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Parvo Virus

2023-07-11T14:31:57-07:00December 13th, 2020|Dogs|

Disease associated with the canine parvovirus started appearing around 1978. It is postulated that this virus is a mutation of the feline distemper virus. Since so few dogs had developed natural antibodies in the late 1970's, a large number of dogs died from this disease. In some cases, the virus affected the heart, and caused death within a few hours. We can still remember people coming into our clinic in droves to get their dogs vaccinated. There was no parvo vaccine for dogs then, since we did not even know what parvo was. The vaccine we gave initially was the

Mammary Cancer (Breast Tumor)

2020-12-12T20:39:09-08:00December 12th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

These preventable tumors are the most common tumor in female dogs as they age. They do occur in males, but this is a rare occurrence. Up to 50% of these tumors in dogs are malignant. The specific cause of this problem is unknown, although there is a very strong correlation to hormones, especially in the dog. Some tumors become so large that they can become ulcerated and painful, leading to the potential of an infection that spreads to the rest of the body (sepsis or septicemia). Why someone would wait for a tumor to get this large before seeking our medical care is beyond us. 

Neuter – Canine Laser

2021-07-10T17:55:53-07:00December 8th, 2020|Dogs|

Long Beach Animal Hospital offers canine laser neuter services for dog owners in Southern CA One of the most common surgical procedures we perform is a dog neuter, know medically as an orchectomy. It is performed for several reasons: It minimizes roaming It minimizes aggressive behavior It prevents male dogs from impregnating females It prevents most prostate problems This is what the prostate gland looks during ultrasound  At the Long Beach Animal Hospital use of the laster is mandatory for all neuters. In this page we will first show you the surgery using the laser, then the traditional way this surgery

Kidney Disease (Chronic Kidney Disease) or Chronic Renal Failure

2024-03-03T19:11:05-08:00October 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

2023-10-24T15:15:59-07:00October 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

Urinary Stones and Sludge (hypercalciuria)

2021-02-18T10:12:00-08:00October 7th, 2020|Rabbit|

Rabbits are prone to problems of the urinary tract, including Urinary Stones and Sludge (hypercalciuria).  These problems range from irritating sludge in the bladder, to kidney problems,  to the formation of a bladder stone that needs surgical removal. Sludge is urine thickened by calcium salts to the point of being chalky and thick in consistency, sometimes as thick as toothpaste. This causes problems in the urinary bladder usually, although it can occur in the kidneys or ureters. There are many factors why a rabbit might get this problem, so it is important to address all of them. Rabbits make wonderful pets,

Mast Cell Tumor

2021-05-27T06:20:44-07:00June 18th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

Up to 20% of dogs will get a malignant Mast Cell Tumor (MCT) in their lifetime, making it the most common tumor we encounter in dogs. Other names for MCT are mast cell sarcoma, histiocytic mastocytoma, and mastocytosis. This disease has a cutaneous form (skin) and a systemic form (internal organs).  The cutaneous form is more prevalent, and is sometimes referred to as the “great pretender” because the skin growth appearance is so variable.  What might seem like just a minor swelling or inflamed area can be a highly malignant cancer. It might also be called the “great fooler” because most people

Lymph Node Diseases

2021-04-01T05:37:07-07:00June 18th, 2020|Cats, Dogs|

The lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system. They have several important functions regarding the immune system, and are good indicators of disease. The mammalian body has many internal lymph nodes. These can only be visualized by exploratory surgery, a CT scan, an MRI, a radiograph, or an ultrasound. If you would like to compare animal to people lymph nodes the Mayo Clinic web site has a nice explanation. Check it out after reading this page. During a physical exam the external ones can be palpated to determine if they are enlarged. The medical term for enlarged external lymph

Liver Disease Summary Page

2020-06-08T13:42:19-07:00June 8th, 2020|

The largest organ in the body is the liver, an indication of its importance in health. It is involved with almost all of the biochemical pathways that allow growth, fight disease, supply nutrients, provide energy, and aid reproduction. Liver cells, which are called hepatocytes, go through thousands of chemical reactions every second in order to perform these myriad functions. Since the liver is involved with almost all biochemical processes it is no wonder that there are many different diseases that will affect it. This page will cover some of the more important ones we see in animals. Even though it

Namibia- Where Desert and Ocean Meet

2022-08-13T16:55:17-07:00May 18th, 2020|Wildlife Photography Blog|

After my Botswana trip I met up with a different assistant photographer and went to Namibia. My overall observations of Namibia are very positive; great guide, friendly people, interesting desert, and great wildlife viewing. If you like landscape photography, in addition to great wildlife viewing and photography, Namibia is for you. Namibia is a desert country, with beautiful sand dunes that go right up to the ocean. There is more to Namibia than desert, but the desert is unique, and is what I will emphasize on this page. The people that work in the tourism industry want you to have a nice time, and

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