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It's not that often that we see a primary kidney cancer in a young pet. This page will show you how we diagnosed and treated it on a one year old Basenji. This story emphasizes how fast things change, and a pet that is perfectly healthy on a physical exam and blood panel, can change for the worse in a short period of time. If this owner had not brought this dog in for an exam this dog would have died. This is why Wellness Exams are recommended every year, and more often on senior pets. It also shows the

IBD is an inflammatory condition of the stomach, small intestines, or large intestines (the gastrointestinal (GI) tract).  It is sometimes called Idiopathic IDB. The Idiopathic part means that the cause of the condition is unknown. IBD tends to be chronic in nature.  It is one of the most common conditions of the gastrointestinal tract diagnosed in pets, especially in cats. Despite its prevalence, it is one of the least understood conditions, especially regarding cause. Some pets respond well to treatment, others do not. Some cases of IBD involve the liver and pancreas. In this case there are 3 diseases occurring, and we

Addison's Disease is an endocrine (hormonal) disease of the adrenal glands of dogs (it's very rare in cats) involves inadequate hormone levels of cortisol (cortisone) and electrolytes (sodium and potassium). The scientific name for this disease is hypoadrenocorticism. This unusual disease can show a vast array of different symptoms, symptoms that can mimic other diseases. The University of California at Davis vet school has been using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to aid in diagnosis. The Canine Genetic Analysis Project at UC Davis is using genetics to help in diagnosis also. There is even a version of this disease called "atypical", which

In the past, we may have accepted a declining quality of life for our aging pets as a fact of life beyond our control. Thanks to advances in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever before. Like humans, older dogs and cats are more likely to encounter health problems than younger pets. Most humanoids are practicing preventive medicine as they age- routine physical exams, breast exams, prostate exams, blood pressure checkups, blood panels and dietary changes. Dogs and cats need similar preventive medicine at this age. Since they age approximately 7 years for every 1 year of human life,

Spleen Disease (Hemangiosarcoma, Hematoma) It is not uncommon for us to encounter problems with the spleen. Sometimes it just enlarges without any major problems, sometimes it twists on itself, sometimes it ruptures and causes internal bleeding, and sometimes it becomes cancerous. A rupturing spleen is called a hematoma. Cancer of the spleen is called hemangiosarcoma (abbreviated as HSA). In breeds that have a high incidence of splenic cancer we recommend yearly exams starting at 5 years of age, with blood panels, radiographs and ultrasounds. This will enable us to catch this problem early before complications start and it spreads, since

This page confirms the importance of routine yearly exams, and close owner observation, on our pets. Large breed dogs can be stoic, and have significant problems brewing without showing any outward signs. When serious symptoms like weight loss and lack of appetite finally show up, the disease process is usually well entrenched, and there is little we can do. This can happen with an enlarged spleen in dogs. We want to see these pets for an exam at the Long Beach Animal Hospital before it gets to that stage. Pets are masters at hiding illness, so it can be difficult to