Educational Articles
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Common conditions of pet ferrets include diarrhea, intestinal foreign bodies, parasites, heart disease, and various tumors. This handout outlines the causes, clinical signs, and treatment options for each of these conditions. Any variation from normal should be a cause for concern and should be immediately evaluated by your veterinarian.
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Common conditions of pet rodents include respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal problems, dental problems, and cancer. Diseases of the skin may cause itching, hair loss or flaky skin in rodents. All rodents have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. Occasionally, these teeth grow too long and cut into the gums, causing pain when eating. Cancer is often seen in pet rodents, especially mammary (breast) tumors in rats and mice. Rodents with signs of respiratory or GI disease or evidence of a tumor should be seen by a veterinarian who can properly diagnose and treat the underlying condition.
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Distichiae can be an irritating eye problem for many dogs. The abnormally growing extra eyelashes can cause chronic discomfort to the eye and potential vision problems. A thorough eye examination is necessary to assess the extent of any accompanying corneal injury and to rule out other causes of the dog's clinical signs. Various treatment options are available. The prognosis is excellent for dogs that do not show any clinical signs associated with their distichiae. For dogs with mild clinical signs, the likelihood that the condition can be managed with conservative treatment is good.
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Ear canal tumors are abnormal growths that can develop from any part of the ear canal (the skin, the glands of the skin that produce earwax and oil, and the underlying connective tissues, muscles, and bones). Initially, these tumors may appear as one or more pink, white, or purple nodular masses in the ear canal. If benign, they may grow to a certain size and may or may not be problematic. If malignant, they may grow, ulcerate (break open) and bleed, and nearly always become infected, causing recurrent or chronic ear infections. The treatment of choice for ear canal tumors is surgical excision.
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Ectopic cilia can be an irritating eye problem for many dogs. Growing abnormally through the conjunctiva (the pink part of the eye), they come into contact with the cornea and can cause chronic discomfort to the eye and corneal ulceration. Surgery is necessary to help to correct the problem and help dogs live a more comfortable life. The prognosis for surgical correction of this condition is generally good.
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Heart Disease in Cats
Las enfermedades cardíacas son condiciones muy graves tanto en perros como en gatos, y como en personas. Los gatos normalmente no desarrollan arterioesclerosis o enfermedades de las arterias coronarias, como ocurre comúnmente en los humanos.
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Degenerative Joint Disease in Dogs
Se trata de un término más apropiado para describir la artritis crónica (osteoartritis) que consiste en un deterioro gradual del cartílago articular.
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Degenerative Disc Disease in Dogs
La médula espinal es uno de los órganos más importantes y sensibles del cuerpo. Si sufre una lesión, las células nerviosas no se regeneran y serán reemplazadas por tejido fibroso o cicatricial. Las lesiones de la médula espinal normalmente resultan en un daño permanente e irreversible. Para protegerse de cualquier lesión, la médula espinal discurre a través de un canal óseo, de forma que está protegido por hueso en todo su recorrido excepto en aquellos puntos donde se unan las vértebras. Estas uniones están rellenas de una especie de cojines de goma llamados discos intervertebrales. La disposición de las vértebras de forma individual y los discos intervertebrales van a permitir los movimientos de la espalda sin que los huesos entren en contacto con la médula espinal. Esta protección extrema de la médula espinal refleja su importancia y su fragilidad.
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Prostatic Disease in Dogs
La próstata es una glándula localizada cerca del cuello de la vejiga urinaria de los machos. La uretra pasa a través de ella justo a la salida la vejiga. Su función consiste en producir algunos fluidos que forman parte del semen canino.
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Pain Management for Dogs
El control y evaluación del dolor son muy importantes incluso cuando el perro sufre procesos relativamente rutinarios como una castración. El control del dolor se incorpora rutinariamente en todo aquel tratamiento que pueda resultar doloroso.
