Shadowridge Veterinary Hospital

05/01/2026

Typhus cases on the rise. Make sure to pick up flea and tick and heart worm prevention Like Credelio QUATTRO or Simparica TRIO or another recommended brand from your local vet.

Los Angeles County has reported a record number of flea-borne typhus cases, with approximately 90% of patients requiring hospitalization. Typhus is a bacterial disease transmitted by infected fleas commonly found on rats, cats, opossums, and occasionally dogs. Symptoms typically appear one to two weeks after a flea bite and may include fever, headache, nausea, body aches, vomiting, and rash. In severe cases, the infection can impact multiple organ systems and can be fatal. To reduce your risk, contact your veterinarian about year-round flea prevention for your pets and avoid contact with stray animals.

04/30/2026

04/30/2026

Same tooth Same dog. Dental disease hides below the surface. Non-anesthetic dental cleanings do not find these problems and do not fix them. Get proper dental care and always get dental X-rays at your local professional veterinary office.

04/30/2026

Same tooth Same Pet.
What you see in the mouth doesn’t always show the whole picture. Digital dental radiographs can reveal severe periodontal infections and bone loss on teeth that look normal. This is a perfect example of why anesthesia free or awake dental cleanings are useless to your pet. They leave behind undiscovered disease and give you a false impression that you have done something good for your pet.

04/28/2026

Texas is now the heartworm capital of the US. Southern California saw an increase rate of heartworm infection diagnosis of 6-25 cases per clinic.

The recently released 2026 Heartworm Incidence Map shows that canine heartworm incidence has expanded to areas that are cooler, drier and far from the warmer, humid Gulf Coast and Southeast. The American Heartworm Society estimates that at least 1.1 million dogs in the U.S. are positive for heartwor...

04/26/2026

And this is the reason I usually wear black pants to work…emergency surgery though - Saving lives one pet at a time.

04/17/2026

Sometimes we use the ultrasound to retrieve hard to find foxtails in the paw of a pet! So satisfying!

04/10/2026

Update on the golden retrievers rescued in Bonsall:

Seven dogs were found abandoned and severely neglected on March 24, and two more were safely rescued in the days that followed. All were brought to our Bonita shelter, where veterinary and animal care teams immediately began intensive treatment and nutrition support.

One younger dog being treated for pneumonia did not survive despite close monitoring and care. The remaining dogs are gaining strength, showing gentle temperaments and slowly building confidence with our staff’s support.

Our officers are still working to find two additional dogs believed to be in the area. If you live near Bonsall and see them, please contact County Animal Services.

04/09/2026

Today we saw multiple cases of suspected Distemper and Parvovirus. All pets affected had one set of vaccines as a puppy but not the full series. It is really important to get a complete DHLP-Parvo vaccine series at age 8,12 and 16 weeks of age to give your pet adequate immunity. Some people adopt dogs and are told “they had all their vaccines” but what really happened is they had one set for their age. But they don’t realize they need more after that. Always talk to your local vet about what’s needed and when.

04/09/2026

Before and After photo of a dog that had Gingival Hyperplasia treated with the CO2 Surgical Laser. Most dogs show no signs of this condition. Some dogs may show reluctance to chew on bones or toys or play with toys or eat hard food. Some dogs may have oral bleeding. Laser surgery removed the excess tissue basically vaporizing or ablating it. The laser seals nerve endings so less pain, it seals the lymphatic vessels so less swelling and it cauterizes the blood vessels as it cuts so less bleeding. Van you guess what breed is most commonly treated for this hereditary condition?

04/08/2026

This is the inside of the knee joint. The trochlear groove is what the knee cap slides in. One arrow is pointing to an erosion or wearing or defect in the smooth cartilage on the groove. The other arrow is pointing to a partially torn Anterior or Cranial Cruciate Ligament. Surgery can restore normal function and eliminate pain in dogs with ruptured ACLs. We do Lateral Suture Stabilization as well as TPLO surgery for these injuries. Studies show that one year after surgery, 95% of dogs had 95% or better full function on the knee regardless of what type of surgery was done. TPLO, TTA and Lateral Suture ass work just as well.