Oakland Veterinary Referral Services Blog

Your Dog’s Shedding — Normal or Excess?

This time of year, when the sun begins to shine a little longer each day and the heat index starts to rise, you may notice something… Your dog is leaving little hair tumbleweeds across the tiles. Shedding can be a major problem for some breeds, and many pet owners have the lint rollers in hand and vacuums going strong.

Shedding is a normal process of keeping your dog’s skin and coat healthy. There are times, though, when hair loss can signal a larger issue. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants to tackle the question of shedding and explore the causes and conditions of excess shedding.

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas for Dog, Cat and Pet Lovers

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate moms, and the many ways they make our lives wonderful. Mother’s Day is all about recognizing the spirit of nurturing, kindness, care, and wisdom of mothers. This same spirit is true for dog, cat, and other animal moms out there!

Those who care for animals are among the biggest-hearted people we know. On Mother’s Day, we choose to honor all of the dog moms, cat moms, rabbit moms, guinea pig moms, and so many others by suggesting a few simple, meaningful gifts. We hope you find something to add to your list!

What to Consider When Traveling with a Sick Pet

Traveling with any pet requires prep work before you hit the road. Traveling with a sick pet (one with a chronic illness or motion sickness) can make traveling more complicated.

You’ll want to make travel as smooth as possible to ensure your pet’s safety and comfort. In the case of infectious disease, you must also factor in the safety of others. Let’s explore the steps to take and other scenarios that may come up when traveling with a sick pet.

Senior pets (and those who have had an orthopedic injury) are prone to arthritis. If your pet suffers from chronic arthritis, you may believe that they should avoid exercise and take it easy as much as possible. While there are reasons to avoid jumping or other rambunctious activities, all pets – including those with arthritis – need some level of exercise.

To help you get your arthritic pet moving and feeling better, try our suggestions for low impact exercise. It will have them moving and feeling better!

Let Your Pets Join the Easter Fun!

The Peeps are out and Easter is on! If you aren’t devouring too many Cadbury Eggs, hats off to you. Those things are the epitome of Easter and all of its delicious treats. If you are a pet parent, you may be wondering how to include your dog or cat in the Easter excitement and festivities.

The Easter Bunny mentioned to the OVRS team that there are some pretty great Easter costumes and treats in store for your best fur friend. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites.

Be Ready for a Veterinary Emergency

Almost every pet will experience a veterinary emergency in their lifetime. These range from a sudden illness, to an injury, to more critical situations like poisoning or an animal attack. In these scenarios, the scene can be scary and confusing for you and your pet. You may wonder what to do, and how you can help until getting your pet to a hospital.

This OVRS Emergency Guide gives you the basics of what constitutes an emergency and what to expect, including the steps to take should you need to act quickly.

Dog Blood Donors

Most of us have given blood to help someone else. Did you know that your dog can be a blood donor to help other canines in need? Oakland Veterinary Referral Services has an in-house canine blood bank called Buddies for Life.

OVRS collects and stores blood products that are used to treat a variety of doggie problems including blood loss, immune mediated diseases, genetic disorders, and more. We successfully provide over 400 blood transfusions per year and save many canine lives in the process.

Our volunteers and dog blood donors are the true heroes who make this possible. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you and your fur friend could be one of these heroes?

It’s finally Spring, with the sun sticking around a little longer each day, and the early buds beginning to raise their heads. Unfortunately, seasonal allergy woes of itchy noses and watery eyes have also arrived–for both pets and humans.

Allergies, including the seasonal kind, affect our four-legged friends, too. In fact, your pet may have them year-round, or just when certain things are in full bloom. They can cause irritation and discomfort, and can even become a long term problem for a furry family member.

The team at OVRS takes a closer look at allergies in pets, and how they can be treated.

Has your Veterinarian recommended Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO) surgery for your dog? TPLO is one of the most widely used procedures in repairing cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tears in dogs (and sometimes in cats). In most cases, TPLO surgery is superior to that of other orthopedic surgeries. It is particularly successful in large breeds and those with advanced joint degeneration and CCL ruptures.

Many dogs suffer injuries related to CCL tears, fractures, and other orthopedic occurrences. These injuries require a highly skilled team of veterinary surgeons. This guide explains what TPLO is, in what cases it is needed, and why it’s effective. We also provide tips to maintain your dog’s orthopedic health post-surgery.

You may think little Chomsky can bark out a few recognizable phrases, or that your cat talks to you, but most of us must rely on pet body language to understand them. Dogs, cats, and other companion animals don’t have the luxury of communicating in our language, so it is crucial to understand theirs.

Pets also use body language to communicate with other animals. They signal feelings like affection, fear, aggression, and so on in order to bond, avoid conflict, and establish territory. How can you read your pet’s body language for better understanding? We’re here to help decipher this important form of communication.