Category — dog health issue

Status Epilepticus in Dogs

Status epilepticus, or epilepsy, is a neurological condition that results in recurrent seizures in dogs.

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Rickettsia Tick Borne Disease in Dogs

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is one of the most commonly known tick-borne diseases to affect dogs and humans. It belongs to a class of diseases known as Rickettsia; rod-shaped microorganisms that resemble bacteria, but which behave like viruses, reproducing only inside living cells. Rickettsia rickettsii — the organism responsible for Rocky Mountain spotted fever — lives parasitically in ticks and is transmitted by bite to vertebrate hosts.

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Megacolon

The colon is the section of the large intestine that begins at the cecum, the sac that joins the colon to the end of the small intestine (ileum), and ends where the rectum begins. All are part of the larger digestive tract. The main purpose of the colon is to serve as a temporary storage conduit while it performs the function of extracting useful water and salt from the waste. Megacolon is a condition in which waste is remaining in the colon, causing the diameter of the colon to become abnormally enlarged. It is typically associated with chronic constipation, or obstipation – severe, obstinate constipation that blocks the passage of gas as well as feces. Medically, the colon is described as exhibiting minimal colonic activity – that is, the colon is not releasing its contents.

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Disorder of the Heart in the Sinus Node

The sinoatrial node (SA Node, or SAN), also called the sinus node, is the initiator of electrical impulses within the heart, triggering the heart to beat, or contract, by firing off electrical surges. Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a disorder of the heart’s electrical impulse formation within the sinus node. It is also a disorder of the conduction of the electrical impulse out of the sinus node. Sick sinus syndrome will also affect subsidiary (backup) pacemakers and the specialized conduction system of the heart. Pacemaker refers to the generation of electrical impulses within the muscle tissue, which set the pace for the heart’s rhythm.

On an electrocardiogram (ECG), the irregular contraction of the heart (arrhythmia) will be visible. Tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome, in which the heart beats too slowly, and then too quickly, is a variant of sick sinus syndrome. Clinical signs of sick sinus syndrome in animals will become apparent when organs begin to dysfunction because they are not receiving a normal amount of blood supply.

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Vesiculopustular Dermatoses

A vesicle, or blister, is a small, defined elevation of the outer layer of the skin (known as the epidermis). It is filled with serum, the clear watery fluid that separates from the blood.  A pustule is also a small, defined elevation of the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), but is filled with pus — a mixture of serum, white blood cells, cellular debris and dead tissue.

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Contact Dermatitis in Dogs

Contact dermatitis may be caused by an allergy, or it may simply mean that your pet has touched something that has irritated its skin, such as the sap in poison ivy, or salt on a road. It is difficult to distinguish one from the other because the symptoms usually appear the same. Allergic reactions require a previous, sensitizing experience with the irritant. The next contact with the irritant is when symptoms occur. Both dogs and cats can suffer from allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis. It can occur at any age, and is a direct result of the irritating nature of the offending compound.

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Atlantoaxial Instability

Atlantoaxial instability results from a malformation in the first two vertebrae in the neck of an animal. This causes the spinal cord to compress and results in pain or even debilitation for the pet. The disorder is uncommon in older dogs and larger breeds of dogs. It is generally found in smaller, toy breeds. To ensure the best possible chance for a full recovery, it is important to treat the animal once an occurrence or sign of distress is observed.

• Symptoms and Types
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Living and Management
• Prevention

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Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs

Degenerative myelopathy is the general medical term that refers to the disease of the dog’s spinal cord or bone marrow. The condition does not have specific cause and may remain unidentified. While the disease can affect any breed and any age of dog, older animals are most often afflicted with the disease. Prognosis of this disease is not positive, as it is the degeneration of the animal’s spinal cord, leading to loss of numerous bodily functions.

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Fibrocartilaginous Embolic Myelopathy in Dogs

Fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy is a disorder of the spinal cord and nervous system. The term fibrocartilage is used to describe body tissue that is a combination of fibrous tissue, cartilaginous tissue and bundles of collagen fibers. In the spine, fibrocartilage is found in the intervertebral discs; the combination of these materials attributes to both the elasticity and stoutness of the spine. Any piece of material that blocks the blood vessel is called an emboli, and myelopathy denotes any disorder of the spinal cord.

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Spondylosis Deformans

Spondylosis deformans is a degenerative, noninflammatory condition of the spinal column characterized by the production of bone spurs along the bottom, sides, and upper aspects of the vertebrae of the spine. Spurs of the bone are simply projected growths of bone, usually grown in response to aging, or injury.

In dogs, spondylosis deformans occurs most often along the spine, in the area behind the chest, and on the upper section of the vertebrae of the lower back. Older, large-breed dogs are at highest risk for developing spondylosis deformans. In cats it tends to occur more often in the vertebrae of the chest.

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