posted by Tess on Jul 30
Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer in dogs and in most cases, attacks the femur bone. Sarcoma is usually a malignant tumor that arises from the connective tissue of bones and muscles. Out of the three different types of primary bone cancers seen in dogs, osteosarcoma is not only the most malignant but also the most metastatic.
Primary signs of bone cancer start appearing with mild swelling that refuses to be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Later, some elements of lameness may be seen. The lameness becomes more pronounced as the disease progresses. Sometimes the bone is so weakened that the weight of the dog itself can cause fracture. Bone cancer is very painful and leads to a refusal to eat and consequently a significant weight loss is seen in almost all cases.
Bone cancers are relatively difficult to detect and require a host of tests that include X-Rays, complete blood profile, ultrasounds and bone scans. A number of other tests are also required to check the level of metastasis that has occurred.
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posted by Tess on Jul 29
Owning a pet has certain responsibilities. You have to feed and groom it as well as keep them away from various diseases. This is what cat care and health is all about and by doing it correctly, they can live for 10 years or even longer.
Cat vaccinations are the most effective means of fighting a disease. This also prevents the cat from ever becoming a carrier. Some of the common vaccinations given are for cat flu, feline leukemia or FeLV, Feline Chlamydophilosis and Feline Infectious Enteritis or FIE.
If your cat is given a vaccination, be aware that they may experience some side effects. This goes away shortly even if they develop flu like symptoms or fatigue in the next dew days. In rare cases, the cat may develop cancer where the injection has inserted that may develop in weeks, months or even years.
Cats just like humans experience allergies. This may come from pollen, dust, disinfectants and others. If you notice your cat experiencing any symptoms, you should stop using such products, keep them away from plants and make sure your house is clean.
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posted by Tess on Jul 21
The structure of the urinary tract in dogs is as simple as it can be. It consists of the following:
* Kidneys that filter the daily metabolic wastes from the blood and dissolve them in as little water as possible.
* A set of two tubes called ureters that transport liquid waste to a storage area.
* The urinary bladder which is the storage area for urine.
* Urethra, the tube through which this waste is eliminated during urination.
The simplicity, however, ends here because a lot can go wrong with this simple system that is responsible for eliminating wastes. To start with, diet, water consumption, pH balance of the urine and stress can cause urinary tract problems.
In addition to this, disease causing bacteria can enter the sterile tract through the urethral opening at the end of penis (in males) or just within the vaginal vestibule (in females) and cause canine and feline urinary infection.
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posted by Tess on Jul 8
A dog?s teeth and human teeth are different in structure and the use they are put to. At the same time, apart from the fact that dogs do not develop cavities and are more prone to develop tartar, dogs have to face nearly the same dental problems that humans have to struggle with.
Just as in humans, if you are not careful about dental care your dog may be at a higher risk of developing dental problems like:
-?? ?Canine bad breath.
-?? ?Gingivitis or inflammation of the gums.
-?? ?Bacterial infection in teeth.
-?? ?Abscesses, a localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed gum tissue.
-?? ?A more serious disease that attacks the gum and the bone around the teeth, known as periodontitis. ?
Teeth and mouth infections can lead to tooth extraction. These infections can also enter the blood stream and attack vital organs elsewhere in the body. While a dog breath freshener may temporarily cure bad dog breath, only a proper dental care program can keep your dog?s teeth and gums in a fighting fit condition.
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posted by Tess on Jul 7
Bladder stones are fairly common in domestic pets and are linked with urinary tract infection in dogs and urinary tract infection in cats. Besides urinary infection in dogs, changes in the pH balance, over saturation of urine with crystals and water re-absorption by the kidney tubules are the other major causes behind the formation of bladder stones.
Diet, decreased water intake and frequency of urination and genetics are some of the factors that contribute to the formation of bladder stones.
Concentration and pH balance play an important role in the type of stone that is formed. Calcium oxalate and urate stones are formed when the urine is acidic to neutral. Struvite stones are generally formed in neutral to alkaline pH environments.
Cystine stones, calcium phosphate stones and silicate stones, on the other hand, although dependent upon pH of the urine are more breed specific and are caused due to a defect in renal tubules.
The extent of urea in the body is another factor that plays a significant role in the formation of calcium crystals that ultimately result in bladder stones.
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posted by Tess on Jul 2
Inappropriate urinary behavior in cats is normally associated with medical disorders like feline urinary infection. However, it is also true that many times it is a behavioral problem rather than a medical one. It is only after ruling out medical causes after complete blood and urine tests that one can unequivocally state the real cause of inappropriate urinary behavior.
What we consider as abnormal may actually be appropriate when seen from the cat?s perspective. Owners train and expect their cat to always urinate in the litter box but cats, especially feral cats, are prone to mark their territory by spraying. This could be as frequent as 6 to 10 times a day.
When a cat is urinating to mark territory, it does so in a standing position with its tail in erect position so that the urine hits a vertical surface. Some cats will do the same on carpets or beds as well but the difference is that this type of urination makes a spray (linear) pattern and does not form a pool.
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posted by Tess on Jul 1
Canine respiratory problems can originate in various locations in the tract. A problem may occur in the upper respiratory tract (nose and windpipe) or the lower respiratory tract (chest and lungs).
These conditions can range from a minor tickle in the nose that causes sneezing to trauma in the chest and from labored breathing to clinical shock. Regardless of the place of origin, practically all canine respiratory problems can cause obvious changes in the breathing pattern of your dog.
Even though symptoms like coughing and sneezing may seem minor, they should not be taken lightly. Sneezing and nasal discharges are not illnesses in their own right. However, they accompany a number of other respiratory conditions like hay fever, foreign objects in the tract or nasal tumors.
Intense or persistent sneezing can result in a nosebleed. Generally nosebleeds are manageable. They can be managed by applying a cold compress to the top of the nose between eyes and nostrils. However, care needs to be taken to tilt the dog’s head towards the back to avoid the nasal passage being choked by the dripping blood.
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