Coralsnake envenomation is an uncommon but very dangerous occurrence throughout the southern United States. Coralsnakes are in the family Elapidae with other snakes such as cobras, kraits, and sea snakes; they are the only elapids native to North America. As with pit vipers, envenomations can range from mild to severe. However, unlike most pit vipers,…
Non-traditional Diets and DCM Update: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a devastating disease of the heart muscle which causes the heart to become enlarged with poor pumping function. It is the second most common heart disease in the dog with chronic degenerative valve disease representing 75% of cardiovascular disease in this species. Primary DCM is presumed…
What is Vet BLUE®? FAST is an acronym that stands for Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma. It is an ultrasound exam developed by trauma surgeons (yes trauma surgeons) in the 1990s and used in people as a screening test for the detection of free fluid in the abdominal cavity, ascites, and the pleural cavity…
Pit viper envenomation is a common emergency throughout a large portion of the United States. Pit vipers are snakes in the family Crotalinae and include rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. Envenomations may range from mild to severe. Dry bites—where no venom is injected—can occur, but are rare and happen in fewer than 15% of cases. This…
This post is provided courtesy of Euthabag and was previously published on their website In 20 years of wearing my veterinary coat, I have seen the craziest situations. From a cat with an arrow through its epaxial muscles to a 200lb man crying more at the death of his dog than his mother. I have…
AFAST® and Its Target-organ Approach for Soft Tissue Abnormalities What is AFAST®? FAST is an acronym that stands for Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma. It is an ultrasound exam developed by trauma surgeons (yes trauma surgeouns) in the 1990s and used as a screening test for the detection of free fluid in the abdominal…
AFAST® and Its Abdominal Fluid Scoring System What is AFAST®? FAST is an acronym that stands for Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma. It is an ultrasound exam developed by trauma surgeons in the 1990s and used as a screening test for the detection of free fluid in the abdominal cavity, ascites, and the pleural…
I never really wanted to be an expert in pet food safety, but as soon as I started as a veterinary toxicologist in the state of New York, we had a disaster. It was 2005, around the winter holidays, and dogs were getting sick, really sick. Many died, bleeding into their lungs and intestines. The…
