posted by Tess on Apr 30
Cushing’s syndrome or hyperadrenocorticism is not as common in cats as it is among dogs. The treatments for Cushing’s disease in dogs is far more developed that those for cats. But that can hardly be reason for getting complacent since there have been a fair number of cases of feline hyperadrenocorticism that have been reported lately.
The best way to be prepared to tackle the syndrome is to understand the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. This helps in identifying the problem, confirming the presence and getting it treated effectively.
Causes
Cushing’s disease is a glandular disorder caused by excessive production of an adrenal-cortex hormone called cortisol.
A complex system of reciprocal interactions between the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands controls the cortisol levels in a cat’s body. An abnormal development like a tumor can disturb the fine balance of the amount of cortisol produced.
Sometimes, the condition can also be caused due to a high dosage of synthetic hormones that may have been used to treat other ailments.
Symptoms
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posted by Tess on Apr 26
Ataxia is the inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements. It can cause unsteady movements and a staggering gait. Ataxia in cats makes them move in circles and behave abnormally and this behavior is often very frightening for cat owners. Ataxia is usually caused by one of the following reasons.
* A nervous system disorders
* General weakness and anemia
* Deformities of bones, joints or spine
* Inadequate Diet
* Muscular atrophy
The different types of ataxia occur due to the impairment of different nerves in the nervous system.
* Vestibular ataxia - a condition where the nerves related to the inner ear are impaired causing issues with maintaining equilibrium.
* Sensor ataxia - caused due to impairment of the nerves related to the limbs. This kind of ataxia causes unsteady gait.
* Cerebellar ataxia - caused due to disorders in the cerebellum. It can also cause explosive speech and nystagmus.
* Friedreich’s ataxia – is a sclerosis of the posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord and occurs mainly in children.
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posted by Tess on Apr 23
Hyperadrenocorticism in dogs or Cushing’s disease is a serious condition that affects multiple organs. It has the potential of causing serious and complex medical conditions like heart failure, inflammation of the pancreas and kidney related disorders like diabetes.
Cushing’s disease in dogs is instrumental in the weakening of all muscles including heart muscles that are required to pump blood to various parts of the body. In such conditions epinephrine is used to induce controlled contractions in the heart muscles to resuscitate and resume heart functions.
Epinephrine is secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. It stimulates the part of nervous system that controls involuntary actions.
When secreted it enters the blood stream and prepares the body to take action in emergencies. Generally speaking, epinephrine is what makes an individual either fight or take flight in the face of danger. It is what induces reflex actions such as shutting eyes in bright light or removing body if a blow is expected from someone.
Epinephrine works on the body and affects body functions in various ways.
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posted by Tess on Apr 20
It is often easy to miss out on some of the symptoms that surface in your dog. Since dog has given companionship, loyalty and affection to humans, the least that man can do is to ensure that their pets are healthy and well taken care of.
Sometimes symptoms like excessive urination, hair loss and too much of huffing and puffing can be the first warning signs of endocrinal diseases like Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism.
Disturbances in the required levels of thyroid hormones cause hypothyroidism (less secretion of hormone) or hyperthyroidism (increased secretion).
Most cases of hypothyroidism in dogs results from an autoimmune system dysfunction. This affects the lymphocytes causing them to decreases in size in some cases.
Hyperthyroidism is extremely rare in dogs. But in most cases, the underlying cause almost always is a cancerous tumor in the thyroid.
The symptoms of hypothyroidism are vague and not easily discernable. Signs like decreased activity, fluid retention, swelling, infections in ear or skin and muscle weakness may not always result in the diagnosis for hypothyroidism. But it is always advisable to seek professional consultation to completely rule out thyroid dysfunction.
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posted by Tess on Apr 16
The decision to have your dogs ears cropped is a matter of preference. Some pet owners believe that a boxer looks much better with cropped ears and therefore opt for a surgical alteration in the structure. Others feel that the soft floppy ears give a soft look to their pet.
Many who are sensitive to animal suffering explicitly voice their dissent about this cruelty that is being meted out to some breeds of dogs. I personally feel that the boxer has been provided by the floppy ears by nature to actually cushion the otherwise gloomy expression that the breed has.
But there are people who prefer to crop the ears of their boxer pets to allow easy cleaning of the ear and prevent dog ear mites. They normally want to do this because drooping ears aid in creating a favorable environment for ear mites to breed. Let me explain how it happens.
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posted by Tess on Apr 12
Cushing’s disease is a glandular disorder caused by excessive corticosteroids. The process of the production of these corticosteroids is such that:
* The pituitary gland produces a hormone called ACTH
* The ACTH stimulates the adrenalin glands
* The adrenalin gland produces corticosteroids
* A more than required amount of corticosteroid can cause Cushing’s disease, so it is also called hyperadrenocorticism (hyper-adreno-corticism).
The overproduction of corticosteroids which causes Cushing’s disease in dogs can occur due to two types of conditions. In 85% of the cases, the excessive production of ACTH is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland that produces high levels of ACTH. This causes the adrenalin glands to make more than required levels of corticosteroids. Hyperadrenocorticism in a dog can also be caused by a corticosteroid-producing tumor in one or both of the adrenalin glands.
Cushing’s disease in dogs can also be caused by large doses of synthetic corticosteroids. These steroids may be administered for treating another ailment but in turn produce a side effect that results in Cushing’s disease.
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posted by Tess on Apr 9
A small puppy can bring great joy to you and your family. This new pet can also be a constant source of heartache and discomfort when they fall sick. Dogs can soon become an essential part of the family and seeing them suffer from any disease or discomfort can cause considerable agony.
Though minor problems can be managed easily, serious conditions tend to get complicated if adequate care is not given in time. The only way to ensure early detection of problems is to astutely observe their behaviors.
In order to ensure the best outcome, adrenal problem in dogs need to be detected and diagnosed as early as possible.
The adrenal glands are located near your dog’s kidneys. They play an important role the general health of your dog. Any kind of ailment that involving the adrenal glands can cause numerous other ailments that can be fatal if not treated in time.
Malfunction of the adrenal glands is a disturbance in the production of steroid hormones. It usually occurs due to injury or old age. But sometimes it can also occur due to human negligence.
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posted by Tess on Apr 2
Ear mites are external parasites that can infect dogs, cats and in some cases, humans. Otodectes cynotis is the most common mite that can infect pets and can cause a condition called otodectic mange - a persistent and contagious disease of the skin that causes inflammation, Itching and loss of hair in dogs, cats, and other carnivores.
The otodectes cynotis mite can live its complete life cycle in the ear of a dog or on the skin at times as it feeds on the epidural wastes of the host. These mites can be large enough to be seen by the naked eye and they are almost always easily visible under the magnifying glass. To examine and assess whether your dog has ear mites or not you need to scrape some wax from the ear and examine it closely.
It takes about 3 weeks for a mite egg to develop into an adult. Adult mites are very mobile and can be fairly contagious. They can travel from one pet to another and back again. The presence of mites in dogs can be determined by certain symptoms that an infected dog is likely to show.
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