excess protein in cat urine proteinuria in cats summary what is proteinuria in cats proteinuria occurs when there is too much protein in your cats urine while some protein in feline urine is normal high levels that dont drop normally can be a sign of an underlying health issue like other mammals a cats urine is first formed in the kidneys where blood is filtered through a special filtration system this filtration removes toxins and other byproducts of metabolism including proteins a structure… read more
gastrointestinal parasites tapeworms in birds avian tapeworms in birds gastrointestinal parasites can cause many problems in a birds stomach and intestines but also affects the normal functions of other organs tapeworms is a type of parasite which affects the birds digestive tract birds commonly affected by tapeworms are cockatoos african grey parrots and finches symptoms and types tapeworms found in the stomach and intestines of an infected bird do not show any obvious symptoms however… read more
cat lipomas summary what is a cat lipoma lipomas are classically known as the fatty tumor of the animal world and there is much truth to this nickname they arise from fat cells and are benign slowgrowing noncancerous tumors while lipomas are common in dogs they are encountered far less frequently in cats when they are seen in cats the patient is typically middleaged or older symptoms symptoms of cat lipomas although only one mass may be present cats that do develop lipomas will often develop… read more
roundworms in birds roundworm in birds gastrointestinal parasites can cause many problems in a birds stomach and intestines but also affects the normal functions of other organs roundworms in particular are a type of parasite which affects the birds digestive tract symptoms and types the usual symptoms of a roundworm infection are weakness and weight loss also if left untreated the roundworms can eventually obstruct the birds intestine causes pet birds usually contract roundworms from wild… read more
lungworms in dogs summary what are lungworms in dogs lungworms in dogs consist of multiple species of worm parasites that can infect the airways and lung tissue of domestic and wild dogs species of lungworms in dogs include roundworm nematode and fluke trematode roundworms are not specific to any geographical location whereas the fluke lungworms are more common in some environments for example the lung fluke paragonimus kellicotti is found in the great lakes region midwest and southern united… read more
cat mammary gland tumors summary what are cat mammary gland tumors cat mammary gland tumors are formed by an abnormal mass of cells in the mammary breast glands they can be benign noncancerous or malignant cancerous mammary gland tumors are most common in middleaged and older female cats but they can occur in younger female cats as well as male cats symptoms symptoms of cat mammary gland tumors the most common symptom of a cat mammary gland tumor is a lump or swelling along the cats mammary… read more
benadryl overdose in dogs always contact your veterinarian before administering any medication or supplement to your pet including benadryl if your dog is showing signs of an acute allergic reaction eg facial swelling hives andor difficulty breathing call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic as this can result in anaphylaxis which is an emergency one of the most common questions veterinarians get during warmer months is whether dogs can take the antihistamine benadryl also known… read more
lump under the skin in rabbits abscess in rabbits an abscess is a localized collection of pus contained within a capsulelike lump under the skin unlike those of cats and dogs abscesses in rabbits usually do not burst and drain fluid these abscesses can grow very quickly often extending into the surrounding soft tissue and bone abscesses are extremely common in pet rabbits and are the most common cause of swelling beneath the skin there is no certain age or sex more susceptible to abscesses… read more
whipworms in dogs summary what is whipworm in dogs trichuris vulpis also known as whipworm is a type of intestinal parasite that can infect dogs the time between infection with the parasite and production of whipworm eggs by female worms is between 74 to 90 days the duration between infection with parasite and actual production of whipworm eggs impacts how this parasite is treated if treatment does not cover the reproductive cycle of the parasite it will make it difficult to clear the… read more
environmental gill disorders in fish environmental gill disorders in fish gills are special organs which allow fishes to breathe underwater however if a fishs environment is not well maintained it can develop gill disorders of these the three main disorders are gas bubble disease carbon dioxide toxicity and hydrogen sulfide toxicity 1 gas bubble disease usually occurs in cold water systems when the water in the tank aquarium or fishpond has an abnormal amount of dissolved gases ie nitrogen… read more
calicivirus in cats summary what is calicivirus in cats feline calicivirus fcv is a viral pathogen that causes upper respiratory tract infection in cats infection most commonly resembles a cold but severe infections involving the lungs joints andor other organs can occur the virus is most commonly found in facilities that house multiple cats such as rescues shelters or breeding facilities yet it can spread readily in households with only a few cats kittens and young adult cats are usually at… read more
fractured shell in reptiles shell fractures the shells of turtles and tortoises act like a second skin protecting the interior of their body therefore if a reptiles shell is crushed or fractured it needs to be treated immediately because the fracture leaves the reptile susceptible to bacterial parasitic or fungal infections regardless if it occurs in the upper or lower shell treatment if your reptile has a fractured shell its tissue and body cavity must be treated first this is to avoid any… read more
