Hypertriglyceridemia in Dogs and Cats: Why This Lab Abnormality Matters Hypertriglyceridemia in dogs and cats is often dismissed as an incidental laboratory finding, particularly when patients appear clinically well. However, elevated triglyceride concentrations can reflect significant underlying disease and, in some cases, directly contribute to life-threatening complications. For both pet owners and veterinary professionals, recognizing when hypertriglyceridemia is clinically relevant is essential to protecting patient health. Triglycerides are a form of circulating lipid transported primarily within chylomicrons and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs).

Elevated triglycerides in dogs and cats are more than a lab abnormality—they may signal serious disease. Learn the causes, risks, and when hypertriglyceridemia requires urgent attention.

Feline Diabetes Mellitus in Cats: A Practical Guide for Owners and Veterinary Professionals What Is Feline Diabetes Mellitus? Feline diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disorder characterized by insufficient insulin activity and persistent hyperglycemia. Regardless of cause, all affected cats experience pancreatic beta cell dysfunction or failure, preventing normal blood glucose regulation. Most cats develop a disease comparable to type 2 diabetes in humans where insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion occur simultaneously.

Feline diabetes mellitus is a common but manageable disease. Learn key signs, causes, treatment options, and how early intervention, insulin therapy, and nutrition can improve outcomes and even lead to remission in cats.

Canine Diabetes Mellitus: A Practical, Evidence-Based Guide for Veterinarians and Dog Owners Introduction Canine diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common and clinically significant endocrinopathies in dogs, yet it remains widely misunderstood by both pet owners and clinicians. Rather than a single disease, canine DM represents a heterogeneous syndrome that ultimately converges on one endpoint: absolute insulin deficiency. For dog owners, this diagnosis can feel overwhelming. For veterinary professionals, it presents a complex interplay of pathophysiology, client communication, and long-term management.

Canine diabetes mellitus is a common, insulin-dependent disease requiring lifelong management. With appropriate insulin therapy, monitoring, and client support, most dogs can achieve good quality of life and meaningful survival.

SGLT2 Inhibitors in Dogs: Emerging Uses in Diabetes and Heart Disease What Are SGLT2 Inhibitors? Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a class of medications that lower blood glucose by blocking renal glucose reabsorption, resulting in glucosuria. In practical terms, these drugs allow excess glucose to be excreted in the urine rather than retained in the bloodstream. This mechanism is independent of insulin, which differentiates them from most traditional diabetic therapies. In human medicine, SGLT2 inhibitors such as dapagliflozin and empagliflozin have become foundational therapies not only for diabetes mellitus, but also for heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

SGLT2 inhibitors are emerging adjunct therapies in dogs, showing promise for improving glycemic control and potentially benefiting heart disease. While early studies suggest good tolerability, they do not replace insulin and remain investigational pending larger trials.

Salivary Mucoceles in Dogs: What Every Pet Owner and Veterinary Professional Should Know What Is a Salivary Mucocele? A salivary mucocele is the most common disorder of the salivary glands in dogs. Rather than a true cyst with an epithelial lining, a mucocele represents an extravasation of saliva into surrounding tissues following leakage from a damaged salivary gland or duct. The body reacts to this saliva as an irritant, resulting in a localized collection of thick, mucoid fluid surrounded by inflammatory tissue.

Salivary mucoceles are common, non-painful swellings caused by saliva leakage under the skin or tongue. Early recognition matters. If you notice a soft swelling on your dog, have it checked. Treatment is highly effective and outcomes are excellent.

Salivary Mucoceles in Dogs: What Every Pet Owner and Veterinary Professional Should Know What Is a Salivary Mucocele? A salivary mucocele is the most common disorder of the salivary glands in dogs. Rather than a true cyst with an epithelial lining, a mucocele represents an extravasation of saliva into surrounding tissues following leakage from a damaged salivary gland or duct. The body reacts to this saliva as an irritant, resulting in a localized collection of thick, mucoid fluid surrounded by inflammatory tissue.

Salivary mucoceles are common, non-painful swellings caused by saliva leakage under the skin or tongue. Early recognition matters. If you notice a soft swelling on your dog, have it checked. Treatment is highly effective and outcomes are excellent.

