What is Cephalic Index in Dogs and Cats?
What is Cephalic Index in Dogs and Cats?
A Cephalic Index is a relationship between width and length of the skull. Breeds with equal cranial width and length are called Mesaticephalic e.g. Golden Retrievers, Cocker Spaniel. Breeds with cranial widths greater than lengths are referred to as Brachycephalic e.g. Boston terrier, Pugs. Breeds with cranial lengths greater than width are referred to as Dolichocephalic.
Why is Cephalic...
moreCOMPOUNDED CREAM FOR RADIATION DERMATITIS OR SHINGLES PAIN
What is Radiation Dermatitis or Shingles Pain? Radiation burn or Radiation Dermatitis is a common side effect of external beam radiation therapy to treat some form of cancer. Radiation can make skin sore, peel, itch or turn red. Shingles pain is caused when person suffers from shingles.
What formulations are available commercially to treat Radiation Dermatitis and Shingles Pain? Commercially available formulations include emollient...
moreNovel Compounded Medications for Anal Fissure Pain
What is Anal Fissure?
An Anal Fissure is a small tear in a thin, moist tissue (mucosa) that lines the anus. Fissures result from the stretching of your anal mucosa beyond its normal capacity. This often happens when stools are hard due to constipation. Once the tear happens, it leads to repeated injury. The exposed internal sphincter muscle beneath the tear goes into spasm. This causes severe pain. The spasm also pulls the edges of the...
moreCanine Epilepsy
What is Canine Epilepsy?
Canine Epilepsy is one of the most common ailments. There is usually no obvious cause and seizure threshold is simply decreased. However, genetic predisposition is suspected in German Shepherds, Belgian Tervurens, Keeshonds, Beagles, Dachshunds, Labrador Retrievers, Shetland Sheepdogs, Irish Wolfhounds, Bernese Mountain Dogs and English Springer Spaniels. Onset typically occurs between 6 months...
moreAntibiotics for Cats and Dogs
Did you know that not all the antibiotics that may be suitable for your dog may not be suitable for your cat? One such example is a common antibiotic called Enrofloxacin (Baytril). Enrofloxacin (Baytril) is a commonly administered antibiotic to dogs however when the same antibiotic if administered to cats may cause retinal toxicity and blindness. The reason is because in cats there are specific amino acid changes in the ABCG2 transporter at...
moreAll About the Base
All About That Base: A Guide
Precision is Key
When we compound a cream or gel, a lot of work goes into putting it together just right. The ingredients are weighed out to the thousandth of a gram, the particles are reduced to a fifth the diameter of a human hair, and the whole thing is mixed in a planetary rotation at...
moreDog's Sense of Smell
Smell is the dog’s most keen sense. A dog’s sense of smell is said to be 1,000 times more sensitive than a human’s. Dogs have an extra olfactory organ called the vomeronasal organ or Jacobson’s organ. This organ is important in detecting pheromones and possibly body scents. Dogs continually sniff the air, ground and things nearby to get information on what is happening around them. The design of the nostrils accommodates this process. A dog’s...
moreBrachycephalism (honking cough in canines)
Introduction:
Breeds (Pugs, Boston Terriers, Bull Dogs, Mastiffs and Shih Tzus) that have significantly shorter muzzles and tracheas are referred to as brachycephalic. This characteristic predisposes these breeds to respiratory difficulties such as collapsing trachea. Tracheal collapse is a condition which is characterized by loss in diameter of the airway due to changes in the structure of the trachea caused by lack of chondroitin...
moreEar Infections in Dogs (CANINE OTITIS EXTERNA)
Ear Infections in Dogs (CANINE OTITIS EXTERNA)
Introduction:
Canine otitis externa accounts for 10‐13% of veterinary hospital visits, according to an article in Today’s Veterinary Practice. One common characteristic among breeds that have a tendency toward this condition is pendulous pinnae, or floppy ears. It is especially common in breeds such as...
moreVETERINARY COMPOUNDING FOR BIRDS
FEATHER PICKING
Definition:
Feather picking in pet birds is an obsessive, destructive behavior pattern whereby a bird plucks, amputates, chews or, in some other way, destroys some or most of its feathers that it can reach with its beak.
Causes:
- Environmental: Inappropriate cage size, Lack of sunlight, stressful noises
- Nutritional...