Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tick-borne disease that has been seen in increasing numbers in recent years, as veterinarians are doing more and more testing for tick-borne diseases. There are several species of ticks that may be involved, but the American Dog tick is the most common one incriminated. Depending upon the dog’s immune status, some pets will develop acute signs of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, while others may develop more chronic forms of this condition. An inflammation of the blood vessels secondary to infection is believed to be the cause of most of the clinical symptoms in infected dogs.
The clinical signs of Rocky Mountain spotted fever are quite variable, but may include lethargy, loss of appetite, lameness and stiffness, swollen joints, bleeding from the mouth, anus or urinary tract, as well as bruising on the skin. Pneumonia and cardiac arrhythmias may also be seen. Many times, neurologic complications may occur.
Diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is best made by recognizing the clinical signs, in conjunction with blood antibody testing to document recent exposure and infection. Recently, newer PCR blood tests are now available for many tick-borne diseases. Treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever usually involves one month of therapy with the antibiotic Doxycycline. In rare cases, pets may need cortisone to help lessen the immune response.
Prognosis for full recovery is excellent, however occasionally pets may experience flare-ups months or years later. Because of the potential for human infection with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, it is very important to implement a good tick prevention program with products such as K9 Advantix II or Frontline Plus.
Pale gums in a pet can certainly be a serious clinical finding. The most common cause of pale gums in a pet is the presence of anemia. Anemia occurs when there is a lower than normal red blood cell count in the circulation. Anemia can have many causes from blood loss (secondary to external or internal parasites, cancer, etc.) to a condition where a pet’s immune system reacts against its own blood cells. Many tick born infections also may cause anemia, in addition to numerous other chronic diseases.
Pale gums may also be seen secondary to circulatory problems, as well as allergic reactions. Because of the potential severity of many of these conditions, it is important for animal guardians to see a veterinarian as soon as possible for a complete medical workup in any pet with persistent pale gums.
The clinical presentation of a distended abdomen in pets can have many causes. The three big causes of abdominal distention are excessive fluid buildup, fat buildup, and gas accumulation. Masses or tumors may also cause a distended abdomen.
Any dog with chronic abdominal distention should have a full medical workup, including an exam, blood work, and x-rays and ultrasound if indicated. Treatment of abdominal distention will depend upon the specific cause revealed by this initial workup. Causes of fluid buildup may include metabolic disease of the liver, kidney, pancreas; heart disease; chronic intestinal disease; as well as cancer. Prognosis for a pet with a distended abdomen will depend upon early identification and treatment of the underlying causes.
Lymphoma is the most common cancer seen in small animal veterinary medicine, and can affect the lymphoid tissue of many possible organs. By far the most common area of involvement is the peripheral lymph nodes of the body, but lymphoma may also spread and involve internal areas, as well as even the skin. Causes of lymphoma are believed be genetic in origin; however, environmental factors, including overexposure and sensitivity to chemicals, pesticides, and even over-vaccination are all believed to play roles in increased development of lymphoma.
Clinical signs will vary depending upon the location of the cancer, but with peripheral lymphoma(the most common type), symptoms include firm swellings around the body, especially under the neck, as well as nonspecific symptoms of illness such as lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting/diarrhea and/or coughing or difficulty breathing. While tentative diagnosis of lymphoma is often made by needle aspiration of affected lymph nodes, definitive diagnosis usually requires an excisional tissue biopsy.
Treatment of lymphoma usually involves a sequential chemotherapy protocol, which will vary depending upon severity and location of the lymphoma. Prognosis for remission is usually very good, with some animals achieving cancer free periods for 1-2 years; however, the prognosis for cure is very guarded.
Strokes occur not only in people, but in pets as well. This will happen when there is interruption of blood flow to the brain, leading to cell damage and cell death. Symptoms often come on acutely, and may include sudden paralysis of the legs, as well as weakness of the cranial nerves resulting in facial drooping, and loss of other reflexes. Causes of a stroke include high blood pressure, toxin exposure, trauma, cancer, as well as on occasion viral and bacterial microbes. In the vast majority of cases a definitive cause is not found.
Presumptive diagnosis of a stroke is made by ruling out other causes of sudden neurologic symptoms. Definitive diagnosis of stroke, however, is only possible through neurologic testing such as an MRI test performed at a referral veterinary facility. Treatment of stroke is mostly supportive and includes IV fluids, as well as antibiotics to prevent secondary infections, as well as anti inflammatory agents. Prognosis for return to function is always guarded, and depends upon the severity of the symptoms.
Cerebellar hypoplasia is a condition where the part of the brain known as the cerebellum is not fully mature at birth. Causes of cerebellar hypoplasia include injury, poisoning, and malnutrition. Bacterial and viral infections, including panleukopenia in cats, also may result in the birth of pets with cerebellar hypoplasia. Symptoms include jerky movements, tremors, uncoordinated motion, as well as the animal will often fall as it tries to walk. The tremors seem to increase when the animal is excited, while they typically will ease up at rest.
