Sara Farmer, DVM

Biography

I am a 2008 graduate of Colorado State University's veterinary program and completed a small animal internship at the University of Tennessee the following year. I practiced emergency medicine at a busy 24 hour referral hospital in Virginia before recently moving to North Carolina to work at a wonderful small animal primary care hospital south of Asheville. I truly believe in the power of the human animal bond and feel fortunate to be able to help people and their pets every day. You can find me outside when I have free time: walking my two senior dogs, hiking with my husband and daughter, or mountain biking with friends. The two feline members of my family stay indoors and keep the house safe whenever we're away.

Articles Written by Sara Farmer, DVM

6 Mistakes to Avoid When Cleaning Your Dog’s Ears

Are your dog's ears dirty? The brown gunk buildup you see is actually earwax. Read on for some common mistakes owners make, and some dog ear cleaning tips.

My puppy is having Parvo. A local vet looked into him and gave him antibiotics. He was fine earlier today until now. He's unresponsive and having a hard time breathing. Any advice? Or diagnosis?

I'm really worried about Nata - you need to see a veterinarian right away. If the vet you saw earlier isn't open I'd recommend going to an emergency hospital. Nata could have low blood sugar secondary to parvovirus, or he may have aspirated from vomiting causing pneumonia and trouble breathing. It also might be that the parvovirus is causing severe dehydration or a blood infection (sepsis).

Hi I was looking at my cats gums and noticed they look a bit pale. Is this how they normally look or can this be signs of anemia?if it is there anyway I can treat this from home?

Unfortunately it's so difficult to tell from a picture! I actually think this color looks fairly normal. Usually cats who are significantly anemic also have a decrease in appetite and are lethargic or weak, so if Chandler is showing those symptoms I'd be a little more concerned. Anemia can have many underlying causes and it's important to determine what the cause is to know how to treat, so it is not something that can typically be treated from home.

I rescued a Maltipoo, who is about 7 yrs old now. I noticed what looks like a blood blister on her back about two months ago. It has gotten a little bigger. I’m on a fixed income and really appreciate any information you can share.

This looks like it could be a cyst. It might also be some other type of skin growth. If it is growing there might be more concern that it is something serious and it would be best to see your vet. If it does not seem to bother Luci and is not increasing in size it would probably be okay to wait a bit before seeing your vet.

Hiii.... My cat is pregnant for 2 months for now, today i suddenly noticed that she is breathing very fast while she is resting... Im a bit scared that why her breathing started fast and why is that happening....

As kittens grow and take up more of the abdomen it can make it a little harder to expand the lungs so it can be normal. If you think Sannu is having trouble breathing or if her appetite is not normal I’d recommend having a vet examine her to make sure there’s nothing more serious going on.

Hi. I have a 12week Yorkie puppy female and in the last 2 days we noticed that she is dizzy, not stable when walking and her head is shaking.For sure is not from the ears, was checked and cleaned. We continue and made blood tests (test attached) and some values are out of range. The vet said that could be multiple causes (parasite, thyroid, etc.) but was not sure and said that will ask some other vet opinions. Can you please check the test and let me know you opinion? Thanks

I reviewed the labs and I don’t see a cause for the symptoms you describe. ALP is a liver enzyme but it is also made in growing bones and an elevation can be normal in a puppy. Calcium and phosphorous can also be increased in young growing dogs. Albumin is a little low and so is total protein (albumin is one of the proteins) and this can be seen with parasites or inflammatory diseases. It can also be seen with portosystemic shunt if there are other symptoms. I did not see blood glucose and would be concerned about that possibility.