Paw and Pestle

06/19/2026

The Four Invisible Signals

An ER vet's guide to organ, gut, joint, and behavioral changes that show up long before any symptom you can spot at home.By Dr. Elena Shockman, VMD What's Happening Inside Your Dog That You Can't See The dogs who worry me most in the ER are not the ones in obvious crisis. They are the ones whose owners say the same thing right before the diagnosis lands....

http://pawandpestleblog.com/2026/06/19/the-four-invisible-signals/

An ER vet’s guide to organ, gut, joint, and behavioral changes that show up long before any symptom you can spot at home.By Dr. Elena Shockman, VMD What’s Happening Inside Your Dog That…

04/22/2026

Three Signs Your Dog Has Allergies and four things you can do about it

By Dr. Elena Shockman, VMD, founder paw & pestle Spring is one of my favorite times of year. The flowers are blooming, the windows are open, and every dog in America is suddenly losing their mind. If your dog has started licking their paws like they’re auditioning for a reality show, shaking their head every thirty seconds, or rubbing their face along the carpet like it owes them money, you are not imagining it....

By Dr. Elena Shockman, VMD, founder paw & pestle Spring is one of my favorite times of year. The flowers are blooming, the windows are open, and every dog in America is suddenly losing their mi…

04/18/2026

We get it, no one wants to overreact. But in emergency medicine, timing can be everything. When in doubt, call your vet or head to the ER. Remember- things get dicey when you wait.

Save this video as a future reminder for what to watch out for!

04/16/2026

You don’t need to wrestle your cat… you just need a better strategy.

This is called a “kitty burrito” (aka swaddling), and it’s one of the safest, least stressful ways to:
• give medication
• check eyes and ears
• trim nails
• get them into a carrier without the drama

When done correctly, it helps your cat feel secure instead of threatened, which means fewer scratches, less stress, and a much smoother experience for both of you.

Save this for the next time your sweet angel turns into a tiny tiger 🐅

And if you’ve ever tried to medicate a cat before… you already know why this matters.

04/10/2026

15 years in emergency medicine and these four things still make me cringe when I hear about them.
Sharing this because I’ve seen the outcomes, and most of them are completely preventable.
Your vet will always tell you the truth.
Listen to them.

04/07/2026

I tell cat parents all the time.. DO NOT TRUST YOUR CAT! They will look you dead in the eye and lie to your face- even when it could be life threatening.