) certified diets (grain free or not) and your pet is young and healthy, you can rest easy as it is highly likely they are having all their nutritional needs met. However, if your dog or cat has a chronic disease or condition, they may benefit from a nutritional supplement.
Continue…Is Your Pet Plump?
Obesity is the most common preventable disease in dogs and cats. Approximately 50-60% of pets are overweight, and 35% are obese. Dogs and cats are considered overweight when 10-20% above their ideal body weight and obese when they weigh 25-30% or more above.
Continue…Did you know….Cats are also at risk for Heartworm Disease?
Most of us are familiar with heartworm disease in dogs, but did you know that our feline companions are also at risk? The life cycle of the heartworm is essentially the same in dogs and cats. It all starts with a single innocuous bite from an infected mosquito that transmits a microscopic worm (microfilaria) into their bloodstream. Over the next several months those tiny worms grow up into adult heartworms and make their home in the unsuspecting animal’s heart.
What is Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy?
How can it help my pet?
In a nutshell, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) uses electrical fields to stimulate the cellular release of molecules that play a variety of essential roles in decreasing pain, improving blood flow and counteracting inflammation. Additionally, PEMF therapy supports new blood vessel formation, tissue regeneration, and tissue remodeling, all of which are essential to the overall healing process. In human medicine, PEMF therapy is now being used to stimulate bone and tissue healing, to counteract inflammation associated with arthritis, and to treat post-operative pain and swelling. Many of the therapeutic effects appreciated by people also carry over to veterinary medicine.
It’s too confusing. How do I pick the best pet food?
If you are like me, you feel bombarded with all the advertisement and recommendations from so-called experts about how and what to feed your pet. The choices seem limitless; you can’t turn on the TV, get on the internet, or go into a pet store without feeling judged by what you are currently feeding or pressured to feed a particular food. It is hard to know what to do!
Here are some basic things to keep in mind when choosing a nutritious pet food. Continue…
Can CBD Oil Help My Pet?
Cannabis, or CBD Oil, is an alternative treatment for a number of conditions in pets as well as people. According to a recent Colorado State University survey of pet owners, “93% of all respondents favored the use of medical cannabis over some medications” (published in the 2016 Journal of the American Holistic Association). Continue…
Can Acupuncture Help my Pet?
Dogs and cats with a variety of diseases and conditions may greatly benefit from adding veterinary medical acupuncture to their treatment regimen. Acupuncture can do so much more than just reduce muscle pain. By treating points known to stimulate specific nerves, a certified veterinary medical acupuncturist can even affect immune and organ function. In human medicine, acupuncture has been used with great success for centuries to treat a variety of medical disorders. Continue…
Living Longer by Taking Care of Those Precious Teeth
Living Longer By Taking Care of Those Precious Teeth
It has been said by veterinary dental specialists that if you brush your dog’s or cat’s teeth regularly that they will live to 17 or 18 years old. If you don’t your pet may only live until around age 12. Though that may not always be true, the principal is that regular dental care will extend both the quality and life span of your pet and prevent many future diseases. Continue…
My dog tore its Cranial Cruciate Ligament, now what?
Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CrCL) injury is the most common orthopedic (bone, muscle, or joint) injury in dogs. It is equivalent to a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in a person. The treatment for a dog’s torn CrCL can be highly effective, and in many cases your pet can return to totally normal function. It is important to address the injury right away because inflammation and arthritis develop very rapidly after this injury. Continue…
New Puppy? Here’s What To Do!
