Diseases

A corneal ulcer is a defect in the cornea, which is the clear, outer surface of the eye. The cornea is made of several layers of cells, and any erosion or damage to these cells creates an ulcer. Corneal ulcers are painful and require immediate veterinary attention.

When people "blow out" a knee, chances are they’ve suffered a cruciate ligament rupture. Dogs can experience the same injury. They have two cruciate ligaments in each knee (or stifle joint)—a caudal ligament and a cranial ligament, which is most commonly injured.

Just like people, dogs have disks, or round cushions of cartilage sandwiched between the vertebrae, or individual bones in the spine. Their tough outer layer and a soft inner layer, called the nucleus, act as shock absorbers.

In a healthy eye, a watery film of tears coats the eye’s surface, called the cornea. The tear film protects the cornea and lubricates the eyelids. Dry eye, also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), occurs when the tear glands don’t produce enough tears and the cornea becomes dry. KCS may affect one or both eyes.

Hip dysplasia is the most common cause of rear leg lameness in dogs. It occurs when the hip’s ball-and-socket joint becomes loose and unstable, eventually resulting in joint damage. In affected dogs, the femur doesn’t fit snugly in the pelvic socket, or acetabulum, because the socket is shallow and poorly developed. Additional joint instability can occur if the pelvic bones grow faster than the supporting muscles, causing arthritis.

What are hookworms?
Hookworms (Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense) are parasites that get their name from the hook-like mouthparts they use to attach to the intestinal wall. They are only about 1/8" (3 mm) long and so small that it is very difficult to see them with the naked eye. Despite their small size, they ingest large amounts of blood from the tiny vessels in the intestinal wall. A large number of hookworms can cause anemia. This problem is most common in puppies, but can occur in adult dogs.

What are "hot spots"?
Acute moist dermatitis or "hot spots" are a common skin disorder in dogs. "Hot spots" can appear suddenly and become large, red, irritated lesions in a short time.

I’ve heard that chocolate is toxic to dogs? Is this true?
Yes, chocolate is toxic to dogs. While rarely fatal, chocolate ingestion often results in significant illness. Chocolate is toxic because it contains the alkaloid theobromine. Theobromine is similar to caffeine and is used medicinally as a diuretic, heart stimulant, blood vessel dilator, and smooth muscle relaxant. Theobromine can be poisonous in large amounts.

I have been told that my dog is obese and must be put on a diet. Is this true?
Nearly one-third (33%) of all adults in the United States are obese. Unfortunately, this same number now applies to our pets. Obesity leads to several diseases both in pets and people. Type II diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis are the most common weight-related disorders.

What is an esophagostomy tube?
An esophagostomy tube is a small rubber tube that enters the esophagus through the skin of the neck. The esophagus is the muscular tube that transports food from the mouth to the stomach.

My dog has excessive gas. What is this called?
The excessive formation of gas in the stomach or intestine is referred to as flatulence. Flatus is the medical term used to describe air or gas expelled through the anus. The term originates from the Latin flatulentus which means "a blowing."

The size and shape of the normal eye is maintained by the amount of fluid within the eyeball. The pressure of the fluid inside the front or anterior chamber of the eye is known as the intra-ocular pressure (IOP). Fluid is constantly produced by a structure called the ciliary body. In addition to producing this fluid (aqueous humor), the ciliary body contains the suspensory ligaments which hold the lens in place. Muscles in the ciliary body pull on the suspensory ligaments, controlling the shape and focusing ability of the lens.

Hardcore chocoholics rejoice in the knowledge that dark chocolate is believed by medical experts to be a potent antioxidant that destroys free radicals, those destructive molecules to blame for heart disease. Although chocolate is recommended in moderate amounts, this factoid has become (surprise) a popular justification for binging. But as healthy as dark chocolate is for us humans, it’s hazardous – even deadly – for our dogs.

Ticks and fleas and worms – just the thought of them can make your skin crawl.

Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus, is a life-threatening condition in dogs. The stomach greatly distends with air, then rotates on its long axis, trapping air, food, or fluid in the stomach.

Sometimes underlying medical conditions interfere with urine’s antibacterial properties and the body’s ability to fight infection. The result is often a bladder infection. Bladder infections in dogs are similar to bladder infections in women—both cause painful urination, blood in the urine, or an urgent need to urinate when there’s little urine in the bladder.

Canine distemper is a highly contagious, often fatal viral disease in dogs that is prevented with regular vaccinations. Affected dogs spread the virus through body fluids, usually by sneezing and coughing. Pregnant dogs can infect their unborn puppies, leading to miscarriage or stillbirth. Most puppies who survive delivery die soon after birth.

Kennel cough, or infectious tracheobronchitis, is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs, characterized by a hacking cough. The infection is most prevalent in kennels or other facilities that house multiple dogs. Several viruses and bacteria, alone or in combination, can cause the disease. The most common culprits are canine parainfluenza virus, canine adenovirus 2, and the Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria.

A dog who continually licks one spot on his body, usually on his front legs, can create a hairless, callused area called a lick granuloma. A granuloma is a type of inflamed lesion, so a lick granuloma is inflammation caused by constant licking. The condition is known as acral lick dermatitis.

Named after Lyme, Conn., where the condition was first recognized, Lyme disease is a well-known, tick-borne disease in people that can also cause joint pain and flu-like symptoms in dogs. The spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi causes the disease.

"Parvo" is an extremely contagious viral disease of dogs that causes severe vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. It occurs almost exclusively in puppies less than 1 year old, though parvo affects dogs of any age.

When an infection enters the body, white blood cells rush to the site and fight the invading bacteria. Sometimes this collection of blood cells forms a pocket of pus, or abscess, within the body's tissues, organs, or confined spaces.

Dogs have two small sacs located at the 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock positions on the anus. The walls of the anal sacs contain glands that secrete a thin, smelly substance that's squeezed out, or expressed, during defecation to mark the feces and identify the dog. If the sacs don't empty properly or if the secretions become too thick, the anal sacs become impacted. One or both sacs may be affected, and left untreated, a simple impaction can lead to a painful infection or abscess.

Anemia is an inadequate number of red blood cells, or erythrocytes, in the circulatory system. Erythrocytes carry life-sustaining oxygen to the body tissues. Without them, tissues become starved for oxygen, and weakness and tissue damage set in.

Every spring, allergy sufferers turn their thoughts—not to love—but to antihistamines. The yearly onslaught of pollen, grasses, and trees makes some dogs miserable, too. The result: atopy, a skin disease that causes extreme itching.