Joomla! site syndication http://drlouisemurray.com Sat, 19 May 2012 07:38:04 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://drlouisemurray.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=35 The use of diagnostic ultrasound has been an incredible advance in veterinary medicine. The ability to use ultrasound to look inside the abdomen of an animal means that we can often quickly and non-invasively diagnose a host of different health conditions. Abdominal ultrasound can be used to examine the liver, gall bladder, spleen, kidneys, bladder, prostate, uterus, ovaries, adrenal glands, stomach, and intestines. This means it can help us to pinpoint the cause of common pet health issues such as vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, elevated kidney or liver values on a blood test, abnormal urination, and much more.However, if your pet ever requires an ultrasound exam, it is crucial for you to ensure that it is done properly. An inadequate ultrasound can be worse than none at all, since it often leads to misdiagnosis, which can be very dangerous for your pet. Blog - Blog Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:46:54 +0100 http://drlouisemurray.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=35 Today a pet parent asked me: My vet recommended a prescription diet for my dog, who has problems with her kidneys. Do prescription diets really make a difference, or is it all just marketing? The answer is - yes, there is a difference between prescription pet foods and those sold over the counter!Pets who don't have any issues with their health generally don't need prescription diets, of course. But prescription diets can make a huge difference to pets with a number of different health problems. Blog - Blog Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:19:48 +0100 http://drlouisemurray.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=35 A while back, I talked about a relatively new kind of insulin that is doing wonders for diabetic cats. It's called glargine insulin (the brand name is Lantus (http://www.lantus.com/).) I continue to be thrilled with the results we are seeing with this insulin for our diabetic felines. In studies done comparing the use of glargine insulin to other insulins for diabetic cats, the results with glargine insulin were far better - in fact, in one study, all newly diagnosed diabetic cats treated with glargine stopped needing insulin within four months! Blog - Blog Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:36:42 +0100 http://drlouisemurray.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=35 Recently I used the endoscope to pull a bone out of a dog’s esophagus, something I do about once a month. As usual in these cases, the dog’s esophagus (the tube running from the mouth down to the stomach) had suffered severe damage from the pressure and abrasion of the bone that had been lodged there. I placed a stomach tube through the dog’s side for him to be fed through for the next few weeks while his esophagus healed. Because of the marked ulceration of the lining of his esophagus, the dog is at risk of “stricture”—a scar that extending across the esophagus and causing it to close off. Blog - Blog Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:11:14 +0100 http://drlouisemurray.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=35 ...when you can stay home and make this fun little piece of feline furniture (http://lifehacker.com/5043708/make-your-own-cardboard-cat-chaise)? I have to admit, I know my cats would love it. The instructions (http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/catchaise) are hilarious too. Blog - Blog Sun, 31 Aug 2008 09:07:08 +0100