Some intestinal parasites are zoonotic, or can pass to people, though it’s thankfully uncommon. The coccidia pets carry stay species specific and do not infect people, but giardia can make the jump to humans, especially young children, and a pet carrying one parasite often carries others. Roundworms and hookworms, which spread to people far more [...]

Good colostrum, clean calving ground, and vaccinating cows ahead of calving prevent a large share of scours cases, and oral electrolytes save most of the calves that break with it anyway, as long as treatment starts early. The limit comes when a calf is too weak to stand, has lost the suckle reflex, or shows [...]

A pet crosses into heat stroke territory once their core temperature climbs past roughly 104 degrees and panting stops being enough to cool them down. Look for gums that flush bright red or turn dusky, thick ropy drool, vomiting, a wobbly walk, or a dog or cat who lies flat and will not get back [...]

A sudden hind-leg limp in a dog is often a torn cranial cruciate ligament (CCL), the canine version of the ACL in a human knee. This band of tissue keeps the shinbone from sliding forward inside the knee, so when it tears the joint becomes unstable and painful, and it does not heal on its [...]

In a dairy herd, mastitis gets caught fast, because someone has hands on every udder twice a day. In a beef herd or a meat sheep and goat flock, no one is milking, so an infected quarter can go unnoticed until a calf looks gaunt, a bag turns hard and lopsided, or a lamb stops [...]

The dog gear most likely to land your dog at the vet is, frustratingly, some of the most popular: dense chews that crack teeth, toys that break into swallowable pieces, retractable leashes, and collars that tighten on the neck. The products that cause injuries are rarely the ones that look dangerous on the shelf. They [...]

The most effective dental routine is the one your pet will actually tolerate, which is not always the one that works best in a laboratory study. Some dogs and cats accept a toothbrush without complaint; others treat it as a deeply offensive personal affront. The good news is that the toolbox for home dental care [...]

The reddish-brown streaks under the eyes of a Maltese, Bichon Frisé, or Poodle are one of those things that you might accept as just "part of the breed." And while certain breeds are genuinely predisposed to staining, the staining itself isn't benign background noise. It usually signals excessive tear production, impaired tear drainage, or both, [...]

There is a moment most pet families know well: you are running your hand along your dog's side and notice an area where the fur is thinner than it should be, or you spot a smooth, hairless patch on your cat's belly that you are positive was not there last month. Hair on the couch [...]

You've cleaned up vomit more times than you can count this month, and you're starting to wonder whether this is just how things are now or whether something is actually wrong. If your dog or cat has been vomiting regularly for more than two to three weeks, the answer is almost certainly the latter. Chronic [...]