The complete guide to
dog and cat
medical conditions

Acute Gastroenteritis (Stomach Flu)

Acute Gastroenteritis is a sudden disruption in the digestive system’s normal function. It’s usually caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites that enter the digestive system via contaminated external sources or due to natural causes. Acute Gastroenteritis typically lasts a few days, causing discomfort for the dog and their owner, and typically doesn’t require more than supportive care. However, in some cases, it can lead to dehydration or severe illness, requiring hospitalization.

Addison’s Disease

Addison’s disease, also known as Hypoadrenocorticism, is an endocrine disorder stemming from a disruption in the body’s hormone production. The adrenal glands, located near the kidneys, are responsible for producing steroid hormones like aldosterone and cortisol, which play critical roles in things like regulating blood electrolyte and sugar levels, managing stress responses, and suppressing inflammatory reactions.

This disease affects mostly middle-aged dogs and is more common in females. Symptoms range in severity from mild, intermittent clinical signs to a life-threatening condition known as an “Addisonian crisis”.

Alopecia X

Alopecia X, also known as “Black Skin Disease” or “Coat Funk”, is a skin condition that primarily affects only certain breeds of dogs, particularly ones with a plush coat – longer, fuller fur. Alopecia X manifests in a disruption of normal hair growth, which leads to bald spots. It’s a somewhat mysterious and poorly understood disorder, but it is believed to be linked to hormonal imbalances, specifically involving sex hormones.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis is a common chronic skin condition characterized by redness, itching, and inflammation. It typically appears as dry, scaly patches on the skin and can be triggered by various factors such as allergens, environmental irritants, or foods. In dogs, atopic dermatitis manifests similarly to humans, with clinical signs including itching, scratching, licking, and skin irritation. It often affects areas such as the face, ears, paws, and groin. Dogs with atopic dermatitis may also develop secondary skin infections due to scratching and self-trauma.

Bladder Stones

Bladder stones, also known as urinary calculi or uroliths, are mineralized masses that form in the urinary bladder of dogs. These stones can vary in size, ranging from small, gravel-like particles to larger, more solid structures. They are composed of minerals and other substances that are normally present in urine, such as calcium, oxalate, struvite, or urate. These stones develop when there is an imbalance in the concentration of minerals or an abnormality in the urine composition.

Bone Fractures

Bone fractures can be common in dogs. The bones most prone to breaking are the long bones – the femur and tibia in the hind legs, the radius and ulna in the front legs, the pelvic bones, ribs, bones in the paw’s toe root, and toes. There can also be fractures in the vertebrae that may lead to significant nerve damage if they endanger the integrity of the spinal cord.

There are several types of fractures:

• 1. Closed fracture – when the fracture line does not break through the skin tissue.
  2. Open fracture – the broken ends of the bone pierce through the skin, causing a wound. This type of fracture poses a greater health challenge due to the risk of infection.
  3. Simple fracture – a single fracture line extending across the width of the bone or diagonally.
  4. Compound fracture – a bone that has broken or shattered into several pieces. These cases are usually more complicated to treat.

In certain traumatic situations, fractures may be accompanied by additional significant injuries and life-threatening conditions such as hemorrhage and damage to the nervous, respiratory, and urinary systems. In such cases, life-threatening injuries are addressed first, and fracture treatment follows only after stabilizing the patient’s condition.

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), is a medical condition that affects certain dog breeds with brachycephalic (short-nosed) facial structures. It is characterized by a combination of anatomical abnormalities in the upper respiratory tract, which can cause breathing difficulties and respiratory distress.

Canine Bloat

Bloat, or gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), is a condition where the stomach becomes distended and expands due to the accumulation of gas (air, for example), causing pressure on the blood vessels along the stomach wall and the spleen. In severe cases, gas accumulation may cause the stomach to rotate in a twisting motion around its axis, known as volvulus. This movement generates pressure on the diaphragm, which is adjacent to it, as well as on central blood vessels responsible for supplying blood to the abdominal organs. From that moment on, within minutes, a state of shock may develop due to disruption of blood flow and multi-systemic damage, including disturbances in heart rate and respiratory failure.

Canine Distemper

Canine distemper is a severe and highly contagious disease caused by a virus that affects dogs, primarily unvaccinated puppies. The virus targets the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems and other areas of the body. While canine distemper is most commonly found in dogs, they can transmit the virus to other animals, such as ferrets.

Fortunately, this dangerous disease can be prevented through vaccination. Regular vaccinations are crucial to prevent unnecessary pain and death and stop the spread of the virus to other animals.

Cataracts

Just like in humans, the role of a dog’s lens is to focus light, so it needs to be transparent to allow light to be properly absorbed by the retina. In the case of cataracts, the lens becomes opaque, preventing light from passing through it. This condition impairs vision, can lead to blindness, and directly affects the quality of life for the dog and its owners.