Search Results for ‘liver’

Nutritious diets are an important aspect of your dog’s overall health and wellness. Some treats you buy in the store are full of fillers and other ingredients that could be harming your pup instead of nourishing his body. If you want to be sure your treats are safe and helpful for your dog’s health, making them yourself is a great alternate option. Here are some of our favorite easy DIY dog biscuit recipes with 5 ingredients or fewer just in time for National Dog Biscuit Day:

Has your dog been diagnosed with heartworm disease and is currently undergoing treatment? If so, it is important to change your at-home habits to complement your veterinarian’s efforts and give your dog the best chance for a full recovery. Heartworms target a dog’s heart, lungs, and blood, and can bring on potentially fatal health issues without the proper treatment. 

Even with treatment, your pup requires additional care and consideration while undergoing treatment. Here are some of Oakland Veterinary Referral Services’ (OVRS) top tips for caring for a dog during heartworm treatment.

‘Tis the season for giving gifts to loved ones. That includes buying gifts for the family dog. If you are searching for something new and fun for your bestie, we have 10 fantastic ideas for the best 2021 Christmas gifts for dogs. Oakland Veterinary Referral Services has compiled some of our faves for the New Year.

If you are like most loving pet owners, you look for ways to treat your pet. Pet subscription boxes have become a popular choice for busy owners. The concept for this service is that a variety of toys and treats, and other fun goodies, come in the mail once a month. It’s a great way to keep your pet interested in their toys to encourage more exercise and mental enrichment. 

Since there are several options in cat and dog subscription boxes, Oakland Veterinary Referral Services has spotlighted some of our favorites.

Pet owners, some of you get frustrated when it comes to refilling your pet’s prescriptions. You may be busy and wait until the last pill of your pet’s medications to think about a refill. Or you think about it a few days ahead, but still risk ending up with a gap before getting a refill. It isn’t your veterinarian’s goal to make your life difficult. 

Some of the factors that can impact getting a quick refill:

When a dog has heartworm disease, it can damage their heart or be life threatening. Heartworm disease is costly to treat, and the treatment itself is very uncomfortable for a pet. The more advanced the disease, the more challenging the case. This is why prevention is crucial. It is less expensive and less harmful to your pet than treating heartworms.

Heartworm disease is on the rise, with more than 250,000 pets diagnosed each year. The good news is that there is treatment. If your dog has heartworms, here are some of the important steps in diagnosing and treating the disease to have fewer side effects and greater success.

A dog seizure is a frightening event to witness. If your dog has one, you may feel panicky and confused, or else helpless to do something to make them feel better. Your dog may have a chronic seizure disorder like epilepsy, or a seizure may come on suddenly for the first time. 

During a seizure, your dog cannot control their muscle activity. Seizures are a disturbance in normal brain activity, also referred to as a convulsion. Since seizures in dogs are commonly diagnosed, your friends at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services want to tell you more about this neurological condition.

Standing water like ponds, ditches, and lakes contain debris, scum, protozoa, and bacteria. This can include blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, a greenish scum that forms on the top of still water. Cyanobacteria is an algae to be concerned about when it comes to your pet’s safety. 

Our dogs enjoy getting into anything slimy, muddy, or otherwise gross to us. If your dog loves to swim or enjoys time around water, they are likely to drink from one of these natural water sources. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants pet owners to know more about blue-green algae poisoning, so you can better protect your pet.

Labored breathing in dogs and cats is triggered by multiple issues that impact a complex and vital system of the body–the respiratory system. It delivers oxygen throughout the body and removes carbon dioxide. This specialized system keeps your furry friend moving and cool, as it is essential for many aspects of health. So, when your pet is struggling to catch their breath or is breathing heavily, it is unsettling.

If your pet is having trouble breathing or has labored breathing, it’s important to get them diagnosed and treated. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services provides some key reasons for this condition and what you can do to help your pet.

Soft tissue sarcoma in dogs (STS) is a group of malignant tumors that originate from connective tissue below the skin. They make up approximately 15% of all skin tumors in dogs. Most occur as a single tumor, usually in middle to older dogs and can occur anywhere in the body. Sarcomas appear on or underneath the skin. They are a relatively common form of cancer diagnosed in dogs. 

Unfortunately, sarcomas can also progress to a malignant form of tumor and can become quite aggressive when left undiagnosed or untreated. This is why it is essential to know and watch for the signs of this form of malignancy, and to have your dog checked regularly. If sarcoma develops, the earlier you can catch it, the better chance of a positive outcome for your dog.

The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to explain more about soft tissue sarcoma in dogs.