Ana M, DVM

Biography

After graduating veterinary school in 2007, I moved to Colorado to begin a career in small animal general medicine. I was surprised to learn how much I enjoyed client education. I can not only provide for a patient's medical needs, but I can teach families how to be excellent pet owners. I love meeting a patient on their first visit and being able to watch that animal grow and provide it with healthcare throughout its life. My favorite cases involve internal medicine, dermatology and dentistry.

Hello, My male cat is about 6 years old and his pee can be bigger than a fist size and I read online that can be an issue. His behavior and appetite is normal. No signs of uti. He is on a mix diet of lamb ziwi peak kibbles and wet food, I give him three feedings a day together with water mixed in. I rarely see him drink water from water bowl but I do make his three meal very soupy. But I want to make sure his pee being big in clumps is okay and probably due to me giving him alot of water in food

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lio. I become worried about urination when the patient has an increased thirst. Other worrisome signs are weight loss, vomiting and changes in activity level. Urinary tract infections are rare in male cats, but will typically result in smaller than normal urine spots in the box. Straining or crying in the box are other reasons to see a veterinarian. If he cannot produce any urine at all, that would be a true emergency. It sounds like he does not have any of these symptoms. I suspect that he is getting the majority of his fluid from his diet. I hope this information helps!

My dog has a growth on his eye I took to a vet he said it’s a stye and gave me eye drops but I want a 2nd opinion as I don’t think it is it looks more like a wart to me. He is only 8 and half weeks old

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Rocco. A stye would be more common in such a young puppy than a growth such as a wart would be. I recommend using the medication prescribed by your veterinarian. You can also apply warm (not hot) compresses to the eyelid for several minutes three times per day. For example, hold a warm wash cloth to the eyelid. Make sure it is not too hot against your own skin. This can help to treat it if it is a a stye. The compresses and the medication such remove the issue. If not, then he should see his veterinarian again. I hope this information helps!

Hi! My 6 month old puppy had umbilical hernia surgery about 5 days ago during the same time he got neutered. I want to know what’s considered normal post op recovery? He was healing nicely until yesterday when I noticed it was swollen, however he didn’t seem uncomfortable or bothered by it. It’s a little red but that went down after I put an ice pack on it. No discharge but slightly warm to the touch.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Theo. From your picture, it appears to be healing normally. That being said, pictures can be deceiving. I recommend taking him to your veterinarian for a quick peek. They will gently clean the incision site to ensure that it is healing normally and the tissue is healthy underneath the scab. In the meantime, do not allow him to lick the area. I hope this information helps!

My dog missed her annual vaccination it’s been 4 months. Her vaccination was missed because I read online that dogs need to be vaccinated every 3 years. I think i misread that info. What should I do?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chanel. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Some vaccines are licensed for 3 years and others need to be given annually. It also depends on her if vaccines are current or not if she can be eligible for a 3 year vaccine. For example, a 1 year rabies vaccine is given to a puppy. Then she would receive the 3 year vaccine as an adult. If her vaccines stay current, she would need a booster every 3 years. If she is overdue, then she may receive a 1 year vaccine again to start the series over. I hope this information helps!

My dog has recently been having very bad behavioral changes like growling at us, barking at us,showing teeth, almost biting when we do nothing more then touch him. Before this he was a VERY calm dog, i mean no behavioral issues ever before. He has always had a calm demeanor and would never even hurt a fly but now its the complete opposite. He still eats normally and has a high energy level but we have noticed this behavior change at night. He is 14 years old, male and neutered.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Benny. I am sorry to hear about his behavior changes. That is very upsetting. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. My first thought is that he could have a medical problem contributing to the change you are observing in him. For example, if a dog is painful from arthritis, an ear infection, periodontal disease or some other issue, he may act out aggressively. Another consideration is if he has dementia. This is common in older pets and is frequently observed at night. The veterinarian will thoroughly examine him and determine how best to help you both. In the meantime, be careful around him to keep yourself safe and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!