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Canine
Bloat, twisted stomach, gastric torsion
Dogs of any breed. However, large breeds built
with deep chests and narrow abdomens, such as the Great Dane,
Mastiff, Irish setter, golden and Labrador retriever, and the Irish
wolfhound, are more prone to getting bloat. Smaller breeds such as
the dachshund, Lhasa Apso, and poodle may also develop the illness.
Any dog that shows signs of bloat, a serious and
potentially fatal illness, should receive emergency veterinary
medical care immediately. Clinically known as gastric dilation,
bloat occurs when a dog’s stomach becomes so swollen with gas that
it is unable to relieve the pressure. As the stomach becomes
distended, it often rotates on its axis. This volvulus, or
twisting, cuts off blood flow to the stomach and often the spleen as
well, and is thus clinically known as gastric dilatation and
volvulus, or GDV. A dog with GDV can experience a number of
potentially fatal complications, including septic shock, a
perforated stomach, massive blood loss, and disruption of the blood
clotting mechanisms.
The exact cause of bloat is unknown. Large breeds of dogs built
with big chests and narrow abdomens are more commonly affected.
Excitable dogs, as well, are at risk since the stomach can develop
bloat by filling with air during high-energy type activities such as
barking, panting, excitement, and swallowing air while exercising.
Canine
Giardia
Giardia, beaver fever
Dogs and many other animals.
Found worldwide, Giardia is caused by a
protozoan parasite affecting the intestines of both humans and most
types of domesticated animals. While dogs have a high rate of
Giardia infection, few will develop symptoms. Giardia
usually causes clinical signs only in dogs that have weakened immune
systems, in dogs that have been exposed to an abnormally large
number of the parasites, and in young puppies.
Giardia is transmitted by cysts containing Giardia
trophozoites, which are singled-celled organisms shaped like
teardrops. Infected dogs pass these parasites into the environment
via their feces. Dogs that ingest infected fecal material may
contract the disease, the primary symptom of which is diarrhea.
Most dogs treated for Giardia will recover quickly. With
proper preventive measures, few dogs will have a recurrence. A
recently introduced vaccine is available that may aid in the
prevention of Giardia infection.
Feline
Giardia
Giardia, beaver fever
Dogs, cats, and humans. Giardia
is the most common intestinal parasite of people,
transmitted most frequently through contaminated water.
Giardia is a parasite found in the
intestines of humans and most types of domesticated animals
throughout the world, including cats. It is also a common cause of
diarrhea in cats, especially among cats in catteries and group
housing situations.
However, healthy animals rarely will experience diarrhea or other
symptoms unless they are exposed to an unusually high number of
Giardia. Young kittens and debilitated older cats, both of
which have weaker immune systems, are much more likely to show
symptoms from moderate numbers of the parasite.
Protozoan organisms, Giardia appear in two forms: as a
swimming trophozoite, or feeding form, and as a cyst that contains
the swimming trophozoites. The cysts, and not the trophozoites, are
transmitted from one cat to another when an animal becomes infected.
Feline
Haemobartonella, Haemobart., feline
infectious anemia.
Essentially all cats have the potential to be
infected with Haemobartonella felis. Cats infected with
feline leukemia virus appear to be at higher risk for infection and
are likely to have more severe signs of illness.
Haemobartonellosis, or feline infectious anemia,
is a parasitic disease caused by Haemobartonella felis. The
disease process begins when H. felis organisms attach
themselves to the red blood cells of infected cats. H. felis
may be spread by a number of routes, although fleabites are thought
to be the major mode of transmission. While some infected cats have
no symptoms, others may develop severe anemia and illness. The
infection is diagnosed microscopically when the organisms are found
on the surface of red blood cells in a blood smear. However, since
the organisms may not always be present, treatment is often
initiated in an anemic cat if there is no other explanation for the
anemia. Specific treatment for feline infectious anemia includes
tetracycline antibiotics and prednisone. Patients may require
supportive care, including blood transfusion. Although treatment
does not eliminate the infection completely, cats that survive are
thought to have a good long-term outlook.
Canine
Heartworm disease
Dogs and cats. Dogs that live outside have an
increased risk for developing a heartworm infection. Felines get
this infection less commonly than canines.
A parasite that can infect the heart and lungs,
heartworms pose a very serious threat to both indoor and outdoor
dogs. Adult heartworms cause disease because they live in the right
side of the heart and pulmonary arteries where they obstruct the
flow of blood through the heart and to the rest of the body. Because
heartworms can cause serious, fatal diseases, prevention and
treatment of infected dogs are critical.
