Search Results for ‘liver’

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.

If your cat was recently diagnosed with feline leukemia (FeLV), you will probably have a lot of questions and concerns about treatment and prognosis. How did your cat end up FeLV-positive, you may wonder. What are the symptoms and what should you do for your cat going forward? 

The feline leukemia virus is “second only to trauma as the leading cause of death in cats, killing 85% of infected felines within three years of diagnosis”. The prognosis, for many cats, is unfortunately poor, with most only living with the virus 3-4 years. Thankfully, 70% of cats exposed to the virus are able to resist or eliminate it on their own. 

Because of the seriousness of the disease, Oakland Veterinary Referral Services wants you to know more about feline leukemia virus so that you can better protect your pet from this illness.

When your dog is diagnosed with cancer, it is understandable to feel helpless and devastated. You may wonder what to do next and how you can best support your pet. 

There are several types of cancers that affect dogs, and some of them are very similar to forms of human cancer. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to explain cancer in dogs and what you can do to see the signs.

Leptospirosis may not be the topic that great conversations are made of, but it is one every pet owner should understand. This illness not only affects our animal companions but it is also zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted to humans. 

9% of dogs are estimated to be shedding leptospires, the bacteria responsible for the disease, even if they are asymptomatic. Leptospirosis continues to be on the rise, especially in canines, so it’s essential to understand what it is and how to prevent it.

Your friends at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services want to update you on this potentially fatal illness in order to keep your dog and whole family safe.

A general veterinarian performs many routine surgeries; however, you may find that they refer you to a board certified veterinary surgeon when the surgery is beyond their realm of expertise or perhaps needs 24 hour care and monitoring post-operatively. 

Both human and veterinary medicine have doctors who specialize. These specialists spend extra years accumulating even more advanced expertise and education. Just as with human medicine, a hip surgery or heart surgery isn’t going to be performed in your regular physician’s office. 

Witnessing a seizure in your dog can be a scary event. No dog owner wants to see their beloved fur friend experiencing a seizure. Knowing more about their cause can help ease fears we face as pet owners. Seizures in dogs are a type of brain disorder, and there are multiple reasons why a pet may be having them. 

The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here to clarify this condition and provide insight into the causes of and treatments for seizure.

Awaiting the birth of new pups is an exciting time. When your dog is pregnant or nursing, their diet is key to the puppies’ gestation and development. You may be asking, “What should I feed my pregnant dog”? Good, balanced nutrition is the foundation for health. Building on that, there are specific needs at each stage of your dog’s pregnancy. What you feed your pet can go a long way in delivering healthy puppies. 

Your friends at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services congratulate you on your upcoming bundles of joy. We are here to provide insight and recommendations on what you should feed your pregnant dog. 

Giving pills to dogs or cats is a big challenge for most pet owners and ranks up there with giving them a bath. They can hear you open the cabinet to get the bottle, then they are nowhere to be found. When you finally find them and get them in front of you, they refuse to open their mouths. When they do…they can smell or detect the most cleverly-disguised pill and it ends up on the floor.  

If you have tried everything to give your dog or cat a pill, we can help! We have suggestions ranging from simple to no fail. We administer pills to dogs and cats every day. The team at Oakland Veterinary Referral Services can teach you the tricks for successfully giving pills to a dog or cat. 

Pet environmental enrichment has become critical in encouraging smarter, healthier, and better behaving pets. Enrichment engages your pet mentally and physically, and is necessary for reducing the anxiety, boredom and frustration associated with being indoors.

The concept of enrichment doesn’t have to be a complex one. There are many simple ways to implement an indoor pet enrichment program of your very own. The team at OVRS is here to help guide you through some of these options.