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Aelurostrongylosis

Aelurostrongylosis in cats

Cat diseases, Cat friendly clinic / By

Aelurostrongylosis is a parasitic lung disease in cats that is often diagnosed later than it should be. As a veterinarian, I frequently see cat owners mistaking coughing, fatigue, reduced playfulness, or labored breathing for a harmless irritation, asthma, or a temporary infection. This is precisely the problem: Aelurostrongylosis can begin insidiously but develop into a serious lower respiratory tract disease. It is typically caused by the feline lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, which infests the bronchioles and lung tissue. There, Aelurostrongylosis leads to inflammation, coughing, mucus production, and, in severe cases, significant respiratory distress.

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Freestyle Libre for Cat with Diabetes

Freestyle Libre for Cat with Diabetes

Cat friendly clinic, Cat diseases / By

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common hormonal diseases in cats. In my daily work as a veterinarian, I regularly see feline patients whose diabetes diagnosis initially causes great uncertainty for their owners. Many wonder how they can reliably monitor their cat's blood sugar without having to constantly take their pet to the vet. This is precisely where the Freestyle Libre feline diabetes monitoring system comes in. This modern system enables continuous monitoring of glucose levels and significantly simplifies the management of the disease for both veterinarians and owners.

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Mast cell tumor

Mast cell tumor in dogs and cats

Skin diseases, Dog diseases, Cat diseases, Cancer in animals / By

Mast cell tumors are among the most important skin tumors in small animal medicine. In dogs, mast cell tumors are the most common or one of the most common malignant skin tumors, accounting for approximately 16 to 21 percent of all cutaneous skin tumors, depending on the source. Mast cell tumors also occur in cats, primarily in cutaneous, splenic, or intestinal forms. Internationally recognized veterinary sources such as the Merck Veterinary Manual, the WSAVA, and the VCA describe the clinical presentation as extremely variable: from small, seemingly harmless nodules to aggressive, rapidly growing, ulcerated tumors. (merckvetmanual.com)

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Compulsory insurance

Compulsory insurance: pros and cons

Pet insurance, General / By

As a veterinarian, I see every day how quickly a normal walk or a harmless moment in the living room can turn into a costly accident. A dog gets startled, breaks free, and causes a bicycle accident. A cat knocks over an expensive vase during a visit. A horse escapes and damages a car. In such situations, it's not about theory, but about real claims: treatment costs, compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, and property damage. This is precisely where the debate about mandatory insurance begins: Should the government make pet liability insurance or even health insurance for pets mandatory? Or does mandatory insurance primarily lead to bureaucracy, higher costs, and a false sense of security?

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IDEXX Cancer Dx Test

IDEXX Cancer Dx Test©

Dog diseases / By

As a veterinarian, I regularly witness how stressful a suspected cancer diagnosis is for dogs and their owners. Lymphoma, in particular, often creates a feeling of helplessness: the dog still seems surprisingly fit, perhaps eating "just a little less," sleeping more, or its lymph nodes are "somehow swollen." At the same time, the disease may already be quite active in the body. It is precisely in this diagnostic gray area that many owners long for more guidance: What is the most sensible next step, how urgent is it, and how can they avoid wasting valuable time?

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Feline distemper

Feline distemper

Cat friendly clinic, Cat diseases / By

Feline panleukopenia (FPV) is caused by the feline panleukopenia virus, a parvovirus that can be extremely resistant in the environment. The virus preferentially infects rapidly dividing cells: intestinal mucosa, bone marrow, and lymphatic tissue. This explains the typical symptoms: severe gastrointestinal infection, dehydration, and often pronounced leukopenia (a significant drop in white blood cell count). This is also why feline panleukopenia is not "just" diarrhea, but a potentially life-threatening emergency.

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Dog yawns

Dog yawns

Dogs / By

When a dog yawns, many people immediately think of tiredness. That's often correct – but in veterinary practice, I regularly see that yawning in dogs is also an issue when there is no lack of sleep at all.

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Skilled worker shortage in veterinary medicine, visa for Iran

Skilled worker shortage, veterinary medicine, visa & Iran

Skilled worker shortage / By

Germany's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing an abyss, one that politicians themselves have dug over decades. It's 2026, and the issues of skilled labor shortages, veterinary medicine, visas, and Iran have brewed into a perfect storm. It's a story of dedicated entrepreneurs doing everything right and a state apparatus that has capitulated to its own bureaucracy.

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Cleaning a dog's ears

Cleaning dog ears

Dogs, ENT / By

Cleaning a dog's ears is one of the most important grooming practices, which I discuss with pet owners regularly in my work as a veterinarian. Many diseases of the external ear canal develop gradually, often going unnoticed for a long time, and can be prevented early on by regularly cleaning the dog's ears. As the medical director and owner of small animal practices in Karlsbad-Ittersbach and Karlsbad-Langensteinbach, I see dogs with ear problems almost daily that could have been avoided with proper ear cleaning.

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Promoting fluid intake

Promoting fluid intake in dehydrated cats

Cat friendly clinic, Cat news / By

Promoting fluid intake is a central theme in modern small animal medicine. With a particular focus on promoting fluid intake in dehydrated cats, this approach is gaining increasing importance, as many cats with mild to moderate dehydration do not necessarily require inpatient intravenous fluid therapy. As a veterinarian with many years of experience in the internal medicine care of cats, I see daily how crucial targeted fluid intake promotion is for the prognosis, organ function, and quality of life of dehydrated cats.

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Unclassified cardiomyopathy (UCM) in cats

Unclassified cardiomyopathy (UCM) in cats

Cat friendly clinic, Cat diseases / By

Unclassified Cardiomyopathy (UCM) in Cats: A Veterinary Guide to Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment. Explained by your veterinarian, Susanne Arndt. As a veterinarian, I unfortunately see many cats with heart disease in my practice. While many owners have heard of HCM (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy), Unclassified Cardiomyopathy (UCM) in cats is often a mystery.

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Dental cleaning for dogs without anesthesia

Dental cleaning for dogs without anesthesia

Dental treatments / By

As a practicing veterinarian and medical director of our small animal clinics, I frequently see dogs whose teeth have been cleaned "cosmetically"—often by providers outside the veterinary profession. Under the enticing promise of "quick, gentle, and affordable," dental cleaning for dogs without anesthesia is advertised. What sounds harmless is, in reality, a problem from an animal welfare and public health perspective, posing significant risks to your pet. In Germany, veterinary dentistry is legally reserved for licensed veterinarians. Removing tartar—especially below the gum line (subgingival)—is a painful, invasive procedure that cannot be performed humanely without adequate pain management. Therefore, dental cleaning for dogs without anesthesia is not only medically risky but also legally impermissible.

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ATF-accredited training

ATF-accredited training

doc4pets Academy / By

Are you ready to take your surgical skills to the next level? We are pleased to announce that the 2026 course year is shaping up to be something special: The Academy for Veterinary Continuing Education (ATF) has officially accredited an exclusive series of continuing education events at the Idar-Oberstein Small Animal Center, led by renowned veterinary specialists and practitioners.

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