The Pet Doctor - Keeping your pets healthy & pet wellness - Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

We often call our dogs our fur babies. More and more we are shuttling them from play days at doggie day camp or heading to the dog park where they can romp with their friends and get their ya yas out of their systems. They often are treated to time at the spa for a day of beauty and grooming more often than we afford ourselves the same luxury. But even if your dog is a home body and only goes for a spin around the block, it could be exposed to infectious diseases that can lead to nasty respiratory disease symptoms. Maybe you have heard of canine flu on the news. Is it kennel cough or this newfangled condition called canine infectious disease complex (now that name is nothing to cough at). Can you catch it from your dog? What can you do to protect your pet? To discuss all these questions is Dr. Karen Stasiak. She is the Veterinary Medical Lead for Biologicals with Zoetis Petcare.

You saw it at the pet store and immediately fell in love with it. You really don’t know what it is but you just had to have it. The guy at the store said it was easy was take care, no problem…not any harder than a cat, dog or hamster. Now you have a Beta fighting fish, baby Cockatoo, sugar glider, ferret, prairie dog, bearded lizard…fill in the blank…you get the idea. You Googled how to take of it. You looked at some YouTube videos. Now you have the sinking suspicion that your great new non-traditional pet may be more than you can handle. Now what? Now you need the assistance of a veterinarian like my guest, Krista A Keller, DVM, Dipl ACZM, Assistant Professor of Zoological Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois.

You know you should get your dog out for a walk at least once a day but sometimes your recliner is much more enticing than your dogs wagging tail. What if you had some motivation that benefited your waistline, your bond with your pup and without you having to spend a penny, donated money to your favorite pet charity? What if you don’t have a dog but would still like to help? There is an app for that. My guest is Doug Hexter. He is the creator of WoofTrax and the app Walk for a Dog. He will explain how a walk around the block can earn money your local shelter or rescue. So, get ready to tie on your walking shoes and support your passion of helping pets.

I have said goodbye to my mother and father after they were diagnosed with cancer. My parents and family were grateful for the attempts of doctors to extend their lives as long as possible because no one ever wants to say goodbye to someone they love. Sadly, their joie de vivre as a result of treatments and disease progression was severely impacted. The cultures of veterinary medicine and human medicine diverge greatly when it comes to the matter of a gentle, dignified passing of life. How you deal with this issue with your pet is a very individual decision. My hope with this podcast is for you to know your options… and make decisions that are the most appropriate for you and your pet family member. My guest is a dear friend and colleague, Co-Founder and CEO of Lap of Love along with being a co-host of PetCareTV, Dr. Dani McVety.

Your pet is one of a kind… the best dog, cat, bird, horse, fill-in-the-blank that you’ve ever known. Sadly, you also know that it can't live forever. Or can it? There is no fountain of youth, but it doesn’t mean people haven’t stopped looking for ways to extend life. In 1996 Dolly the Sheep was cloned. If Dolly could be cloned, how about your pet? Will it be the same pet or different? What’s involved? Is this the right decision for you? My guest is Melain Rodriguez, client service manager for ViaGen Pets and Equine, based in Cedar Park, Texas. We’re going to discuss cloning and all that's involved. Tune in!

The Lion King said it best...'it's the circle of life and it moves us all'. We are all interconnected. What happens to a population of bats in Asia can affect the health of people in the Mid West. Medical research that focuses on keeping bees buzzing can insure that you and I can continue to enjoy a handful of nutritious almonds along with our morning glass of orange juice. The death of deer in Maine can be the harbinger of a rise in tick borne diseases in the fluffy toy poodles the suburbs of Tennessee and their owners. With the continuum of health between people, animals and our planet, it would seem as though research dollars would be flowing to organizations and agencies who are investigating zoonotic diseases...those conditions that affect people and animals. You would think so but the sad reality is that the dollars are few and far between. Dr. Cheryl Stroud holds a degree in veterinary medicine and a PhD in endocrine physiology. She is currently the Executive Director of the One Health Commission. Her forte is bringing people together.

Lyme disease…most people know that it is a disease caused by ticks. You may know that people get a bull’s eyes lesion at the site of the bite. To be a risk you have to live on the East coast of the U.S. and you have to go trekking through the woods in order to be exposed…well 2 out of 3 isn’t bad but it could be an extremely serious short fall in your understanding of this spreading disease. To clear up some misconceptions and enlighten us on new research is Dr. Craig Prior, the immediate past-president of the Companion Animal Parasite Council…an organization whose information I use on an almost daily basis in my practice.