Transmitted to dogs by mosquitoes that have fed off an animal
that has heartworm disease, the Dirofilaria immitis larvae migrate
through the body tissues until they enter the vascular system.
Within the bloodstream, they circulate and travel to the right side
of the heart and pulmonary arteries. Here, they mature into the
adult stage. The complete maturation of the heartworms, from larvae
to adulthood, takes five to seven months. Dirofilaria immitis
parasites can live for up to five years. Adult heartworms can grow
to be as long as 14 inches and up to 100 or more can be living at
one time.
Treatment is usually through medication and often is effective,
but dogs with serious complications of the heart and lungs due to
heartworm have a much more guarded prognosis for recovery.
Feline
Feline heartworm disease
Dogs and cats. Overall, cats are infected by
heartworms much less commonly, even in areas in which heavily
infected dogs are present. Male cats tend to be infected more
commonly and have a larger worm burden than female cats, mostly
because male cats spend more time roaming outside and have less
resistance to infection than female cats. Cats that spend
significant amounts of time outside, especially in
mosquito-populated areas, are at increased risk for developing
heartworm infection.
Heartworm disease is a serious infection of the
heart by parasitic worms called Dirofilaria immitis. It is not
uncommon for infected cats to develop fatal respiratory and
cardiac-related complications. Other cats, however, will have only
minor symptoms such as vomiting, or no clinical signs at all.
Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes, which inject the
larvae from the heartworm parasite into the skin when they bite.
Thus, outdoor cats are at higher risk of infection, as they have an
increased exposure to mosquitoes. Certain sections of the world
have heavier populations of heartworm disease than others; cases of
feline heartworm have been found most frequently in the eastern and
mid-western states and in California.
Because of increased availability of tests to detect feline
heartworms and a greater awareness of the disease, more
veterinarians are able to diagnose the disease. Depending on the
severity of the infection, there are a number of methods for
treatment, including medications to alleviate the symptoms, drugs to
kill the worms, and surgery.
Canine
Ear hematoma
Dogs or cats
When a dog has a painful or itchy ear, it may
swing its head about or scratch its ear to alleviate the discomfort.
This behavior can cause trauma to the dog’s pinna, or earflap, that
can add even more irritation to the ear.
An aural, or ear, hematoma is a swelling in the earflap resulting
from an injury. When the tiny blood vessels in the ear’s cartilage
rupture and bleed, the hematoma—a firm, fluid-filled swelling—will
appear within the dog’s ear. The examining veterinarian will be
able to treat this hematoma by any of several procedures that drain
the fluid. Minor surgery may be required.
Canine
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, HGE
Dogs of all ages and breeds can be affected by
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis. Young adult dogs of toy and miniature
breeds, especially schnauzers and poodles, may be affected more
frequently.
There are many causes for bloody diarrhea and
vomiting in dogs. Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, or HGE, refers to a
specific syndrome usually seen in young adult dogs of the toy and
miniature breeds. In HGE, fever is usually not present, and the main
laboratory abnormality is a marked elevation of the hematocrit
(concentration of blood cells) due to fluid shifts and intestinal
fluid loss. There is no diagnostic test that confirms the presence
of HGE. Its diagnosis is made mainly on clinical grounds.
Just as there is no unique
diagnostic test for HGE, there is no established cause for the
illness. Treatment is similar as that for other causes of vomiting
and bloody diarrhea in dogs. However, relatively large amounts of
fluid are usually needed to replace the fluid lost into the
intestinal tract, and to reverse shock, if present. Antibiotics are
also given because bacteria may play a role in causing HGE. Although
the signs are sudden and severe, and some dogs do not survive, most
animals with HGE recover fully with prompt treatment. Recurrences
are possible in an individual dog, but they are not common. Prompt
veterinary attention is vital for any dog with severe
gastrointestinal signs and depression, whether due to HGE or other
causes.
Canine
Hip dysplasia, Hip arthritis
Dogs. Less commonly, cats can develop hip
dysplasia, but the symptoms are much less threatening.
Difficult to prevent and treat, canine hip
dysplasia is among the most studied—and the most
frustrating—diseases in veterinary medicine. Canine hip dysplasia
is a developmental orthopedic disease in which an abnormal formation
of the hip leads to looseness in the hip joints, causing cartilage
damage. Progressive arthritis can result, and when it does, it can
be crippling. Hip dysplasia is not the same thing as arthritis in
the hips—rather, it is the most common cause of arthritis in the
hips.
Some dogs will show clear signs of hip dysplasia at a very young
age, before the arthritis sets in. For them, a commonly used
surgical method is available to prevent its onset. But for many
canines, the symptoms will not be obvious until severe, crippling
arthritis has developed. At this point, the options for treatment
are limited and complex.