N-Acetylcysteine in Feline Acute Decompensated Chronic Kidney Disease: Emerging Clinical Evidence for Renal Biomarker Improvement Chronic kidney disease remains one of the most prevalent and clinically challenging disorders in geriatric feline patients. Although fluid therapy, nutritional management, and blood pressure control form the backbone of treatment, clinicians continue to seek adjunctive strategies that target the pathophysiology of disease progression. Increasing evidence implicates oxidative stress as a key driver of renal injury in cats with CKD. Consequently, antioxidant therapies deserve careful evaluation in acute decompensated chronic kidney disease.

A double-blind clinical trial found that intravenous N-acetylcysteine significantly reduced creatinine, SDMA, BUN, and proteinuria in cats with acute decompensated chronic kidney disease compared with fluids alone, supporting oxidative stress modulation as a promising adjunct therapy.

Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome in Cats: Evidence, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome in cats (FHS) describes episodic, abnormal skin sensitivity and neurobehavioral events that often center on the lumbosacral back and tail base. Many owners notice sudden “skin rolling,” tail lashing, frantic running, or intense grooming that seems to switch on and off. Clinically, FHS remains a diagnosis of exclusion. In other words, you confirm it by ruling out common conditions that look the same, such as flea allergy dermatitis, painful spinal disease, or focal seizure activity.

Feline hyperesthesia syndrome causes episodic skin twitching, tail chasing, and frantic behavior in cats. It overlaps dermatology, pain, neurology, and behavior. Diagnosis requires ruling out other causes. Most cats improve with environmental changes and targeted medical therapy.

Chronic Diarrhea in Dogs: How Often Is Cancer Missed on Ultrasound? Chronic diarrhea in dogs creates diagnostic tension. On one hand, inflammatory disease remains far more common. On the other, clinicians and pet owners worry about missing intestinal cancer. So what happens when abdominal ultrasound looks normal? Should you still pursue endoscopic biopsies to rule out neoplasia? A recent retrospective study examined exactly this clinical scenario and offers valuable guidance for decision-making.

Study of 115 dogs with chronic diarrhea and normal ultrasound found cancer in only 2.6%. When imaging shows no masses or wall changes, neoplasia appears uncommon. These data support individualized diagnostic plans and evidence-based discussions about biopsy decisions.

Low-Dose Cosyntropin (1 µg/kg) for Diagnosing Addison’s in Dogs At the 2026 VMX Conference in Orlando, Florida, I had the opportunity to sit in on an outstanding endocrinology presentation by two of my amazing colleagues, Patty Lathan, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM) and Bill Saxon, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), DACVECC. One discussion point clearly captured the room’s attention: what dose of cosyntropin should we use to screen dogs for hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease)?

Low-dose, high-value medicine. 🐩
Using 1 µg/kg cosyntropin accurately diagnoses Addison’s disease in dogs without unnecessary drug waste or added cost. Evidence-based, practical, and patient-centered care.

Veterinary High-Flow Oxygen Therapy: Evidence, Use & Protocols Respiratory distress is one of the most time-sensitive and emotionally charged presentations in veterinary medicine. For patients with moderate to severe hypoxemia, traditional oxygen delivery methods, such as flow-by oxygen, oxygen cages, and low-flow nasal cannulas, may be inadequate to meet inspiratory demand or reduce work of breathing. High-flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) has emerged as a powerful, non-invasive respiratory support modality in veterinary emergency and critical care.

High-flow oxygen therapy (HFOT) delivers heated, humidified oxygen at flow rates that meet inspiratory demand, reducing work of breathing and improving oxygenation. A powerful non-invasive bridge before ventilation in the right patient.
#CriticalCareDVM #VetECC #HFOT

Electrocution in Dogs and Cats: Pulmonary Edema and Treatment Electrocution represents a true medical emergency in dogs and cats. Although clinicians often focus on cardiac dysrhythmias and oral burns, acute respiratory compromise from non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema (NCPE) poses the greatest immediate threat to life. Understanding why pulmonary edema develops after electrical injury and how it differs from cardiogenic disease allows clinicians to intervene early and appropriately. This article reviews the…

⚡️ Electrocution in Dogs & Cats: It’s (Usually) Not the Heart ⚡️

Chewed power cords. Exposed wiring. A patient that looks “okay”… until they suddenly aren’t.

