Oakland Veterinary Referral Services Blog
Quick, Cheap, and Totally Easy Pet Costumes
October is an exciting time for kids and kids at heart. Trick-or-treaters, jack-’o-lanterns, and lots of goodies are but a few of the things that we treasure. Costumes are one of the best parts of Halloween, and who doesn’t love to see all of the ghoulish and adorable outfits?!
For pet lovers, the costume frenzy also applies. But for very busy, very frugal, last-minute or just lazy pet lovers out there, here are ideas for putting together a simple, fun costume from things lying around the house or easy to gather. No need to be crafty or spend a fortune. OVRS has scoured the Internet to help you scare up the easiest, simplest, last-minute pet costumes for the big night of BOO.
When the Unexpected Strikes: The True Cost of a Veterinary Emergency
Consider this, you are at the park with your dog and, after throwing the Frisbee another time, he comes back to you limping.
Or your cat has been vomiting since the early part of the day, and now it is close to midnight and she continues to vomit. What if your puppy comes down with diarrhea and a bloated tummy, and you wonder if it is just digestive upset or something more serious, constituting a veterinary emergency?
Cancer in Cats: Recognizing and Reducing the Risk for Your Feline Friend
Cancer…the word itself is unsettling, yet most of us know someone who has been touched by this terrible disease. A cancer diagnosis is equally scary when it concerns a beloved cat. For many cat parents out there, this unfortunate disease can hit too close to home.
A number of symptoms can potentially signal cancer development, so know what to look out for in order to help catch it early. More importantly, learn how to reduce risk before cancer develops. While it is true that cancer cases are not always preventable, there are impactful ways you can reduce your cat’s chances of a cancer diagnosis.
Your team at OVRS is here to help reduce the likelihood of cancer in cats with some essential steps for its prevention.
Pupternity: What Determines Litter Size in Dogs?
Normal puppy litter size tends to vary from one to twelve. The world record according to Guinness is a whopping twenty four puppies, birthed by a Neapolitan Mastiff in the UK in 2004. Why does litter size vary so much and what determines litter size in puppies? OVRS looks at the main factors affecting litter size.
The Death-Defying Art of Bathing a Cat
Have you ever wondered “What in the world was I thinking?” after bathing, or attempting to bathe your cat? If so, we offer 10 best practices for the death-defying art of bathing a cat…and living to tell about it! But, first, you may be asking…
Is My Dog Depressed? Understanding Depression in Canines
From chimpanzees to dolphins, cats to canines, we now know that animals experience complex emotions. Some common emotions you might see in your pet include anxiety, joy, and what we perceive as shame when they do something they shouldn’t have. But, if you have noticed that your pet is suddenly despondent or just seems off, you may wonder about depression.
There are a number of reasons why a pet owner will ask us, “Is my dog depressed?” Let’s take a look at some of the causes of canine depression, and what you can do to help your pet.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pet Medications
Medications are an essential tool of well-being in every dog or cat’s life. Whether the prescription is a monthly parasite preventive or a short-term antibiotic, where would we be without the health and wellness benefits of prescription medications?
Understanding these potent medications is an important part of being a pet owner. That is why we, as veterinary professionals, encourage lots of questions from pet parents. The team at OVRS compiled some of the more commonly asked questions about pet medications, and their answers.
Don’t Eat That! When Your Dog Swallows a Foreign Object
Rocks, socks, hair bands, skewers–dogs will swallow just about anything, including items that may really surprise you. At Oakland Veterinary Referral Services, our 24-hour emergency team has seen a parade of common (and not so common) items come in for removal.
If your dog swallows a foreign object, how would you know? What should you do? And what happens when you suspect that your dog swallowed something and bring your dog to the veterinary hospital?
3D Diagnostics: The Advantages of Veterinary CT Scans for Pets
If you have experienced a trauma or illness related to the internal organs, you may be familiar with CT imaging, or CAT scans. They are an important tool in modern human medicine in reaching accurate diagnoses. Veterinary CT scans for pets have much the same advantages. They allow for a more detailed look into the health of tissues and organs.
CT scanning provides a three-dimensional image of the internal body. This ability to see inside the body can provide greater success in detecting and treating problems affecting our animal companions. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to explain why this powerful technology can help us diagnose and treat a slew of health conditions that impact our animal friends.
The Dog Nose All: The Power of A Dog’s Nose
We all know that dogs have an impressive power of smell. Your dog is in the back of the house, sound asleep. You quietly open a package of ham for a sandwich and look who’s immediately begging at your feet! That’s the power of a dogs nose.
Sniffing out snacks is the least in a list of amazing ways that dogs and their super sniffers improve our lives. You’ll be surprised at the many ways they are aiding humans.
