Educational Articles
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Your cat's skin and coat condition are good indicators of her 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 cats with various coat characteristics requiring varying grooming needs. To maintain healthy skin and coat, your cat also requires a properly balanced diet.
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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, poor 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 cat’s body.
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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. Signs include frequent, small volumes of semi-formed to liquid feces, straining, and small amounts of bright red blood. The causes of colitis include stress, infections, and parasites, trauma, allergic colitis, and primary inflammatory bowel disease. The diagnosis of colitis is based on your pet's clinical signs and history, microscopic evaluation of the feces, rectal examination, cytology, and blood tests. The specific cause of colitis will dictate the appropriate treatment. For most dogs diagnosed with colitis, the prognosis is excellent for a speedy recovery.
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Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) is a genetic mutation affecting many breeds that causes developmental defects in the eye that can lead to vision deficits or blindness. This defect can be diagnosed by a veterinary ophthalmologist between 6 and 8 weeks of age by visualizing spots of choroidal hypoplasia or a colobomas . It can be associated with microphthalmia or enophthalmia. It can lead to retinal detachment and blindness. Although laser repair of partial retinal detachments can be attempted if detected in early stages, there is generally no treatment for CEA. Vision varies depending on the extent of the lesions and some dogs will become blind. Prevention requires not breeding animals that carry the mutation and this can be achieved through genetic testing of breeding dogs.
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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.
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Conjunctivitis means inflammation of the conjunctiva. If you see excessive tearing from one or both eyes, abnormal discharge, and reddened conjunctival membranes, your cat may have conjunctivitis. The most common causes of conjunctivitis include infectious diseases and non-infectious conditions, including allergies, injuries, hereditary conditions, and tumors. The approach to non-specific conjunctivitis is to use eye medications containing a combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics to control the bacterial infection and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the inflammation. The prognosis depends on the specific diagnosis. It can be a recurring condition in some cats.
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Conjunctivitis means inflammation of the conjunctiva. The most common signs of conjunctivitis include discharge from the eyes, squinting or excessive blinking, and redness or swelling around the eyes. Causes of conjunctivitis include bacterial and viral infections, allergies, breed-associated conditions, and tumors. Conjunctivitis can be secondary to other eye conditions including eyelid abnormalities, corneal ulcers, decreased tear production, uveitis, or glaucoma. To differentiate many of these conditions, your veterinarian must perform a complete and detailed ophthalmic examination, as well as several additional diagnostic tests. Treatment may include both topical and oral medications. Most dogs have an excellent prognosis, though some causes of conjunctivitis require long term or surgical treatment.
