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Springtime Wildlife in Washington State

fawn Western Washington has a population explosion of wildlife babies born every spring usually beginning in April and lasting until the end of June.

We all love to watch the new baby birds leaving their nests for the first time; baby bunnies, raccoons, squirrels, or opossums exploring away from their mothers and especially the beautiful fawns we see sometimes standing or lying on the sides of the road.

Unlike humans, wildlife mothers leave their nests for several hours at a time. There are usually two reasons for this. The first is to search for food and the second is to teach their babies survival instincts.

Fireworks and Pets: A Bad Combination

Author: Dione L. Black, LVT

For most American families, Independence Day is a day filled with BBQ, fun and fireworks. Communities enjoy watching the colorful and dazzling displays of lights that sparkle and light up the night sky. The bangs, booms and whistles that accompany these displays only add to our excitement. For most pets, however, the 4^th of July is filled with terror and fear.

Parvovirus Enteritis

Authored By: Kathryn R. Krueger, DVM

What is Parvovirus?

Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease spread by the fecal material of affected animals. The virus infects the walls of the intestines, causing the interior lining of the intestines to slough. It is a serious disease, and can be over 90% fatal if untreated. It causes vomiting, diarrhea (which is often bloody), lethargy (depression), pain, and life threatening dehydration.

2013 Seattle Met Top Vets

We have exciting news! Dr. James C. Little has been selected in the 2013 list of Top Veterinarians in Seattle Met magazine! Ballots were sent to veterinarians in our four local counties, asking which veterinarians they would recommend to provide care to your loved ones and Dr. James C. Little was chosen for his exceptional care and expertise in small animals and exotics.

Truffles or Toxicity?

By Irene Choi, DVM

January 3, 2013

Here in the Puget Sound Region there are plenty of forests with thick layers of built-up decaying debris and in our climate of almost constant moisture in the spring and fall mushrooms can proliferate. Some mushrooms are a delicacy such as Truffles and Chanterelles and many people seek them out in the woods, however others can be poisonous. These poisonous mushrooms can appear in your yard growing below piles of leaves or under bushes where you won’t see them readily. There are many types of mushrooms and they can cause different types of symptoms that can start appearing within 30 minutes of ingestion up to 3-4 hours after ingestion. The most severe mushroom toxicity can cause liver, kidney, and heart disease and lead to death. Less severe mushroom poisonings can cause neurological symptoms such as seizures, tremors, hallucinations. Many toxic mushrooms can cause hypersalivation (drooling), miosis (pinpoint pupils), bradycardia (decreased heart rates), lacrimation (excessive tearing), vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and respiratory distress.

What is MDR??

Multidrug Sensitivity in Dogs *

Drug sensitivities result from a mutation in the multi-drug resistance gene (MDR1). This gene encodes a protein, P-glycoprotein that is responsible for pumping many drugs and other toxins out of the brain. Dogs with the mutant gene cannot pump some drugs out of the brain as a normal dog would, which may result in abnormal neurologic signs. The result may be an illness requiring an extended hospital stay - or even death.

Some dog breeds are more sensitive to certain drugs than other breeds. Collies and related breeds, for instance, can have adverse reactions to drugs such as ivermectin and loperamide (Imodium). At Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine you can get your dog tested for drug sensitivity and keep up with the latest research.

HARBOR SEALS (Phoca vitulina)

Written by: James Moore, DVM

Walking along Puget Sound beaches or sitting in your boat, you may see a curious earless harbor seal face rise from the water to check you out. Harbor seals are the most abundant marine mammal along Puget Sound. Although curious, they are shy animals and prefer quiet, unpopulated areas.

Seals are members of the Order Pinnipedia ( “pinniped” comes from the latin word “pinna” meaning winged and “ped” meaning foot) which is divided into two Families—Otariid or eared seals (Fur Seals, California Sea Lions, Elephant seals etc) and Phocid or earless seals (Harbor Seals).

Behavior Series: Head and Chest harnesses what's all the fuss?

By: Rachel Kuhn, DVM

You see it all the time. Those commercials trying to sell you training tools to help you have that picture perfect well mannered pet. It isn’t always possible in our real world but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a well behaved pet that you enjoy having to walk and visit your friends with. How do you know what works and what doesn’t?

What are the pros and cons, what is available and what are the benefits of a harness?

Here at All Creatures Animal hospital we would like to help you navigate the world of training harness aids.

Zoonotic Diseases Series # 1: The Skinny on Roundworms

By: Dr. Angela Lehman

What does “zoonotic” mean?

The term “zoonotic” refers to any disease that can be passed from an animal to a human. Certain parasites, bacterial infections, fungal infections, and even viral infections can be transmitted in this way. Although we share our homes, our yards, and sometimes even our beds with our beloved pets, one thing we should NOT be sharing is disease!

One important example of a zoonotic disease, especially in children, is caused by a common internal parasite known as the roundworm.

How do I know if my Reptile is Sick?

By: David Balderrama, DVM

Imagine for a moment that you and your pet reptile switched places for a day. You are now a lizard (or turtle or snake) living in the world's smallest artificial rain forest (or desert perhaps).

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