Designer Mixes

My Dog Swallowed a Stick

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog swallowed a stick, my puppy-scout brain has exactly one follow-up question: Swallowed like it went down into the throat and belly, or stuck like it is still blocking the airway? Because those are two different emergencies. Sticks are extra tricky...

My Dog Ate a Peach Pit

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog just swallowed a peach pit, take a breath, then take action. Peach pits are a two-part problem: the pit itself can cause a blockage , and the kernel inside the pit can release cyanide if it gets chewed or cracked . Remove all peach pieces and pits...

My Dog Ate a Tampon

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog just swallowed a tampon, it can feel like the longest minute of your life. This is one of those “call your vet now” objects because tampons are designed to soak up liquid and swell. That same super-absorbent material can expand inside the stomach or...

Infiltrative Lipomas in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If you have ever found a squishy lump on your dog and thought, “Oh no,” you are in good company. Lots of dog lumps are harmless, but some are urgent. Infiltrative lipomas are one of the trickier in-betweeners: they are benign (not malignant) , yet they can act...

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Intact Male Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If you live with an intact (unneutered) male dog, you might someday notice something small but alarming: a few drops of blood on the floor, extra straining to poop, or stool that looks oddly thin. My puppy-scout brain immediately wants to ask: where is that...

Bengal Cat vs Savannah Cat

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If you are choosing between a Bengal and a Savannah, you are already looking at two of the most athletic, busy, brainy house cats around. They can be wonderful companions, but they can become stressed quickly in the wrong setup. Let’s compare them in the ways...

Stump Pyometra in Spayed Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Most of the time, a spay closes the chapter on uterine infections. But there is a rare, sneaky exception that can show up months or even years later: stump pyometra . It can start as something that looks almost ordinary, like new discharge spots where she...

Coccidia vs Parvo in Puppies

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your puppy has diarrhea, it is normal to squint at every detail and wonder: is this “just” a parasite like coccidia , or is it parvo, the virus everyone warns you about? Both can look similar at first glance. Both can cause dehydration fast. And both deserve...

Can a Parvo Test Be Negative If a Puppy Still Has Parvo?

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your puppy looks like they have parvo but the in-clinic test comes back negative, your brain does a little somersault. It is completely fair to ask: can a parvo test be negative if a puppy still has parvo? Yes. A negative result can happen even when a puppy...

Canine Herpesvirus in Newborn Puppies

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. The first days in the whelping box can be surprisingly fragile. Newborn puppies can go from “tiny squeaks” to “something is wrong” fast. One of the scariest reasons is canine herpesvirus (often shortened to CHV-1). It can look like simple fading at first,...

Metaldehyde Poisoning in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog has suddenly started trembling, wobbling, or seizing and there’s any chance they got into slug or snail bait, treat it like an emergency. One common ingredient in these products, metaldehyde , can cause rapid-onset neurologic signs and a dangerously...

Tetanus in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Dogs are experts at finding trouble with their faces and feet, which is why I take wound-related issues seriously. Tetanus in dogs is one of those conditions that sounds old-fashioned until it is suddenly not. It usually starts after a wound and shows up as...

Can a Paralyzed Dog Use a Wheelchair After a Disc Injury?

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog has paralysis after a spinal disc injury, it is completely normal to stare at those little dog wheelchairs and think: Is this the answer, or am I just trying to wish-wag my way out of a scary situation? A cart can be a wonderful tool for many dogs...

Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Dogs

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Sometimes a “weird spot” is just a scab that heals. Sometimes it is a stubborn sore, an odd nail problem, or a mouth bump you only notice when your dog yawns. One diagnosis vets take seriously in all of those places is squamous cell carcinoma , often shortened...

Deer Tick vs Brown Dog Tick: How to Tell

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If you have already pulled a tick off your dog (nice job, human hands), the next big question is usually: what kind was it? Ticks can look annoyingly similar, especially when they are tiny or when they have been feeding. But there are a few visible clues that...

High Blood Pressure in Cats

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. Yes, I am a dog person, but my soft spot for cats is real. So if your older cat is suddenly yowling at night, bumping into furniture, or staring around with big, dilated pupils, my puppy-scout brain goes straight to one big question: what changed in their body...

How to Perform CPR on a Dog

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. CPR is one of those skills you hope you never need. But if your dog is truly unresponsive, not breathing, and has no heartbeat , CPR can buy precious time while you get to emergency care. Important: This page is about CPR for a dog with no pulse . If your dog...

How Long After Flea Medicine Can My Dog Swim or Be Bathed?

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If your dog just got flea medicine and is now staring at a pool, a lake, or the bathtub like it is their life’s calling, you are not alone. The tricky part is that “flea medicine” can mean two totally different delivery styles, and water matters a lot for one...

Canine Coronavirus Diarrhea vs Parvo

A curious nose. A very waggy welcome. If a puppy suddenly has diarrhea, it is normal for our brains to leap straight to one scary word: parvo . But there is another contagious virus that can look similar at first sniff, especially in young dogs: canine enteric coronavirus . Despite the name, this...

Paraphimosis in Dogs

I am a veterinary assistant in Frisco, Texas, and one of the scariest calls I get from dog parents is, “My dog’s penis is out and it won’t go back in.” If that is happening to your dog, you are right to take it seriously. Paraphimosis can go from uncomfortable to urgent fast because the exposed...