Sneezing Dog? Think Foxtails!

images[10]My dog is sneezing like crazy all of a sudden in fits and won’t stop- what’s going on?

Just like humans, a dog’s nose is very sensitive to irritation, often resulting in a violent sneezing fit to dislodge whatever is causing the discomfort. In the case of most dogs, especially in California, the foxtail is all too often the culprit. Continue…

Flea Treatments Are Not Equal

Carlos ActivylThat insufferable scratching…

Is your pet’s itching driving you crazy? If so, you’re not alone! “Flea season” is upon us and it has come with a vengeance this year.

But wait! My pet can’t have fleas- I use flea treatments regularly to take care of that problem.

Unfortunately, in our practice, we’ve been noticing a marked rise in flea resistance to many of the popular spot-on flea treatments recently, especially to drugs like fipronil. In other words, you, the pet owner, are doing everything right by applying your flea prevention regularly, but it’s not killing the fleas as effectively anymore. The result: utter frustration (and itchiness). Continue…

Itchy, Smelly Ears? Think Infection!

floppy earsHave you noticed your dog shaking its head recently, or yelping when you touch its ears? And what is that smell?

Just like people, dogs can, and often do, get ear infections. Some dogs are lucky (if you can call it that) and only get a one-time ear infection, perhaps after going swimming. Others are less fortunate and are predisposed to chronic ear infections, which can lead to intense itching or even pain if severe. Continue…