Spaying and neutering are the respective surgical processes of female and male animal sterilization, to keep them from producing offspring. Neutering is sometimes used to refer to the surgery in either males or females. The process in males is also referred to as castration, or gelding. read full article…
Pet Health Category
A snout is the protruding portion of an animal’s face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw. The snout is also often called a muzzle.
A piece of equipment also called a muzzle can be placed over the snout to prevent the animal from biting or eating. See animal muzzle. read full article…
Shar Pei fever is a condition seen in Shar Peis characterized by recurring fever and swelling of the hocks. It is similar to familial Mediterranean fever in humans. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be inherited. Shar Pei fever can result in renal and liver failure through accumulation of amyloid in those organs (amyloidosis). read full article…
A self colour refers to the top coat colouration of several domestic animals, such as dogs, pet rodents and cats. It refers to hairs of a uniform shade, with no banding or tipping of another colour. A true self coloured animal should also have no white markings such as bibs or blazes. read full article…
Scotty Cramp is a disease in Scottish Terriers causing spasms and hyperflexion and hyperextension of the legs. It is caused by a disorder in serotonin metabolism that causes a deficiency of available serotonin. Scotty Cramp occurs in puppies and young dogs. Symptoms present after exercise or excitement and last a few minutes. A goose-stepping gait is often seen. If the diagnosis is unsure, a dose of methysergide can be given. In affected dogs, this will block serotonin and increase the frequence and severity of the symptoms. Diazepam is used to control the symptoms of Scotty Cramp. Vitamin E may also be of some benefit. read full article…
Salmon poisoning disease is a fatal disease of dogs caused by infection with a type of rickettsia, either Neorickettsia helminthoeca or Neorickettsia elokominica.[1] It results from eating raw salmon and is found in the Pacific Northwest. These salmon are infected with metacercariae of a fluke, Nanophyetus salmincola. The fluke attaches to the intestine of the dog and the rickettsiae are released, causing severe gastrointestinal disease and systemic infection. read full article…
Retinal dysplasia is an eye disease affecting the retina of animals. It is usually a nonprogressive disease and can be caused by viral infections, drugs, vitamin A deficiency, or genetics. Retinal dysplasia is characterized by folds or rosettes (round clumps) of the retinal tissue. read full article…
Raw feeding is the practice of feeding domestic dogs and cats a diet largely consisting of uncooked meat. Some supporters cite evidence that domesticated dogs are a subspecies of wolves and therefore have very similar gastrointestinal systems. There is a clearer argument in favour of raw feeding for cats, which are obligate carnivores. read full article…
Rabies (Latin, rabies, “madness,rage,fury”) is a viral zoonotic disease that causes acute encephalitis in animals and people. In non-vaccinated humans, rabies is almost invariably fatal after neurological symptoms have developed, but prompt post-exposure vaccination may prevent the virus from progressing. read full article…
Phycomycosis is an uncommon condition of the gastrointestinal tract and skin most commonly found in dogs. The condition is caused by a variety of molds and fungi, and individual forms include pythiosis, zygomycosis, and lagenidiosis. Pythiosis is the most common type and is caused by Pythium, a type of water mould. Zygomycosis can also be caused by two types of zygomycetes, Entomophthorales (such as Basidiobolus and Conidiobolus) and Mucorales (such as Mucor, Mortierella, Absidia, Rhizopus, Rhizomucor, and Saksenaea). Lagenidiosis is caused by a Lagenidium species, which like Pythium is a water mould. read full article…