Category Archives: Dogs

National Dog Bite Prevention Week is next week, April 12-18. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there are approximately 90 million dogs in the United States, and 45% of households have at least one dog. In 2023, liability claims for dog bite and dog-related injuries topped $1 billion. Not surprisingly, the states with the highest number of dog bite insurance claims are also the most populous states: New York, California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia and New Jersey. Unfortunately, children are the most common victims of dog bite injuries. Clearly there is a need to do more to prevent this public health threat. The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center is here to help. In this blogpost, we’ll share tips on preventing and responding to bite injuries.

I debated long and hard about writing a blogpost on diarrhea the day before Thanksgiving. It seems like I should write about gratitude, but the diarrhea topic won out. Why?

November 7th is Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day. This is a day dedicated to helping dog families recognize the signs of lymphoma, understand how it affects dogs and learn what to expect from lymphoma treatment. With those goals in mind, I’ve written today’s blogpost to answer common questions about canine lymphoma, one of the most frequently diagnosed types of canine cancer.

When I was a kid, our family dog ate the edges of my mother’s beautiful living room drapes. Because she loved that dog more than her children, she blamed us for touching the drapes with sticky fingers. In her mind, the food residue on the drapes enticed the dog to eat them and thus, the dog, but not the children, were forgiven. Fast forward to the present and, as a veterinarian at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center, I routinely encounter patients who eat items with no nutritional value, a condition called “pica.” If you follow us on Facebook and Instagram, you’ve seen the dramatic x-rays of animals that have eaten items like a string of lights, an airtag, rocks, magnets, an ethernet cable and all manner of other non-food items. Today’s blog takes a closer look at pica—what it is, why it happens, and why it matters.

Every month, I answer pet owner questions on the Ask the Vet podcast, or when I’m invited on Dr. Frank Adams’ Pets and Your Health program on SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio. It’s not often that a caller stumps me, but a few weeks ago someone asked about the poodle fading gene—a term I had not heard of before. Apparently, poodle owners have noticed a progressively lightening or "fading” in poodles’ coats over time, and suspect a genetic connection. After a lot of reading, this blogpost will “shed” some light on the poodle fading gene.