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A Guide To Fur Mineral Analysis

Fur mineral analysis can provide a lot of information about long-term exposure to environments and to the impact a diet is having on the nutritional status of the dog or cat. For many, fur analysis may be unfamiliar so here is a basic overview of some important information on fur. In this article: How “stuff” […] Read more »

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CRP/Albumin Ratio (CAR) – A disease severity index

C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and albumin have long been used independently as markers for prognosis.  Patients with either high inflammation or low albumin have tended to have worse outcomes.  The use of the C-reactive protein/ albumin ratio (CAR) is growing in human medicine as a prognostic index for disease severity. With the growing use of CRP […] Read more »

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Canine Complete Wellness

98% of pet owners say their pet is an important part of their family. As such, we go to lengths to make sure they lead a long healthy, happy life. From playtime and adventures, to good food & medications; caring for our fur babies is a priority. For those who want to make sure they’re […] Read more »

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Cancer Risk Assessment – Understand, Implement, and Interpret.

Background: Early detection of disease allows for more treatment options and often results in better outcomes. Canine cancer is unfortunately a disease that can stay well hidden for a long time before becoming clinically evident, far into development. The Cancer Risk Assessment (CRA) is a blood test to screen apparently healthy dogs for early signs […] Read more »

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Cancer Risk Assessment for dogs

Background: Early detection of disease allows for more treatment options and often results in better outcomes. Canine cancer is unfortunately a disease that can stay well hidden for a long time before becoming clinically evident, far into development. The Cancer Risk Assessment (CRA) is a blood test to screen apparently healthy dogs for early signs […] Read more »

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Testing Joint Health with Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a molecule that exists inside the joints in cats, dogs and humans. Its main purpose is to lubricate and prevent the bones in the joint from rubbing against each other, breaking down, and causing bone and ligament damage. As joints degrade, this molecule is leaked into the blood stream, where testing […] Read more »

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Vitamin D Supplements may have variable potency

While many dietary vitamins are easily cleared or do not threaten toxicity in high concentrations, Vitamin D stands apart.  Too little, and sufficiency is not attained; too much and the threat of toxicity triggers close patient management.  Multiple factors impact the vitamin D status, which makes simple weight-based dosing ineffective. To achieve sufficiency, VDI has […] Read more »

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What’s the deal with Magnesium?

It’s clear magnesium (Mg) is important – it’s a cofactor to over 600 enzymatic processes within the body, and the second most abundant intracellular cation.  Mg is required for DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism through its involvement in cell receptor processes. Receptor DysfunctionEvery receptor needs Mg to function.  It is involved in the […] Read more »

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B12 and VitD Insufficiency

Cobalamin (B12) and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25D) are dietary derived in both cats and dogs.  Studies have shown 25D insufficiency to be a major problem in both species and worsen with age (1,2).  B12 malabsorption is strongly associated with both chronic enteropathies (IBD) and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) (3,4).  But is there a relationship between the two? […] Read more »

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Cobalamin and Folate Deficiencies in Cats and Dogs

It is common practice to utilize the term “B12/folate” as if it were one, which makes sense when looking at their biological pathways. Both are required for the methylation of homocysteine to methionine. However when discussing sources and deficiencies, they are very different. Whereas the opportunities for cobalamin deficiency are numerous, folate deficiencies are far less common. […] Read more »