What is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a potentially zoonotic bacterial disease, defined as a disease spread from animals to people.  Most human cases occur from wildlife sources such as raccoons, squirrels, foxes, skunks, opossums, coyotes and rats whose urine has contaminated standing water or soil.  Direct transmission from pets to people is uncommon but has been reported, usually from pet rats.  The bacteria penetrates mucous membranes or abraded skin. Continue…

Senior Pets

Senior pets are the best. They know you well,  and you know them well. They are smart and seasoned and worth their weight in gold. They’re also worth special care to keep them well and happy for as long as possible.  With dogs, the age at which they reach senior status varies by breed and other factors, such as size.  Cats are less variable than dogs in this regard, and tend to live longer than dogs.  As both species age, the checkups they need change, and you’ll want to keep a good schedule. Continue…

Hospice Care and End of Life Issues

Because attachment behaviors are the essence of the human-animal bond, owners want to return the unconditional love offered by companion animals, especially senior pets who have become long term family members. Our pets are integral parts of our family and we love them dearly. Seeing them age or develop disease can be very difficult. Continue…

The Androscoggin Animal Hospital is happy to provide acupuncture treatment for your pets.  Dr. Noyes was originally certified in Veterinary Acupuncture in 2001 though the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society or IVAS, and remains certified today. Dr. Noyes performs acupuncture on site by appointment. Continue…

What Causes Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is caused by an infection with the Lyme bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi). The bacteria lives in infected deer ticks, and it is transmitted to the unfortunate host by the bite of the infected tick. Transmission of the bacteria from the tick to the host may only take several hours of attachment. Continue…

What is Diabetes Mellitus?

Once your Dog or Cat has been diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus (Discussed further in Part I of our Diabetes Mellitus Blog), how is it treated? The short answer is with injections of insulin and with diet. Diabetes Mellitus is a generally treatable condition caused by an insulin deficiency.  Continue…

Heartworm disease is preventable with careful monitoring and administration of monthly medication. Heartworm disease can cause life threatening heart issues in dogs, and severe lung problems in cats. Heartworm disease is transmitted to dogs and cats by the bite of an infected mosquito. Although you can’t avoid mosquitoes, you can effectively kill the parasites. Continue…

Chronic  Kidney Disease (or CKD) is diagnosed with lab tests that are performed by your Veterinarian.  CKD occurs when the kidneys are not able to do their job of removing waste products from the body as effectively as they should. These waste products accumulate in the blood and cause symptoms including increased thirst and urination, loss of appetite, vomiting, and weight loss. Continue…

Difficulty urinating, frequent urination, excessive trips to the litter box, blood in the urine, and urinating outside of the litter box are all signs of bladder problems in a cat. Does this mean that your cat has a urinary tract infection? The answer might surprise you. Continue…

There are many benefits of having healthy teeth and healthy gums.  It improves overall health, it leads to longer life, and it helps with better breath.  Keeping your pet’s teeth and mouth clean and healthy involves regular care at home, and timely visits to the Veterinarian. Continue…