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Is Your Dog’s Diet Heartbreaking?

The pet food industry has changed dramatically in the past ten years. One of the changes we have seen is a shift toward popular “grain free” diets for dogs. Veterinarians have long recognized that these diets aren’t nutritionally superior but many consumers are understandably swayed by excellent marketing campaigns. Although veterinarians receive extensive training in

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Blue Green Algae in the Pacific Northwest

Blue-green algae (BGA) blooms are a phenomenon that has been on the rise here in the Pacific Northwest over the last few decades. Blue-green algae is actually a type of bacteria known as cyanobacteria (“cyano” = blue-green) which, under the right conditions, can bloom and take over a lake, pond, river, stream or estuary. The

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Help Your Pet Live and Breathe Easier

Just like people, dogs and cats can suffer from asthma and/or bronchitis. Owners will often notice their pet having a persistent productive or nonproductive cough, maybe exercise intolerance, difficult or prolonged exhalation, and wheezing. Asthma and bronchitis result when something causes inflammation of the airways and the air sacs that make up the lung tissue.

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A Guardian Angel for Local Pets

Imagine how you’d feel if you were financially strapped and couldn’t afford veterinary care for a beloved pet who was ill or injured. That’s what happened to a local veteran with PTSD when his emotional support dog Bilbo developed bladder stones. Untreated, these stones can cause blockage of the bladder and be fatal. Luckily, Orchard

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4 Tips for a Purr-fectly Safe Howliday!

There’s lots of fun to be had during the holidays, but also quite a few hazards for your pet. Here are a few safety tips to keep your pet jolly this season. Keep chocolate and sweets out of reach. The darker the chocolate, the higher the concentrations of caffeine and theobromine, two substances that are

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Tibial-Plateau-Leveling Osteotomy (TPLO)

A tibial-plateau-leveling osteotomy (TPLO) is an advanced surgical procedure performed on dogs to repair the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). Similar to an ACL in humans, this ligament supports the knee by continuously bearing the dog’s body weight and preventing the femur from sliding against the tibia. This constant tension leaves the CCL highly vulnerable to

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Heartworm Disease

Some facts about heartworm disease: Adult heartworms live in the pulmonary arteries of infected dogs. If left untreated is can be fatal to your pet. Some dogs may show no signs at all. Treatment in difficult and costly and complications may occur. ​Heartworm disease is transmitted from dog to dog through mosquitoes. If affects thousands

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Springtime Dangers

It’s that time of year again where we glove up and get to work in the garden! But before you start planting flowers and laying down fertilizers, make sure to keep your pet’s safety in mind. Here is a list of some common garden items that can be harmful to your pet: Flowers: Tulips Hyacinth

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What is Heartworm Disease?

What causes heartworm disease? Heartworm disease or dirofilariasis is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs. It is caused by a blood-borne parasite called Dirofilaria immitis. Heartworms are found in the heart and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. The female worm is 6 to 14 inches long (15 to 36 cm) and

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Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Chinese Medicine

Oliver is Orchard Hills Animal Hospital’s clinic cat. He is 11 years old and has a chronic history of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is an inflammation of the GI tract that disrupts the absorption and motility of the GI tract causing vomiting and or diarrhea. Oliver had been at Orchard Hills since 2010