In July 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began investigating reports of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods, many labeled as “grain-free” and containing a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes in various forms. While the FDA and veterinary scientists have yet to
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February is American Heart Month in recognition of the more than 600,000 Americans who die from heart disease every year. In a normal year, heart disease is the number one cause of death and affects people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Risk factors include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and these days, COVID-19. Since
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Starting with the ancient Egyptians and continuing through the 19th century, bloodletting – the therapeutic removal of blood from the body – was a commonly practiced medical procedure. According to Hippocrates, illness was caused by an imbalance of the four basic humors: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile. Procedures such as bloodletting, purging, catharsis and
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Valentine’s Day was last weekend and that holiday has me thinking of hearts. I’m not thinking of the chocolate-covered marshmallow type (although I gratefully accepted all bestowed upon me) – I’m thinking about the heart health of your favorite fur person. It’s a timely thought since the National Institutes of Health’s Heart, Lung and Blood
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In addition to February being National Pet Dental Month, this month is also American Heart Month. Usually I write about canine or feline heart disease in February, but this year, I am going to take a different approach and talk about how your dog keeps your heart healthy. According to the Centers for Disease Control,
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