One of the most dangerous complications of electrocution in dogs and cats is non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema (NCPE), and managing it like…

May your day be filled with cozy moments, happy tails, gentle purrs, good food, and a little extra time to slow down and enjoy what matters most.

Enjoy the holiday, hug your pets a little tighter, and stay safe out there.

Accredible • Certificates, Badges and Blockchain Home of digital credentials

I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: NAVC Captivate & Connect: A Speaker's Guide to Impact from North American Veterinary Community (NAVC)! certificates.navc.com/2e085f50-c16...

Breaking veterinary news...

Looking for some fun & practical CE in paradise? Thanks to @vetvacationce, you can join Dr. Amara Estrada and me in Kauai in July 2025 learn some #cardiology, #emergencymedicine, #criticalcare, and #internalmedicine.

Register here: vetvacationce.com/product/kaua...

3️⃣ more practical CE/CPD sessions today at #fetchcharlotte2025 by @dvm360 before heading home. Thanks to @dechraus for sponsoring my presentation on chronic kidney disease #CKD. All of my sessions today will be available #ondemand

I'm excited to be back in the Queen City for #fetchcharlotte2025 by @dvm360. I've got 5 practical presentations ready to share today and tomorrow, and three of them will be available on demand!

1️⃣ CKD
2️⃣ ITP
3️⃣ eDKA
4️⃣ Copper storage hepatopathy
5️⃣ Common Upper Airway Disorders in Dogs

I'm excited to share Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice has just published a peer-reviewed article I wrote about crystalloids vs. colloids.

If you're interested in reading it, please use the link below to access the article for free:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

I'm really looking forward to presenting at the upcoming #LevelUp event on chronic kidney disease #CKD, courtesy of @vetfolio & @dechraus. I hope you'll be able to join me. Check out the link below.

www.vetfolio.com/pages/levelup

The 2025 @aahahealthypet Referral Guidelines have been released! 👏 A great team of colleagues worked seamlessly to update these important guidelines to help maximize "consistent collaboration between primary and specialty care teams" 🎉

Read the guidelines here:
www.aaha.org/resources/20...

I'm excited to share updated @aahahealthypet Referral Guidelines will be published 26 Feb 2025. It was a privilege to be a member of the panel of collaborative colleagues that developed them. Check out this sneak peak here: www.aaha.org/trends-magaz...

Here's to a fun day of practical presentations on emergency/critical care #ECC topics at the @mvcinfo - i hope to see you in Columbus today!

Meet Sunny, the 3-4 week old stray kitten that was brought into Broadview Animal Hospital in Rochester, NH. Sunny could fit into the palm of my hand at that time, and he grew into a majestic cat that ruled the roost for 21 years.

I’m speaking at one of the biggest CE events in North America… Will I spot you in the audience? Browse the #2025MVC’s 300+ hours of education (including my sessions on X!) and sign up online at www.mvcinfo.org/register!

Thank you Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association! It's always a pleasure to spend time with my cornhusker colleagues. I hope learners found the presentations practical & helpful.

I hope to see many of you at the NEVMA Winter Conference on Thursday, 30 January 2025, in Kearney, Nebraska. We've got a great day of practical continuing education planned #EmergencyMedicine #CriticalCare #SpeakerLife #VeterinaryMedicine

This holiday season, we celebrate the compassion, care, and unwavering dedication you bring to the lives of animals and their families. Whether you’re comforting a beloved pet, healing a furry friend, or simply sharing snuggles by the fire, your love and kindness make the world a brighter place.

Thank you! 🙏🏻

What do you do after wrapping up your presentations at @dvm360 #fetchlongbeach2024 when it's 71F outside? Of course, you get some bubblegum icecream! 🍦#childhoodnostalgia

Many thanks to all of the amazing colleagues who shared their time with me during my presentations.