Wildlife blog of Dr. Palazzolo and the Long Beach Animal Hospital

Ear Cleaning

Carl Palazzolo2021-05-27T18:56:24-07:00October 10th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

One of the most important things you can do to keep your pet's ears clean and healthy is to clean them periodically, especially if they have been prone to infection. This page will show you the proper technique using a medium sized dog as an example. The technique for a cat is similar, the only major difference is in restraint. No matter which species you are restraining, pick a room that is quiet and free of small children. Please let one of our nurses give you an actual demonstration of this technique to develop your confidence. Before we institute any

Dog and Cat Allergic Dermatitis

Carl Palazzolo2021-12-12T17:07:38-08:00October 10th, 2020|Cats, Dogs, Skin Conditions|

Allergies are a common cause of skin conditions in dogs and cats, along with other species. This type of allergy goes by several names; the most common are atopy, allergic skin disease, or allergic inhalant dermatitis (AID). The main difference between us and dog and cats is that allergies in pets tend to cause skin conditions and ear problems, as opposed to the runny eyes, runny noses, and sneezing we encounter in people. Symptoms typically include scratching and itching, although many other skin conditions can cause itching. This itching is called pruritus. Allergies can be hard to control and

Kidney Disease (Chronic Kidney Disease) or Chronic Renal Failure

Carl Palazzolo2024-03-03T19:11:05-08:00October 8th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

This page describing kidney disease is very thorough, with pictures and information on anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, in addition to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. If you pace yourself and set aside the time to read it you will get through it. We have a summary page on kidney disease if this page is too detailed. Even though this page is thorough, the physiology of the kidneys is complicated, and only a summary of how the kidneys work is presented on this page. How the kidneys regulate water consumption and urine production are controlled by complex and highly refined interactions between plasma

GI Stasis (hairballs) in Rabbits

Carl Palazzolo2023-10-24T15:15:59-07:00October 7th, 2020|Rabbit|

This disease is sometimes called Rabbit Gastrointestinal (GI) Syndrome, abbreviated as RGIS. Like many diseases, its cause is multifactorial, and includes anorexia (not eating), gastric ulcers, and intestinal hypomobility (intestines do not move food along in normal peristalsis). Gastrointestinal stasis is a common cause of digestive disease in rabbits (lagomorphs). In most cases at our hospital the cause is a diet that is too low in fiber. You will sometimes read the term "ileus" when talking about this disease. Ileus occurs when the normal intestinal movement of food through the intestines, called peristalsis, stops. Normal digestion is dependent on normal peristalsis

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Carl Palazzolo2021-05-27T18:53:13-07:00October 7th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

Many dogs and cats are living longer than in the recent past, and unfortunately, are acquiring diseases that were not commonly seen in the recent past. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of these diseases. High blood pressure (BP) can be primary, where the cause is unknown. In most animals though, it is secondary to some other disease. The increase in blood pressure affects many organs, particularly the liver, eyes, kidneys, and heart. Hypertension hastens the progression of these diseases, and substantially predisposes your cat to blindness. Dogs can get high blood pressure due to various diseases, but we see the problem more