Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

Biography

My passion in life is helping animals and the people who love them! I was inspired to become a vet after falling in love with my two dogs Dodger and Scooter, who have since travelled all over the world with me. I have been an exclusively small animal veterinarian since 2012 when I graduated form the Royal Veterinary College in London. During veterinary school, I developed an interest in cardiology and undertook additional training and externships in that field. My interest in cardiology also lead me to complete a thesis on the subject of mitral valve disease in dogs. I am native to California, and studied Animal Behavior at UCSD before heading to the UK to earn my veterinary degree. Though I spent my years so far working in small animal practice, prior to that I worked with a species of chimpanzees at the San Diego Zoo.

Articles Written by Dr. Macartney, BVet Med, MRCVS

6 BBQ Foods That Are Dangerous for Dogs

When the mouth-watering smell of a backyard BBQ fills the air, it’s only natural for our four-legged pals to want to join in on the grilling fun.

Whats the red thing on my hamster eyeball?? Im really worried please help. Also hes not eating much and drinks more water than usual not only that but he seems to want to sleep even when out of cage?

I am so sorry to hear that Cherry has an issue with his eye. Unfortunately I cannot see the issue clearly in this picture. The concern with eyes is that infections, injures, growths and inflammation can progress rapidly and may even lead to blindness. For this reason I would advise taking Cherry to see a veterinarian as soon as you can. The fact that Cherry also seems systemically unwell; not eating, drinking extra water and lethargic, also means he needs to see a vet very soon. All these signs point to Cherry being in pain and possibly fighting an issue inside his body like an infection or even types of cancer. I am so sorry that Cherry isn’t well. I hope he is able to be seen by a veterinarian soon who will start by giving him a physical exam to determine the exact cause of his issues.

My dog is an 11 year old Dachshund/ShihTzu mix. She has this lump on her hind quarter that we begin to notice after the beginning of the year. It stayed very small for quite a while but now is getting larger. It does not seem to bother her. She is not in pain from it. Normal daily activities still. Normal eating & drinking daily. She has no vomiting etc from it.

Hello my name is Dr. Elyse Macartney, and I would like to help answer you questions regarding Brandi's skin lump today. First of all thank you for sending the picture of the lump. From the picture you have sent the lump appears to be a skin growth. There are several types off lumps or masses that can grow in the skin of dogs such as sebaceous cysts, warts, abscesses, lipomas, and several types of cancers. Some of these cancers are benign and some are malignant, so careful observation is important, as well as having a vet examine it if you are concerned. My first step of advice for you would be to use a ruler to measure the lump today. Then repeat that measurement every few weeks. Continue to monitor the lump for growth, ulceration, pain, bleeding, swelling, and changes in texture or color. Rapidly growing and changing masses are more concerning, and may be a sign of malignancy. Because this is a new mass and because you have already observed growth, I would suggest taking Brandi in to have the mass examined by her veterinarian. The veterinarian will most likely want to take a sample of the cells within the mass using a FNA (fine needle aspirate). Using cytological examination of those cells, the type of mass can be identified and a treatment plan created. I hope this information was helpful, and I have included the link to further articles below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/lumps-on-dogs-when-you-should-be-concerned/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-pets-get-skin-cancer/

I got my mini dachshund a few days ago. I have noticed that she has a metal/penny smell to her breath sometimes and of course I searched google and now have scared myself. Most of the things I read said that was a sign of kidney failure. She is almost one and seems happy and healthy otherwise. Should I contact my local vet or am I worrying to much?

First of all congratulations on adding adorable Trudee to your life. You are right that a metallic odour to dog breath can indicate kidney issues, however if Trudee is perfectly well otherwise I would not assume this is the cause. There are several causes of foul breath in dogs including dental disease, tartar build-up or in puppies chewing /eating things they shouldn’t. I would start by purchasing a pet safe toothbrush and toothpaste and try to brush her teeth a few times a week. Also ensure she has a constant source of fresh water. If Trudee hasn’t been seen by a veterinarian recently, you still notice the odour, you notice any other signs that there could be a problem such as lethargy, vomiting, diarrhoea, or inappetance I would take her in for a check-up. The vet can take a blood sample to analyse her liver function if concerned. I hope this was helpful and please post any further questions you may have.

I have a bull dog and lab mix. Have had them for 6 years. I'm pregnant. All of a sudden my bull dog (female) wants to attack my male. I cant find any triggers. She is sitting next to me on the couch and catches eye contact with him across the room and growls and goes into attack mode. Please help

Congratulations on your pregnancy, and I would like to help offer some suggestions to help you with your dogs new behaviour concerns. Dogs and humans share a very close bond, especially when you have had them in your life for as long as 6 years. Though your dogs may not understand the exact details of what is changing with you, they are aware of a change. This is causing Kaygee to feel unsettled. This is not abnormal at all, and I can suggest a few tactics to try; Dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) adaptors in the house DAP collars for the dogs Increased excercise Increased interaction and positive connection with you, including extra cuddles, walks, or even indoor games like hide and seek Thunder coat Positive reinforcement of positive interactions I would suggest trying a few of these tactics over the next few weeks. Please report back with your progress and we can help you further if needed. Best of luck.

Dog was in a fight, left ear area hurts her and whines. Appears swollen. Anything I can do?

I am very sorry to hear that Lucki was in a fight and had an injury to her ear. If the ear is bleeding continuously or Lucki seems in a great deal of pain please take her to the veterinarian immediately. If the ear is swollen it could have internal injury to the cartilage of the ear pinna. This can result in a painful condition called aural Hematoma. This is a collection of blood between the skin on the ear and the underlying structures, which requires a veterinarian to surgically drain. Dog fight injuries often lead to infection due to traumatic introduction of bacteria under the skin. For this reason and the ones mentioned above I would have Lucki examined by a veterinarian. The vet will clean the wound, prescribe pain relief and antibiotics if necessary. As well as any further treatments needed. At home you can start with the following to help Lucki, Place a cone or e-collar on Lucki so she doesn’t scratch at her ear and possibly cause further damage Apply a cold compress for first 24 hours Switch to a warm compress after 24 hours