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Cancer is a powerful word that elicits fear and apprehension. What makes cancer so dreadful is that the disease is most often caused by a mutation of the body's own cells. The body literally turns on itself.

If your older dog acts lost or confused, no longer recognizes familiar people, or seems less social, he may suffer from cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction is a newly recognized disease in older dogs that resembles dementia in people. Behavioral changes once attributed to old age may actually stem from complex changes in the brain that affect memory, recognition, and learned behaviors. Some studies show that about 45 percent of dogs over 11 years old will exhibit one or more signs of cognitive dysfunction.

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart fails to pump enough blood, causing a fluid backup (congestion).

The four chambers of the heart contain two pumps. The left side of the heart takes oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the tissues. The right side of the heart takes blood from the venous system and pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation. If the left pump fails, fluid backs up in the lungs, resulting in pulmonary edema. If the right side fails, fluid backs up in the venous system and leaks into the body cavities. Fluid in the chest cavity is called pleural effusion, and fluid in the abdominal cavity is called ascites.

Your dog didn't get those red, watery eyes from staying up all night. More likely, she's suffering from conjunctivitis. The conjunctiva is the lining of the eyelids and the tissue surrounding the edge of the eye. Inflammation of these tissues is called conjunctivitis—a common disease in both dogs.

Cushing's syndrome, or hyperadrenocorticism, occurs when the adrenal glands release excessive levels of the hormone cortisol. The pituitary gland in the brain directs the adrenal glands to secrete the hormone, so problems with the pituitary gland or the adrenal glands can cause cortisol levels to increase. Cortisol, which is a type of natural steroid, affects many body processes. For example, it influences the body's reaction to stress and infection and has many other functions, making Cushing's syndrome a complex disorder.

What is conjunctivitis?
The conjunctiva is the lining tissue that covers the globe of the eye (the eyeball) and lines the eyelids and the third eyelid. Conjunctivitis refers to inflammation of this tissue.

What is cryptorchidism?
Cryptorchidism is the medical term that refers to the failure of one or both testes (testicles) to descend into the scrotum.

What are whipworms?
Whipworms are intestinal parasites which are about 1/4 inch (6 mm) long. They live in the cecum and colon of dogs where they cause severe irritation to the lining of those organs. This results in watery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and general debilitation. They are one of the most pathogenic worms found in dogs.

Cervical stenosis is also known as cervical vertebral instability, cervical spondylopathy, or Wobbler syndrome. It is caused by compression of the spinal cord, usually at the base of the neck.

A cesarean section or c-section is major surgery performed to remove puppies from the uterus. Most dogs recover quickly from this procedure; however, if your dog was in labor for several hours before surgery was performed, her recovery will be slower, and she will need extra attention and help with her litter.