Because hip dysplasia is passed on genetically, there is perhaps
an even graver consequence of the disease remaining undiscovered: if
two dogs with undetected dysplasia are bred together, the painful
disease will be perpetuated in the gene pool.
Hip dysplasia is most common among larger breeds of dogs,
especially German shepherds, rotweillers, Labrador retrievers,
golden retrievers, mastiffs, and Saint Bernards. It can also be
seen in smaller breeds such as the cocker spaniel and the springer
spaniel; mixed breeds may suffer from it as well.
Canine,Feline
Hookworms
Hookworms from the Ancylostoma caninum species
affect dogs, while hookworms from the Ancylostoma tubaeforme species
affect cats. Parasites from the Ancylostoma braziliense species,
found in the southern United Staes, can infect both canines and
felines. In Canada, the Uncinaria stenocephala affects canines and
felines as well. Puppies and kittens are more at risk for serious
illness from hookworms. Hookworms tend to do less damage to felines
than to canines.
A parasite that frequently infects puppies and
kittens, hookworms actually have heads that “hook” into the small
intestine, where they begin to eat away at the tissue and suck
blood. This parasite has been called a “voracious blood sucker” and
can pose severe health problems for puppies and kittens that do not
have a large blood supply to begin with and can suffer badly from
blood loss; anemia, diarrhea, weight loss, weakness, and sometimes
death can result. Hookworms are considered a human health hazard
since the infective larvae can penetrate the skin and migrate
locally, called cutaneous larval migrans.
Feline
High blood pressure
Cats of all ages can develop hypertension,
although middle-aged and older cats are affected most frequently. As
a rule, the most common diseases associated with hypertension in
cats are kidney failure and hyperthyroidism, which also tend to
occur more often in middle-aged and older cats.
Most cats with hypertension have an underlying
illness responsible for its development; kidney disease and
hyperthyroidism are the two most common diseases associated with
high blood pressure in cats. In rare circumstances, primary
hypertension—high blood pressure without an associated or underlying
cause—can occur. The diagnosis is made by measuring the blood
pressure, and treatment is usually initiated if the elevation is
severe or if symptoms due to the high blood pressure are present.
The long-term outlook with treatment for high blood pressure has not
yet been determined. However, with increased awareness of the
condition and early identification of elevated blood pressure
readings, serious consequences of hypertension may be prevented from
developing.
Feline
Feline hyperthyroidism
This is a common disease of older cats, with an
average age of 13 years and a general range of four to 20 years.
Cats of all breeds and both sexes can be affected.
Feline hyperthyroidism is the most common
hormonal abnormality and is a common disease of aging cats.
Hyperthyroidism is a feline disorder affecting multiple body systems
due to an overabundance of the thyroid hormone, which increases the
metabolism. Because of this increase, the cat’s body systems
function at an accelerated rate that it may not be able to sustain.
As a result, problems with the heart, gastrointestinal tract and
kidneys may occur; weight loss, hyperactivity, and increased
appetite are classic signs of the disease.
1.
Normal Thyroid Gland
2.
Parathyroid Gland
3.
Parathyroid Gland
4.
Enlarged Thyroid Gland
Routine laboratory tests
will diagnose hyperthyroidism, which can be treated very
successfully through medication, surgery, or radioactive iodine
therapy. Cats with severe complications of the disease may not
respond well to treatment.
Canine
Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD)
Dogs.
A developmental bone disease usually affecting
puppies between the ages of two and eight months, hypertrophic
osteodystrophy, or HOD, occurs when there is a disturbance in the
blood supply to the growth plate, leading to delays in bone
production. This weakened bony lattice develops microscopic
fractures, with the resulting inflammation causing pain and
lameness. When HOD is severe, the dog may become systemically ill;
loss of appetite, depression, and dehydration are common symptoms.
- Fibula
- Tibia
- Distal Tibia with Enlarged Metaphysis
- Calcaneus
The breeds most
frequently affected by HOD include the Great Dane, Irish wolfhound,
Saint Bernard, Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, and the
weimaraner.
Canine
Thyroid deficiency, hypothyroidism
Generally, hypothyroidism affects middle-aged
dogs between the ages of two and six years. Any dog can develop
hypothyroidism, but boxers, cocker spaniels, golden retrievers,
miniature schnauzers, Old English sheepdogs, poodles, Shetland
sheepdogs, and Doberman pinschers have a higher incidence of the
disease. Very rarely, cats may develop the disease as well.
