Dr. Kerry's Petvet

04/02/2026

Every spring this is an issue. Elevated liver values, skin irritation, vomiting and diarrhea are some of the immediate issues I see from pets coming into contact with freshly treated lawns. To replace the foot soak, homemade paw wipes are beneficial to quickly help minimize the absorption and irritation from these harsh chemicals. Want to learn more? Call us at 936-703-7533 to book your appointment today!

If your dog is licking their paws, start thinking about their exposures. Every time they walk across grass, sidewalks, or treated lawns, their paws are collecting a mixture of chemicals, allergens, and environmental toxins. Those irritants don’t just stay on the surface; they’re absorbed through the skin and ingested when they lick, creating a daily cycle that quietly drives irritation and inflammation.

One simple and effective tool I recommend is a daily paw soak. An oral daily detox regimen also reduces their body’s internal chemical burden, supporting their body’s ability to clear environmental chemicals. When you make this a daily priority, you’re actively lowering your dog’s toxic exposure and calming inflammatory triggers inside and out, in a world that’s increasingly chemical-heavy. Check out my latest article for a DIY paw soak recipe, link in comments ⬇️ 🐾.

03/30/2026

For some, this is news…but so true. Stay tuned for our schedule of up and coming classes on detox, prevention, diet and LONGEVITY. What’s in your pet food?

03/24/2026

We all want to prevent unwanted litters, but preventing litters does not have to mean removing hormones. There is a newer approach.

Veterinary reproduction specialists are increasingly recommending hormone preserving sterilization, a way to prevent unwanted litters while supporting long term health. Procedures like vasectomies and o***y sparing spays (hysterectomies) can be performed safely as early as 8 weeks, allowing dogs to retain the natural hormones their bodies need. For female dogs, an o***y-sparing spay can prevent pyometra because the uterus is removed, so the infection has nowhere to develop.

The 2026 peer-reviewed study published in the journal Animals by Isabel Pires and Rita Files on urinary bladder cancer in dogs and cats highlights that spaying and neutering (gonadectomy) are associated with an increased risk of urothelial carcinoma (UC), particularly in dogs, though the evidence is observational rather than causal. One cited epidemiological study found that neutered dogs had approximately 4.6 times higher odds (OR ≈ 4.57) of developing UC compared to intact dogs, suggesting a strong statistical association. The proposed biological mechanism centers on hormonal changes after sterilization: removal of the go**ds eliminates s*x hormone feedback, causing luteinizing hormone (LH) levels to rise dramatically (up to ~30× normal), which may stimulate cell proliferation in tissues like the bladder and potentially contribute to carcinogenesis. Additionally, neutering is linked to metabolic changes such as increased appetite, reduced metabolic rate, and a higher likelihood of obesity—another independent risk factor for cancer due to chronic inflammation and altered adipokine signaling.

03/17/2026

Love this!

As soon as Ralston Purina developed extruded kibble in the late 1950's, the industry (Big Pet Food teaming up with the US Dept of Agriculture who wanted to shift as much wheat and corn as possible), they knew they had struck gold.

By the early 60's, the Pet Food Institute, the mouthpiece of the pet food industry, began a campaign to get pet owners to feed more ultra-processed products to their pets.

They began funding reports concerning the ‘dangers’ of table scraps for pets.

To quote the chair for the Manufacturers Committee of the National Pet Association at the time "our biggest competitor is still table scraps.".

They had to go.

Rachel Kelly covers the entire move in her Michigan State University masters thesis. Entitled "Feeding the modern dog : an examination of the history of the commercial dog food industry and popular perceptions of canine dietary patterns" it begins:

"The commercial dog food industry in the US has grown significantly over the past century. Fifty years ago, feeding dogs "table scraps" was the norm; however, as dogs went from "pets" to "family members," the dog food industry convinced dog guardians that feeding table scraps was inappropriate. Commercial diets grew in popularity because nutritional science made dog food seem complicated; veterinarians recommended them; effective marketing convinced guardians they were ideal; and socio-economic conditions made purchasing processed dog foods highly acceptable."

No mention of a single study there showing the product's benefit, because it didn't begin with nutritional science or health concerns. The move is supported by little more than aggressive marketing and dogma.

And now, 65 years later, we are still without a single jot of evidence showing the health benefits of high-carb kibble for our beloved meat eaters. There is only evidence to the contrary.

But do you know what does need MORE evidence, according to the RCVS?

Fresh, biologically appropriate food (and table scraps - the very reason they decided to hang out with us in the first place).