cryptorchidism in dogs summary what is cryptorchidism in dogs cryptorchidism is a condition found in male dogs in which one or both testicles have not descended into the testicular sac scrotum testicles usually descend around 616 weeks of age when a dog is born the testicles are generally located near the inguinal ring an area around the groin and are guided by the gubernaculum a structure that connects the testicle to the scrotum during development this structure is located near the kidney… read more
rat poisoning in rabbits when rabbits ingest rat poison if a rabbit eats certain rat poisons the blood will not clot properly coagulopathy this is a relatively common type of poisoning in rabbits as many of these rat poisons are sold over the counter and widely used in homes while all rabbits are susceptible those kept outdoors or allowed to freeroam the house may be at higher risk this condition is also more prevalent in the spring and fall as rodenticide products are more frequently used… read more
systemic lupus erythematosus sle in dogs summary what is systemic lupus erythematosus sle in dogs systemic lupus erythematosus commonly known as sle also known as lupus is a chronic autoimmune condition that occurs when your dogs immune system attacks his internal organs lupus in dogs is relatively rare and can affect more than one organ every tissue in the body has substances called antigens that can trigger the immune system to react if the immune system reacts to the antigens special… read more
lockjaw in dogs summary what is lockjaw in dogs lockjaw in dogs is a rare condition that refers to the animals inability to either open or close their mouth when most people refer to a dog having lockjaw they are typically referring to tetanus since one of the most wellknown symptoms of tetanus is jaw stiffness or lockjaw however there are other conditions that can result in lockjaw many of these conditions are connected to the function of the temporomandibular joint tmj the tmj acts like a… read more
mammary gland tumors in dogs summary what are mammary gland tumors in dogs female dogs have five pairs of mammary glands on their abdomen usually starting just below the armpits and running down toward the groin area the function of the mammary glands is to provide milk and nutrients to the dogs offspring while most dogs are typically spayed during their puppy years many dogs who are not spayed at a young age will go on to have litters during their lifetime female dogs that have had previous… read more
cerebellar hypoplasia in cats summary what is cerebellar hypoplasia in cats cerebellar hypoplasia is a condition where a kittens brain does not finish growing and remains in an immature state due to a viral infection in the mother cat the infection causes a pause in the unborn kittens brain development specifically to the area called the cerebellum which is responsible for coordinated movement and balance the severity of symptoms highly depends on how developed the kitten is at the time the… read more
eyelid protrusion cherry eye in dogs summary what is eyelid protrusion cherry eye in dogs cherry eye is the common name for prolapsed gland of the third eyelid meaning the gland has moved prolapsed out of its proper position while humans only have two eyelids dogs have three their third eyelid is located in the lower inner corner of the eye close to the muzzle this eyelid is made of conjunctiva a thin protective membrane a tshaped cartilage firm connective tissue and a lacrimal gland tear gland… read more
12 dog tongue facts whether its getting every last morsel of food from their bowl panting after a game of fetch or showering you with affection a dogs tongue plays an important role in how they interact with their environment here are some interesting facts that you probably dont know about dog tongues dogs pant to cool down instead of sweating dogs dont sweat in the same way as humans they only have sweat glands on their paw pads and noses which are called merocrine glands dogs also have… read more
bacteria in the blood in reptiles septicemia septicemia is a bacterial infection of the blood and it is a commonly diagnosed disease in reptiles the bacteria can spread to multiple organs throughout the body and cause widespread damage and death if not treated aggressively symptoms and types typical symptoms of septicemia include difficulty breathing lethargy convulsions or seizures weakness or an inability to move loss of muscle control patches of red or purple discoloration on the skin or… read more
chiggers on cats summary chiggers in cats chiggers are mites belonging to the trombiculidae family the larval form of this mite can affect your cats skin and cause itching redness and sores they are also known as harvest mites red bugs red mites or berry bugs most infestations in the united states occur in the southeast and southcentral regions mainly in the summer and fall only the larvae immature animals are parasitic the adults live in the soil and leaf litter chiggers will feed on a pet for… read more
demodectic mange in cats demodex mites summary what is demodectic mange in cats demodicosis or demodectic mange is an inflammatory skin disease in cats that can cause itching excessive ear debris headshaking sores and hair loss it is caused by various types of microscopic demodex mites that can infect your cats skin there are three types of demodex mites that affect cats demodex gatoi demodex cati and a rare species of demodex that is not named demodex mites can also affect other animals in… read more
why does my dog lick my wounds its happened to most dog parentsyou get a minor skin wound and the next thing you know your dog is licking the cut have you ever wondered why your dog licks your wounds is this an instinctive behavior to clean the wound or somehow soothe you after being hurt why do dogs lick your wounds wanting to care for a wound is instinctive to most animalsand to most people as well it doesnt take much training to teach a child that an open sore needs to be attended to and in… read more