The exam is over, the chart reads body condition score 7 out of 9, and what that number means is simple: your dog or cat is overweight. The scale runs from 1 to 9, and every bracket means something specific: 1 through 3 is too thin, 4 and 5 is the healthy zone, and 6 [...]

Most cardiac treatment plans for a dog or cat pull from three working groups of medications, each doing a different job. Drugs in the first help the heart muscle contract more effectively, drugs in the second pull excess fluid out of the lungs and body, and drugs in the third ease the workload on the [...]

A pet experiencing heatstroke has roughly fifteen to thirty minutes before kidney, liver, and clotting damage becomes very hard to walk back. That window tightens with every degree the core temperature climbs and gets shorter still for flat-faced breeds, seniors, and pets already managing a chronic condition. Active cooling and driving straight to a veterinary [...]

The trail hazards that actually hurt dogs are more varied than most hikers expect, and range from mild to full-blown emergency. Paw lacerations from sharp rock, foxtails that burrow into skin and ears, overheating on exposed terrain, snakebite, and soft-tissue injuries from steep descents fill our urgent care schedule through the warm months. Dogs make [...]

A dog who suddenly limps on a back leg has very often torn the cranial cruciate ligament, the knee stabilizer that is the canine equivalent of the human ACL and one of the most common orthopedic injuries we see. It is not the only cause of a hind-leg limp, which is exactly why a sudden [...]

A veterinary practice that handles both routine wellness care and emergencies sees pets across the full span of their lives, and it becomes clear quickly that what brings a 2-year-old dog into the clinic is very different from what brings in a 12-year-old. Puppies and kittens come in for vaccines, parasite control, growth monitoring, and [...]

From Humble Beginnings to 24/7 Care: The Evolution of Mission Veterinary Clinic In June of 1998, Mission Veterinary Clinic opened its doors as a small, single-doctor practice founded by the O’Leary family. Built on a foundation of compassion, commitment, and community trust, the clinic quickly became a reliable source of care for pets and the [...]

Brushing, Wipes, and Gels: Finding the Home Dental Routine That Sticks Walking down the dental aisle of any pet store can be its own kind of overwhelming. Brushes, gels, chews, treats, water additives, and special diets all promise healthier teeth, fresher breath, and a happier pet. The truth is that consistent home care really does [...]

Fear is one of the most common reasons dogs and cats end up in emergency care. A panicked dog bolts through a door during a thunderstorm and gets hit by a car. A terrified cat hides for days, stops eating, and arrives with liver problems. A reactive dog escalates a scuffle at the park into [...]

Finding a lump on your pet is one of the most alarming moments of pet ownership. When that lump is a lymph node, major questions can arise- and for good reason. Will this go away on its own? Is it cancerous? How much should you worry? Enlarged lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) on their own are not [...]