French bulldogs, with their unusual flat faces, adorable bat-wing ears, and big eyes, have been a recognizable and beloved breed in North America for 150 years and have now captured the hearts of dog lovers worldwide. These compact yet charming canines make excellent companions, but they require specialized care and attention. Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty [...]
Pets explore their world with their mouths, so they often suffer from oral or facial injuries that require immediate care. Whether your pet gnawed on a stick, tried to escape from their kennel, or darted into traffic, they can damage their teeth. Your pet’s dental emergency can be distressing, but prompt action and veterinary care [...]
Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease is one of the most common reasons for canine hind limb lameness, pain, and ensuing arthritis. Our Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center team often sees dogs affected by this condition, and we provide information to help you understand CCL disease and how it is addressed. Normal canine knee [...]
Our emergency veterinary team has seen it all—from trauma, to rare diseases, to everything in between. Although pet emergencies occur year-round, the Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center team often sees an uptick in certain case types around the holidays. We want pet owners to understand when and why holiday pet emergencies occur, so [...]
Female pets who are not spayed are at an increased risk for several serious health conditions, including several cancer types. Because risk increases with each successive reproductive cycle, our Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center team recommends that all female pets not slated for breeding be spayed by their primary care veterinarian as a [...]
You may try to overlook your four-legged family member’s expanding waistline, but excess weight can be a serious detriment to your pet’s health. Obesity is a huge problem in the United States, with more than half the pet population being considered overweight or obese. Many pet owners do not realize that a few extra pounds [...]
Animals’ stress response evolved to help them prepare to face danger. However, this response often does more harm than good for domestic cats. Chronically elevated stress hormones can lead to a cat’s physical and behavioral disease manifestations, which can diminish their quality of life and degrade the pet-owner bond. Everyday events that roll off your [...]
Mixing children and pets makes for adorable photos and touching moments, but the combination can also lead to dangerous pet bites. A child’s unpredictable and unfamiliar movements can frighten or stress some pets, and children do not always understand how to read or understand a pet’s body language. The most docile of pets will bite [...]
Arizona’s hot summer days can be dangerous for your pet. Temperatures can skyrocket well above three-digit figures, and the sun’s UV rays can reach extreme 11-plus levels. Our Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center team doesn’t want you or your pet to sweat, so we provide information that will help keep your pet safe [...]
Scratching is an appropriate behavior for cats, but you likely have trouble appreciating your cat’s natural instincts when they are shredding your sofa. This month, the Southern Arizona Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center team is opening the Nail File, to make a case for encouraging and cultivating feline scratching behaviors. We present tips for redirecting [...]