The thyroid gland maintains the body’s
metabolism. When there is a decrease in levels of the thyroid
hormones, the dog’s body essentially "slows down" because of a lower
cellular metabolic rate. As a result, the body will begin to lose
its ability to function properly. The signs of slowed function vary
and occur gradually, but tend to include drowsiness, weight gain,
personality changes such as depression, and an inability or
unwillingness to exercise. The animal’s skin also may be affected,
and patches of hair loss and darkened pigmentation are not uncommon.
In more severe cases, the heart rate may slow and the dog may have
neuromuscular complications such as seizures.
Generally, dogs show signs of hypothyroidism when they are in
middle age, between the ages of two and six years, although some
animals are affected earlier. Thyroid hormone replacement
medications usually are effective in regulating the dog’s metabolism
and improving its quality of life, but when the hypothyroidism is a
result of a damaged pituitary gland or cancer, additional
complications may occur.
Canine
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia,
autoimmune hemolytic anemia, IMHA, AIHA
Dogs of all ages may be affected with
immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Young to middle-aged female dogs
are thought to be affected more commonly with immune-mediated
disease than their male counterparts. Older dogs often have
underlying or concurrent problems when IMHA develops. In some dogs,
IMHA can precede the identification of cancer or other serious
systemic diseases. Breeds including cocker spaniels, poodles, Old
English sheepdogs, Lhasa apsos, and Shih-tzus may have a higher
incidence of IMHA than other breeds.
Young dogs, especially beagles, Basenjis, and English springer
spaniels, may have specific red blood cell enzyme abnormalities that
result in hemolytic anemia at an early age; however, this anemia is
not mediated by the immune system.
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, or IMHA, is a
relatively common syndrome in dogs. The immune system normally helps
to protect the body from outside invaders. However, it can become
active against normal cells or parts of the body, or against normal
cells that have been altered by exposure to infectious agents,
medications, or other disease processes in the body. Although a
variety of factors may be associated with the development of IMHA,
in most situations it occurs without an identifiable trigger or
underlying cause. This is referred to as idiopathic immune-mediated
hemolytic anemia. Affected dogs show the symptoms common to anemia
due to any cause—lethargy, weakness, increased respiratory rate, and
pallor, or pale mucous membranes. In situations where the anemia
develops rapidly, signs can be severe, with some animals actually
presenting to the veterinarian in shock. In other cases, especially
when the targeted red blood cells are in the bone marrow rather than
in circulation in the blood vessels, the onset can be very slow and
gradual.
There is no single test that is absolutely diagnostic for
immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. It is usually diagnosed based on
suspicion and the absence of any other specific causes for anemia.
Bloodwork, x-rays, ultrasound, bone marrow examinations, and other
diagnostic tests are part of the evaluation of an anemic dog. These
studies are helpful in ruling out underlying or associated
conditions, identifying additional abnormalities that require
treatment, and in monitoring complications of the disease and its
treatment.
Treatment of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia is aimed at
restoring red blood cell numbers and trying to stop the ongoing
destruction of additional red blood cells. Underlying causes or
predisposing factors, when present, need to be addressed. If
medications were being used prior to the diagnosis, they are usually
stopped, in case they may have triggered hemolysis in the affected
dog. Transfusions may be needed in severely ill dogs, but are
generally useful only as a temporary measure unless the underlying
cause of the red cell destruction is arrested. A large number of
drugs have been used to suppress the immune response in dogs with
IMHA. The cornerstone of treatment is prednisone. Only an attempt at
treatment will provide an answer about the outcome for an individual
patient with IMHA. There is an extremely wide range of severity of
the condition, as well as an unpredictable response to treatment.
Some animals are saved with relatively non-aggressive treatment and
monitoring, while others succumb despite almost heroic efforts,
either to the disease itself, complications like pulmonary blood
clot formation, or side effects from the medications used to treat
the disease.
Canine,Feline
Allergic inhalant dermatitis, atopic
dermatitis
Dogs, cats, humans. In canines, females are
affected more commonly than males. Geographical location can
influence the animals affected. Dog breeds predisposed to atopy
include beagles, Boston terriers, Cairn terriers, Chinese shar-peis,
dalmatians, English bulldogs, English setters, golden retrievers,
Lhasa apsos, miniature schnauzers, Scottish terriers, West Highland
white terriers, and wirehaired fox terriers. There are no documented
predilections in cats.
Like humans, dogs and cats can be allergic to
pollens, spores, and other allergens that appear in the environment
seasonally, as well as substances found within the house such as
dust and animal dander. While people tend to respond to these
various allergens by sneezing and developing watery eyes, animals
react by getting very irritated, itchy skin. This leads to constant
scratching and chewing which can cause trauma to the skin and
extreme discomfort. Generally, symptoms worsen with age and can be
controlled, but not eliminated.
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