Health Problems
Found [373] Articles :: Page 15 of 25
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Protopsis is an emergency medical condition in which an otherwise healthy eye explodes or falls out of the orbital socket that normally contains it. Though it can happen in any breed, it seems to occur most often in those with short and wide faces such as pugs, bulldogs, and pekingnese.
Protopsis can happen for a wide variety of reasons. It could occur as the result of trauma such as a scratch or bite by another animal, even when the resulting damage is not externally visible. Likewise, it could occur as the result of pressure exerted upon the inner eye from the build-up of ocular fluids. It's even possible for protopsis to happen spontaneously with no discernible cause whatsoever. [...]
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In a normally functioning canine heart, the right side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood to the lungs to be infused with oxygen. This oxygenated blood is then cycled back into the left side of the heart where it is sent out to the rest of the body. There exists, however, a medical condition called pulmonic stenosis that interferes with this natural and medically necessary process. In an animal with pulmonic stenosis, blood flow to the lungs is compromised by an improperly formed pulmonic valve. As a result, the heart must work much harder than normal to pump blood to the lungs, and the ultimate result is a swelling of fluid in the right chambers of the heart, a thickening of the heart muscle, and eventually heart failure and death. [...]
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Pyometra is a medical condition in which pus is accumulated in the uterus of a dog. It usually happens after the animal has gone through a heat cycle without becoming pregnant. Hormonal abnormalities result in the uterine lining becoming thick. When this happens, fluid begins to accumulate within the thickened walls, infection develops and the uterus fills with pus. In certain conditions, namely if the cervix is open, the pus will drain from the dog through the vagina and is an unpleasant, but not especially life-threatening concern. If the cervix is closed, however, the pus will be trapped inside the uterus and cannot drain outside the body. At this point, the infection rapidly becomes a threat to the dog's life. [...]
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Pyotraumatic Dermatitis, also known as "hot spots", are severe skin irritations caused by trauma that a dog typically inflicts on his or her self. Attempts to scratch persistent itches, to bite at fleas, or to alleviate some type of pain result in painful trauma to the outermost layer of skin. Though this trauma is the most frequent cause of hot spots, hypersensitivity to parasites such as fleas or mites or allergic reactions to food or medications can also cause similar irritations. Ultimately, the trauma to the skin manifests as large, open lesions within a matter of hours. These lesions are typically a bright red, moist, and oozing sore that rapidly forms a crust surrounded by red, raised skin. Hair is lost from the affected area, but in any hot spot, the hairline is very clearly defined with a sharp edge. If left untreated, the lesion will spread very rapidly, and there is substantial pain associated with the area of the trauma. [...]
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The function of a healthy kidney is to remove naturally occurring and foreign toxins from the bloodstream and eject them from the body via urination. A healthy kidney is made up of three major structure: the cortex, the medulla, and the pelvis. The cortex is the largest part of the kidney, and makes up the entire outer area. This area is filled with capillaries that control the fluid interchange function of the kidneys; fluids that have had their toxins removed are passed through here in order to be reabsorbed back into the blood stream by the medulla.
Renal cortical hypoplasia is a disease in which the cortex of the kidneys is improperly developed. The natural result is that proper filtration of toxins from the bloodstream cannot be carried out and over time, renal failure is inevitable. [...]
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In a healthy dog, kidneys fulfill the role of filter for the body's waste. They absorb toxins from the bloodstream and pass them out of the body as urine. In addition, they regulate the level of calcium in the bloodstream and aid in the metabolism of phosphorous. The "filtering" aspect of a kidney's function is carried out by tiny funnel-shaped tubes called nephrons. They number in the millions in each kidney and are essential parts of the filtration process. However, they are incredibly sensitive to damage. Poison, disease, fever, trauma, bacterial infection and aging all can destroy nephrons very easily, and once destroyed they never grow back. This usually isn't a major concern, though, as kidneys are made to continue working with as little as one quarter of their nephrons intact. If the level falls much below that, however, renal failure will rapidly occur. [...]
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Renal dysplasia is a disease which results in the improper formation of a dog's kidneys. Because they are improperly formed, the kidneys cannot then carry out their essential functions of eliminating waste from the blood stream, regulating the body's level of calcium, or aiding in the metabolism of phosphorous. Ultimately, kidneys suffering from renal dysplasia will result in outright renal failure as more and more of their functions are compromised and cease to be carried out satisfactorily.