It didn’t seem significant at the time. You thought it was kinda cute. Your cats would perch on the toilet to get a drink of water. You thought your dog was just being a pain and playing you for a chump by getting you up in the middle of the night to be let out…really, you just wanted to prowl the yard to torment the cat next door? But then your pet just wasn’t looking good. It started to lose weight and condition…maybe some vomiting or diarrhea. But the diagnosis came back kidney failure…what caused it? Was it the food? Can you cure it? How can you prevent it in your other pet? Dr. Brian McLaughlin is a Senior Technical Services Veterinarian for Vetoquinol USA. We are going to discuss the insidious disease of kidney disease and how it can affect your dog or cat

You’ve seen those homes. You know they have a cat even before you meet their feline family member. How? The telltale tattered corners of their furniture, the snagged curtains, the wallpaper that is shredded, the carpeting that is frazzled and frayed. But what if that house is yours? Is there no way to convince a cat to use one of those cute little scratching posts? You love your cat but really…. your belongings are NOT for their sole pleasure…or are they?

I must admit that the YouTube videos of cats versus dogs, cats taunting other cats and even tormenting their humans can make me laugh. But it is no laughing matter if it is YOUR cat who is biting you, stalking you, ambushing you when you come around the corner or is blatantly aggressive towards your guests. You’ve rationalized this unsavory behavior to the fact that is is a rescue and must have abused or for being feral, being a Calico, being a long haired….fill in the blank. Are felines just unbalanced and inherently untrustworthy? Or are we setting them and us for failure because we don’t understand the feline mind? They really aren’t just little dogs. To help us unravel the ball of yarn that is a cat’s unique psyche is my guest board certified veterinary behaviorist and author, Dr. E’Lise Christensen. When she is not lecturing in the U.S and internationally, you can find her practicing at Behavior Vets of Colorado at Animal Care Center of Castle Pines.

It seems as though it is happening more often. A pet parent comes to me with their furry kid in tow for a well pet exam. Their pet is feeling great. Eating well, great skin and coat, no coughing, sneezing, vomiting or diarrhea. It may be on the physical exam or routine lab work that I discover that the pet has cancer. It is one of the hardest conversations I can have. They know I must be wrong…how could their healthy pet have a potentially life-threatening disease? I have the impression that I am having this dialog much more often than when I started practice. Is cancer really occurring more often in pets? If it is more common, what may be the cause and is there anything we can do to decrease the chances that your pet will be affected? My guest is a Dr. Brennan McKenzie, a veterinarian and practitioner of ‘Evidence Based Medicine.’ We will tackle all of these questions and more.

I’ve needed vision correction aids since I was in 3rd grade…translated: I have worn glasses, hard contacts, soft lens, had Lasik surgery and now cataract lens replacement in both eyes. I appreciate how precious good vision is. I may take a wait and see approach with numerous health issues but not with eyes. My guest is in complete agreement. Dr. Doug Esson is a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist and practices in Orange County, California. We are going to chat about some of the most common eye ailments your pet may encounter, the signs and what you can do.

One of the reasons we have pets in our lives is for their companionship. The bond with canines has strengthened over the thousands of years that they have cohabitated with us…from the fringes of our human encampments to now sharing our beds. But with this bonding some issues have arisen. Call them what you may, my little shadow, super loyal dogs, Velcro dogs…these are pets that may be suffering with separation anxiety. How do you know if your dog is affected? What can you do to prevent it from happening and if your dog is suffering from separation anxiety panic attacks when you are not around, what can be done to relieve the angst? Dr. Sharon Campbell, medical lead for veterinary specialty operations for Zoetis is my guest today. We will be chatting about building confidence in your dog with love, patience and medication where appropriate.

The inner workings of our pets’ bodies, like its nervous system, can appear perplexing and frightening when it doesn’t work properly. I like to demystify the body by thinking of it as a collection of commonplace items. The nervous system is like the body’s internal computer…a combination of chemical and communication systems. Information about what is happening inside and outside of the body is detected, the information is transmitted to the main processor-the brain- via phone and electric lines, our nerves. Our ability to survive and thrive depends on these messages being sent in a well-ordered and consistent pattern. These processes can be disrupted by breaks in the lines – injuries, hacked by diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, abnormal chemical reactions or tumors. It is possible that the wiring may never have been properly configured in the first place…congenital or inherited defects. My guest is an expert in unraveling diseases affecting a pet’s neurological system…repairing the damage when possible or controlling the signs when it is not. Dr. Ali Gorgi is a board-certified veterinary neurologist and neurosurgeon who owns Bright Care Veterinary Hospital in Orange County California.

I’ve heard stories of vicious mosquitoes forcing people to shelter in their homes during the summer or needing to slather themselves with lotions, potions and insecticides if they dared to venture outside. It wasn’t until I visited Minnesota one July that I was misfortunate enough to experience a dreaded bloodletting mosquito attack. It gave me a much better appreciation for the discomfort our dogs experience when being bitten by mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. Today’s guest is Dr. Ed Koronowski, a Technical Veterinary Service Manager for Ceva Animal Health. We are going to chat about ‘Taking the Bite Out of What is Bugging Your Pet’.