Author Archives: Doc

Fasting for 12 hours before anesthesia

We always tell folks to take away the pet's food the night before any procedure that will require anesthetic:  surgery, dental cleanings or extractions, whatever.  If the patient will be unconscious in the hospital, we want an empty stomach.  If you take away any food twelve hours before the procedure, that usually gets us an […]

What to name the cat?

 In a way this is more about the subject of names in general, but I’ll get to cat names eventually.  If you can’t wait, just scroll down to the last paragraph with the picture of the yellow cat. In some primitive societies (and some ancient societies, and some societies in literature of the fantastic), it […]

Peanut Butter artificially sweetened with Xylitol is dangerous for your dog

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is relatively well tolerated by most people.  It is in lots of "sugar-free" or artificially sweetened products, from candy to gum to nutritional supplements like melatonin. Now there are a few brands of peanut butter that contain it.  Xylitol in pets can cause life-threatening episodes of low blood sugar, […]