There is currently no treatment or cure of this condition in dogs and cats. The disease is not typically progressive, and most pets will have a normal lifespan. Living with a disabled animal requires making adjustments in the home environment to insure safety for the affected pet.
Pancreatic insufficiency is a chronic disease in animals that can certainly affect long-term health. This disease occurs when the immune system destroys the part of the pancreas involved with digestive enzyme production. In other cases, that part of the pancreas fails to develop adequately. In either case, digestive enzymes are not produced in adequate numbers leading to symptoms of chronic often fatty diarrhea, ravenous appetite and often severe weight loss. While pancreatic insufficiency can occur in all breeds, there are certain breeds, such as the German shepherd, where the disease is more common.
Any pet that presents with the above symptoms should have a full medical workup, including CBC/chemistry blood work, urine analysis, as well as stool checks for parasites. X-rays and ultrasound may also be indicated. This workup is important to rule out other causes of chronic diarrhea in pets. The definitive diagnosis of pancreatic insufficiency is done by a TLI blood test performed by your veterinarian. Treatment of pancreatic insufficiency includes a low-residue, easily absorbed, low fat diet, as well as the supplementation with digestive tract enzymes from products such as Pancrezyme. I also find that adding probiotics is helpful in long term management of this disease. Prognosis for control of the disease is excellent, as long as pets are maintained on special diets and supplemented with the appropriate digestive enzymes.
Although the liver has tremendous regenerative capacities, there are many possible causes of liver disease in dogs and cats. Certainly toxic chemical exposure from the environment, food supply and even from chemicals applied as pesticides to pets may be contributing factors. Bacterial causes of liver disease, such as Leptospirosis, as well as viral causes have also been incriminated.
Other diseases of the pancreas, digestive tract and oral cavity may also cause secondary inflammation of the liver. When these other diseases are treated primarily, the liver inflammation will usually subside. In young animals, genetic causes of liver disease are common, including circulatory issues known as portosystemic shunts. In middle-aged and older pets, primary inflammatory diseases of the liver may occur, as well as liver tumors. It is important that any chronically ill pet have a complete medical workup, including CBC/chemistry blood profiles, and if necessary a bile acids blood test, as well as ultrasound and ultrasound guided biopsy if needed to properly diagnose the cause of liver disease in pets.
As part of a comprehensive physical exam, a veterinarian will listen to the heart and lungs of their patients. One of the more common abnormalities found on listening to the heart is the detection of a heart murmur. Murmurs are defined as some sort of turbulent blood involving one or more chambers of the heart. Murmurs will be characterized by their type (based on what the murmur sounds like), as well as the intensity, typically on a scale of Grade 1 through 5.
It is important to realize that the presence of a heart murmur or its intensity does not necessarily mean that a pet has structural heart disease. It is more important to look at whether clinical signs are present such as coughing, lethargy or exercise intolerance. If none of these symptoms are present, particularly in an older pet, the pet may be simply monitored through periodic physical exams for the development of any symptoms.
Any pet with a history of any of these clinical symptoms along with the heart murmur should have a full medical workup, including CBC/chemistry/urine analysis, as well as possibly x-rays and EKG. A heartworm test should also be done in both dogs and cats. Many times an echocardiogram ultrasound performed by a veterinary cardiologist is needed in order to definitively diagnose not only whether structural heart disease is present, but also the specific type of heart disease, and what the best course of therapy should be.
There are many possible cardiac diseases depending upon the age, sex, and breed of pet. Medications including diuretics such as Lasix, blood vessel dilators such as Enalapril, as well as other cardiac medications may be indicated, pending the results of these tests and echocardiogram.
One of the most frustrating oral diseases seen in dogs and especially cats is one called stomatitis. Stomatitis is defined as an inflammation of the structures of the oral cavity including the gums, cheeks, palate and sometimes throat. In many patients this starts out occurring around the teeth, but eventually may spread to involve any area of the mouth.
While bacteria may be involved as instigating factors, the exact reason why stomatitis occurs is not known. It is believed that an overactive immune response of the immune system to antigens or tissues of the oral cavity may be involved. This overactive immune response will lead to symptoms of inflammation and redness, ulceration, drooling and foul odor. In severely affected pets, the ability to eat and drink may be compromised. Diagnosis is often suspected from direct visual exam; however, biopsy of the affected tissues of the mouth is necessary for a definitive diagnosis.
While ultrasonic dental cleaning and extraction of diseased teeth, as well as antibiotics may be helpful, these still do not address the underlying cause of stomatitis in most cases. In many causes immune suppressive medications with drugs such as Prednisone and gold salts may be needed. Other drugs including Azathioprine and Cyclosporine may also be needed in more serious cases. Mouth washes, including Chlorihexidine flushes, may also be helpful to soothe ulcerated and inflamed tissues. The prognosis for cure of stomatitis is certainly guarded; however with aggressive medical and sometimes surgical treatment, most pets may lead normal lives.