Don't forget, the University of Helsinki found that simply adding 20% real food to a bowl of kibble results in significant health gains for your pet. How, if the kibble was better?!!

Let me tell you folks, scraps from your family's dinner table are significantly better than the inedible waste they use to make low-protein, cereal-based, ultra-processed, chemically preserved, crap-fat kibble.

Do not leave their nutritional fate and subsequent health in the hands of the most hated junk food companies on earth.

***
REFS
Anreder, S. S. (1962, January 29). The pet industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Barron's National Business and Financial Weekly, 3, 8, 10, 12-13

Rachel's master's thesis https:// d.lib.msu. edu/etd/1416

Want to learn more about canine nutrition? Check out the top 6 books on the subject (guess whose is at #1...?!)
www.bookauthority. org/books/best-dog-food-and-nutrition-books

Need some hand-holding?! We got you, Check out www.dcbholistic .com. We have all the tools, courses and resources you need to get started!

02/25/2026

Another great holistic veterinarian speaking out and informing pet owners about mRNA vaccines. Dr. Kerry’s does not use these!

02/14/2026

This!!!

Some brands passed and some brands failed: a new investigation by the Clean Label Project tested 79 of the most popular pet foods and found that dry kibble consistently had the highest levels of heavy metals, plastic-related chemicals, and acrylamide, a compound formed during high-heat processing.
Compared to fresh and frozen foods, kibble contained:

• ~21× more lead and mercury
• 13× more arsenic
• 6× more cadmium
• 24× more acrylamide, with one product testing at 780 ppb

Plastic-associated chemicals like BPA, BPS, and DEHP were also highest in dry food and lowest in fresh and frozen products.

Researchers note that because many dogs eat the same dry food every day for years, long-term exposure and accumulation of contaminants in organs like the liver and kidneys may contribute to chronic disease and potentially increase cancer risk.

Link in comments to read more about which brands passed and failed:

02/06/2026

Yes!

A simple turmeric paste you can make at home to support your dog’s brain, joints, and immune system 🐶🫚

Turmeric is one of the most extensively researched natural compounds for inflammation and cancer support in dogs. Its active compound, curcumin, helps reduce inflammation, support joint and brain health, and protect against age-accelerating damage linked to processed foods.

Turning turmeric into a golden paste makes curcumin easier for your dog’s body to use - and it’s been shown to boost BDNF, a protein that supports healthy neurons and cognitive function. We’ve upgraded this paste with medicinal mushrooms 🍄‍🟫 for immune and longevity support, plus decaf green tea 🍵 for DNA-protective polyphenols.

✨ A simple, affordable anti-inflammatory, immune- and brain-boosting bowl topper or mix-in.

⬇️ Full recipe in the comments. From The Forever Dog LIFE book.

💾 Save this post so you have this brain- and immune-boosting turmeric paste recipe ready when you need it.

01/21/2026

This is so true. When I worked in California next to avocado and strawberry fields mainly, I saw so many oral squamous cell carcinomas, asthma in outdoor pets and intestinal lymphoma. Here, much different. Do you know the dirty dozen list? Check back later and I will post it for you dog 🐕

01/21/2026

Got teeth? The last few weeks of January and all of February everything dental is 10% off!!😳. Yes, that includes exam, bloodwork, extractions and of course the comprehensive oral health treatment with X-rays! If you were waiting for the best time to book, now is that time. Call us at 936-703-7533 today 🐶 🐈

01/16/2026

Yes! We do Ovary-sparking spays AND Vasectomies here at Dr. Kerry’s. We also offer hormone replacement therapies for those who have already been gonadectomized. We are open 1/17 (Tomorrow) from 8-12 and M-F 9:30am- 5:30pm. Call us @936-703-7533 to make your appointment!

First, no one wants unwanted litters! 🐶 Spay and neuter has saved countless lives, but the issue is more complex than we once thought.

A massive review of 40+ years of veterinary records (over 2 million dogs) revealed something important: neutered dogs, especially spayed females, were more likely to develop hemangiosarcoma, one of the most aggressive canine cancers. Spayed females faced up to a 72% higher risk, while neutered males had a smaller but still measurable increase, mainly for spleen tumors, not heart ones. Even after researchers matched dogs by age and time period, the link stayed strong, showing this isn’t just about early spay/neuter trends but how hormonal shifts can influence other body systems. The takeaway? Each dog’s biology, breed, and hormones matter…and when it comes to lifelong health, one size doesn’t fit all.

These findings remind us that traditional spay/neuter may carry risks, and alternative sterilization techniques, like o***y-sparing spay or vasectomy, should be considered to support long-term health.

PMCID: PMC7155881