While November is known by many as American Diabetes Month®, bringing awareness to the risk factors and management of diabetes in humans, it’s also Pet Diabetes Month. One in every 230 cats and one in every 300 dogs are affected by diabetes, making awareness of the signs and symptoms of this illness in dogs and cats critical for every pet owner to know.

Seizures can be a terrifying event for everyone involved and, unfortunately, are often are a symptom of something much more serious. As veterinarians, we understand that owners may often feel a sense of helplessness when their beloved pet starts to seize. From getting your dog through a seizure and the next steps at your veterinarian’s office, here's everything you need to know.

November 7th marks National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day. Founded in 2015 by respected agility dog trainer Terry Simons, this annual event seeks to raise awareness for one of the most common types of malignant cancer in dogs. Terry’s beloved dog, Reveille, was diagnosed with this devastating illness in 2011, and despite valiant efforts, she passed away about a year later.

Canine influenza, or dog flu, is on the rise across the country. With many communities experiencing significant upticks in cases, pet parents need to familiarize themselves with this highly contagious disease. As your dog’s veterinarian, we are here to help you keep your precious pup healthy and happy. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to protect your dog during illness outbreaks. Here’s what you need to know about canine influenza.

As veterinarians, we’ve noticed that many people tend to think that rabies is a thing of the past, but, unfortunately, that’s not the reality. According to the CDC, approximately 5,000 animal rabies cases are reported annually, with more than 90 percent of those occurring in wildlife. So while dogs and cats are no longer getting rabies as much as they did in the mid-1900s, the principal hosts in the U.S. today are raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

This article was written in response to the June 10th, 2021 report of the 34 pets (33 dogs and one cat) entering the United States through O’Hare Airport from Azerbaijan, as one of the dogs in the group tested positive for rabies in Pennsylvania. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has launched a multi-state public health investigation after at least 12 people were exposed to the rabid dog imported from overseas. The location of the other imported pets has not been released.

As much as we wish they could, dogs can’t communicate pain, illness, or discomfort with words or even woofs. Instead, changes we notice in their demeanor, eating habits, or shifts in their routine hopefully make us stop and take notice of a potential problem. Dogs instinctively avoid revealing that something is wrong, so it’s up to the dog owner to stay consistently alert and spot illness early to avoid complications.

So your pet’s been diagnosed with diabetes. Don’t panic! As veterinarians, we understand how distressing this diagnosis can be but, with proper treatment, exercise, nutrition, and monitoring, your pet can still lead a long, happy, and primarily healthy life.