Library
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Chylothorax is a life-threatening condition caused by chyle leaking out of the thoracic duct into the chest cavity, causing lung compression and the inability of the lungs to fill with air. This occurs more commonly in purebred cats. The causes, diagnostics, treatments, and prognosis are explained in this handout.
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Clostridial enterotoxicosis is a complex and poorly understood syndrome characterized by diarrhea that is associated with the bacteria Clostridium perfringens (CP). It is associated with either acute or chronic diarrhea. Clostridial enterotoxicosis is not caused by the bacteria directly, but rather by a toxin produced by the bacteria. Most cases of intestinal bacterial overgrowth are treated on an outpatient basis using antibiotics, nutrition, and probiotics.
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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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Chickens can be afflicted by a variety of diseases. Viral diseases may be very serious and life threatening. Fowl pox causes scabs on the face and feet of chickens. Traumatic wounds from predators often cause serious skin and muscle wounds as well as broken bones. Pressure sores often progress to form bumblefoot lesions on the undersides of one or both feet. Heavy metal toxicity is a common cause of head tilts, abnormal gait, or seizures. Intestinal parasites are common in chickens that have exposure to an outdoor environment.
