Bark, Bake & Beyond

An important part of every new puppy exam that I do is checking the pet’s eyes. Not only am I checking for any discharge or redness in the eyes, but I’m also looking for a condition called Entropion. This condition can cause irritation, ulceration, and pain in the eyes without surgical correction. So today let’s talk about what this condition is, what it can do to the eye, and how it is corrected. Entropion occurs when there is too much eyelid tissue. This extra tissue results in the eyelids rolling in on themselves. It’s a condition that primarily affects the lower eyelids, but can also affect the outside corner of the upper eyelid. Eyelids do not have hair or fur at their margins that touch the corneal surface of the eye. But, if you take a close look at your dog’s eyes, you’ll see that the fur starts right below the lid margin. When this extra tissue causes the eyelids to roll in, that fur starts to rub on the cornea. Most owners realize that something is wrong with their dog...

What's chocolaty, red, tasty and elegant all at once? Red Velvet Cake! This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal for a variety of events. It makes a great wedding cake, it’s a must have for Valentine’s Day, and its color makes it perfect for Christmas as well. As you may already now, Red Velvet cake is basically a chocolate cake with an added punch of color. The key to getting a nice deep rich red color is mixing the red food color with the cocoa powder to make a paste. The dark brown cocoa with the red food color mixes together to make a deep red that won’t fade. First, as always a few special notes about some of the ingredients: Pure Vanilla Extract. While I do use the clear imitation vanilla extract in some frosting recipes where I don’t want the extra color, it is very important to use Pure Vanilla Extract in this recipe to get the full flavor. Oil instead of butter. You will repeatedly see in my recipes that I use oil and not butter. That is just my preference. I...

You just returned from a long walk with your dog through the woods and when you get home you notice that he is squinting at you. One of those eyes is squeezed tightly shut, and he’s pawing at it as well. Uh oh. The topic of today’s post is corneal abrasions, or ulcers. What are the common causes? How does your Veterinarian diagnose them? What treatments are available? Corneal ulcers occur when something scratches the thin membrane, or cornea, on the outside of your pet’s eye. This is a very common injury, and I will often have numerous appointments on my schedule for this very reason every week. The most common reason this happens in dogs is having too much fun outside. Dogs run through tall grass, the woods, swamps, or the field, and they aren’t running slowly. Picture hot laps, and not just one, but four hot laps. A blade of grass to the eye, a stick, or plants. Anything that brushes the cornea at the right angle can cause a scratch. For cats, the most common cause is fighti...

Vanilla Buttercream frosting is great. Chocolate Buttercream frosting is also great. But sometimes you just need that perfect Cream Cheese Frosting recipe for a certain project. I really like this frosting on Red Velvet cupcakes , and on my Pumpkin Spice cupcakes , my Carrot Cake , and even my Harvest Apple cupcakes. There are so many times that this frosting pairs perfectly with a cake or cupcake project. You’ll notice that this is a CRUSTING cream cheese frosting. While I loved the regular cream cheese frosting, I didn’t love that it was too soft to put in my frosting bags to decorate my cupcakes. So, I was on a mission to find and tweek the perfect Crusting Cream Cheese frosting that could be used on both cakes and cupcakes. There are very few ingredients that you need to make this awesome recipe. Cream Cheese . It’s right in the name. I like the Original Philadelphia Cream Cheese. DO NOT get the low fat variety. Make sure it is the Original. Butter . You can use salted or uns...

Today let’s tackle a really common issue that dogs, and rarely cats, come to see me for. Ear infections. Some days I only see two or three cases, but in the middle of swimming or allergy season, this might be the reason for half of my scheduled appointments. So, we’ll talk about some of the causes of ear infections, the different types of ear infections, how to best clean your dog or cat’s ears, and some preventative measures you can take. Hopefully, if your dog or cat gets an ear infection, it is a one time thing. This can be the case, but more common are the pets I repeatedly see for this issue. I already mentioned above two of the most common causes of ear infections……water in the ear canal, and allergies. Let’s do some anatomy first. The dog ear is shaped like an “L.” When your dog goes swimming, has a bath, rolls in the dewy grass or the fresh powder snow, moisture gets into that ear and can stay there for prolonged periods of time. This is less likely in those breeds of ...

Chocolate Frosting. I love frosting, and I really love chocolate frosting. It pairs well with white cake, yellow cake, chocolate cake, grasshopper cake, red velvet cake…..really it pairs well with most cakes. So, it’s a recipe you need to have. When you find a good frosting recipe like this, it really brings your whole cupcake or cake project together well. I was just as picky in finding and tweaking this recipe as I was for my basic Vanilla Buttercream and Crusting Cream Cheese Frosting recipes. It took a lot of trial and error, and there were definitely some other great recipes out there, but I was looking for a recipe that not only tasted good, but performed well under a number of circumstances as well. There are very few ingredients that you need to make this awesome recipe. Butter . It’s right in the name. You can use salted or unsalted. But, if you do use the unsalted butter, add about ¼ tsp of salt to the recipe. Doesn’t matter if it is name brand or generic. Just make ...

Unless you can’t……… Today let’s dive into a topic that not many people like to talk about. Why? Who knows. Everybody poops! What is constipation? How often should a “normal” dog or cat defecate? What signs should you watch for if you think that your pet is constipated? When is it time to schedule an exam with your Veterinarian, and what can they do for your pet? Lots of great questions, and I have some answers! To start with, what is constipation? This is pain or discomfort and the inability to defecate. Normal cats should defecate at least once per day. Normal dogs should defecate once per day also, but some will defecate two or three times per day. Some of this comes down to individual body physiology with how fast food is broken down and how quickly waste products are formed into solid stool. Some of this is also the food you are feeding your pet. While certain dog or cat foods have a good balance of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates, others are mostly “filler.” This ex...