Library
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Chronic hepatitis is a progressive inflammatory liver condition. Although there are many potential causes, often the underlying cause is not identified. Initially there may be no clinical signs but as liver scarring increases, signs can include decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal bleeding and a bloated appearance. Diagnosis, treatment and prognosis are discussed.
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The kidneys have many functions. They are primarily responsible for removing waste from the body and unfortunately in some dogs they will begin to fail at this task. Various tests will be done to determine the stage of kidney disease. Treatment will be recommended to help preserve the remaining kidney function and improve quality of life. Most dogs will respond well to treatment and can live a good life.
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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a slowly progressing cancer of a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte. It can develop at any age but is more typically detected in middle-aged to senior dogs. It also seems to be more prevalent in German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers. This disease is often asymptomatic and detected on routine lab screening. Further diagnostic procedures, as well as treatments and prognoses, are described in this handout.
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Clostridial enterotoxicosis is a complex and poorly understood syndrome characterized by diarrhea that is associated with the bacteria Clostridium perfringens (CP). It is associated with acute or chronic diarrhea. Clostridial enterotoxicosis is not caused by the bacteria directly, but by a toxin produced by the bacteria.
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The general condition of your dog's skin and coat are good indicators of his health. A healthy coat should be shiny and smooth, not brittle or coarse, and healthy skin should be supple and clear, not greasy, flaky, or bumpy. Selective breeding has led to the development of dogs with various coat characteristics requiring varying grooming needs. Nutrition also plays an important role in skin and coat maintenance.
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Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the soil fungus Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadii. The early signs of coccidioidomycosis include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, and joint pain. Diagnosis is by biopsy of lesions or blood testing for antibodies to the Coccidioides organism. The prognosis for recovery is dependent of the extent of lesions in the dog’s body.
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Colitis simply refers to inflammation of the large intestine or colon. Colitis is most commonly used to describe diarrhea or loose stools associated with the large bowel. Large bowel diarrhea is also used synonymously with colitis.
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Collie eye anomaly (CEA), also called “collie eye defect,” is an inherited, developmental disease in dogs in which there is a mutation of the gene that determines the development of the eye. This mutation results in defects of many layers of the back of the eye. The most common sign of CEA is blindness.
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Color dilution alopecia is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that affects dogs with dilute-colored coats causing hair loss. Some dogs will also be affected by secondary bacterial infections so topical management and pruritus treatments may be needed to improve the dog's comfort. Affected dogs and their relatives should not be bred.
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Congestive heart failure (CHF) refers to the heart's inability to pump adequate blood to the body. There are many causes of CHF in dogs. The two most common causes are mitral valve insufficiency (MVI), or a leaky mitral valve, and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The most common clinical sign of CHF is persistent coughing accompanied by difficulty breathing. Other signs include coughing when at rest or sleeping, an increased resting respiratory rate or excessive panting, persistent loss of appetite, a swollen belly, and pale or bluish gums.