All breeds are subject to renal dysplasia but there are several for which the risk of carrying the disease is higher than average. These include Samoyed, Malamutes, and Spitz breeds in general, as well as Doberman Pinschers, Terriers, and toy breeds such as the Poodle. [...]
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The retina is a structure in the back of the eye. It is responsible for receiving light through the lens and converting it into electric signals that can be transmitted to the brain and perceived as sensory data. It is quite a complex instrument, and as such, malformations can occur during its development. These are rare problems, but certain factors such as the breed of your dog and certain matters of heredity can affect the likelihood of contracting them.
Retinal dysplasia is a disorder that occurs when the two layers of the retina do not form together in the correct manner during the formation of the fetus. In its mildest form, this causes light accordion-style folding to occur on the inner layer of the retina, which are called "retinal folds". This disorder is not progressive, which means that whatever degree of severity a puppy possesses at birth is as severe as the disease will ever get. [...]
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Canine rheumatism is a degenerative disease that affects the joints and cartilage of an otherwise healthy dog. It can occur in most any breed at almost any age, with no real warning signs. Canine rheumatism is a progressive disease, which means that it will not get better without treatment, and even with treatment, it usually tends to get worse over time. The ultimate result of rheumatism tends to be the total destruction of cartilage cushioning between joints and the death of cells that produce that cartilage. As a result, these bones grind together very painfully, and motor function can be lost altogether.
Canine rheumatism most often occurs as the result of either trauma or bacterial infection, and is most prevalent in dogs that have already reached middle age, as well as older dogs. That said, it can easily happen in younger dogs as well, especially if they're of one of the breeds that are predisposed to joint ailments such as hip dysplasia. [...]
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Schnauzer Comedone Syndrome is a skin disorder frequently inherited by the miniature Schnauzer. It causes the formation of several "comedones" along the back of the dog, at any position up and down the spinal ridge. These comedones are simply just hair follicles that are blocked by an excess of skin oils and keratin, not much different from the blackheads that a human might suffer from. Not much is known about what factors contribute to the inheritance of this disease, but it is known to be hereditary, and it only seems to affect the miniature Schnauzer. [...]
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The Scottish Terrier is widely regarded as one of the most noble breeds of dog. The "Diehard", as they're known, are renowned for their courage and ferocity in spite of their small size, as well as the strong degree of loyalty that they possess for the the humans to whom they become bonded. This degree of nobility, however, does not come without its price. The Scottish Terrier has the distinction of having a disease named after it in particular, for among all dogs, only the Scottie is said to suffer from it. This disease is known as the Scottie Cramp. [...]
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The sebaceous glands are glands in the skin that are responsible for producing sebum, a fatty lubricating oil that prevents skin from becoming dried out and brittle. In dogs with the disease known as sebaceous adenitis, however, these glands suddenly become severely inflamed and shortly thereafter are destroyed for reasons that still are not well understood. After the gland is destroyed, no sebum can be produced, and the result is incredibly dry and brittle skin that is prone to cracking and scaling.
Sebaceous adenitis is usually first observed in young adult dogs. Akitas, Samoyed, and Poodles seem to be affected the most. The disease can first be identified by the observation of dry scaly skin along the head, top and back, accompanied by severe hair loss. [...]
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Seborrhea is an inherited disorder which affects the outer layer of skin in a dog. The skin's sebaceuous glands (which produce a fatty substance called sebum) and hair follicles are much more productive than is normally the case. The result is that skin can become both dry and greasy at the same time, producing both a hard, scaly texture and a loathsome oily ichor that coats the entire body of the dog. Seborrhea usually manifests by the time of a dog's first birthday and the first outbreak of the disease is usually quite memorable to owners who are unfamiliar with the rancid odor that the abundant grease can produce. [...]
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The French Bulldog has many positive characteristics that make them a favorite breed of dog for Frenchie fanciers; adaptability to the great outdoors, however, is not one of them. Due to some characteristic physical and genetic traits, French Bulldogs require an extra level of care in some climates and conditions. [...]
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As in humans, canine seizures are defined by a repeated, involuntary behavior or movement with an unapparent stimulus. They are typically broken down into three different classifications that are treated and handled differently.
Generalized, or grand mal seizures are by far the most common type. Grand mal seizures usually involve the entire body and are typified by the often seen cyclical stiffening and contracting of the muscles, over and over again, alternately. The victim of a grand mal seizure usually loses consciousness.
Partial seizures are those seizures which originate from a very specific area of the brain and as such manifest only in a very specific area of the body. A twitching limb or spasming eyes might be a sign of partial seizures. [...]
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