Feline and Canine Common Diseases Part 2

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Tetanus (lockjaw) caused by a specific neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani in necrotic tissue; found in soil Dogs and cats resistant so usually get localized tetanus Characterized by violent, general spasms in response to sudden movement or noise Spasms of head muscles cause difficulty in prehension and mastication of food

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Clinical Signs: Fever Constipation Pain during urination Excessive drooling Wrinkled forehead Grinning appearance Stiff and hard tail Continuously erect and stiff ears Progressive stiffness of the body muscles, giving the animal a sawhorse appearance Difficulty eating Breathing difficulty (due to stiffness of the chest muscles) Difficulty opening the mouth (due to stiffness of the jaw muscles) Whole body muscle spasms with sudden external movement, sound, or touch Paralysis Death due to inability to breathe

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Treatment: Hospitalized for 3-4 weeks Supportive care Sedation Antitoxins * Antibiotics Quiet and low light environment Supportive care (feeding tube, etc.) when released Long recovery May or may not recover fully due to neuromuscular damage

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Lyme Disease Caused by a spirochete (bacteria) species of the Borrelia burgdorferi group Dogs commonly have recurrent lameness due to inflammation of the joints, have a lack of appetite, and may be depressed Severe (untreated) cases lead to kidney damage to the kidney and sometimes heart or nervous system disease

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Prevention: Check your dog for ticks each time they go outside Apply monthly flea and tick prevention Lyme vaccine (not that effective) Treatment: 4 weeks of antibiotic (doxycycline usually) Pain medication as needed (Ex: Metacam) Supportive care with antibiotics for severe cases Stays in body

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Leptospirosis an infection of bacterial spirochetes Leptospira interrogans penetrates the skin and spread through the body by way of the bloodstream prevalent in marshy/muddy areas which have stagnant surface water and are frequented by wildlife zoonotic

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Clinical Signs: Lethargy Pyrexia Blood in urine Skin bleeding Liver and kidney damage

Common Canine Bacterial Diseases Prevention: Vaccination Keep dog out of stagnant or marshy water Treatment: Antibiotics (4 weeks or more) Hospitalization with supportive care, antibiotics, possible blood transfusion Recovery dependent on organ damage (kidney, liver, CNS, eye, reproductive system) Stays in body

Common Canine Viral Diseases Rabies Lyssavirus Big problem in developing nations

Common Canine Viral Diseases Infectious Canine Hepatitis (ICH) Infection of the liver caused by canine adenovirus type-1 may cause damage to cells throughout the body, but especially those located in the liver, kidneys, and eyes Number of cases greatly reduced due to vaccine Transmitted through infected urine

Common Canine Viral Diseases Clinical Signs: Leukopenia (low WBC count) Nausea and vomiting Anorexia Icterus Light-colored stools Painful swelling of the abdomen More severe cases: high fever, tearing eyes, tonsillitis, laryngitis, swollen lymph nodes, icterus, and pale gums, tongue, and nose “blue eye” (viral particles in eye) which could lead to glaucoma

Common Canine Viral Diseases Prevention: Vaccine Treatment: generally not fatal, but when it is, death is usually a result of massive hemorrhage, fluid leakage from a severely damaged liver, and central nervous system trauma which triggers seizure and coma Supportive care/hospitalization Liver - Hepatitis

Common Canine Viral Diseases Canine Distemper Morbillivirus Transmitted through the air and by direct or indirect (i.e. food bowls, bedding) contact with an infected animal Initially attacks the tonsils and lymph nodes Next attacks respiratory, urogenital, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems

Common Canine Viral Diseases Clinical Signs: high fever reddened eyes watery discharge from the nose and eyes lethargy anorexia persistent coughing vomiting diarrhea Later stages: virus attacks the nervous system (fits, seizures, paralysis, and attacks of hysteria)

Common Canine Viral Diseases Prevention: Vaccine Treatment: Treat symptoms Supportive care No cure, however, if dog recovers it may have seizures 2-3 months later – reoccurring over time These dogs no longer carry or spread the virus

Common Canine Viral Diseases Canine Parvovirus manifests itself in two different forms: Intestinal (most common) characterized by vomiting, diarrhea (bloody and odiferous), weight loss, lethargy, and anorexia Cardiac (uncommon) attacks the heart muscles of very young puppies, often leading to death transmitted by direct contact with an infected dog, or indirectly, by the fecal-oral route bleach is the only effective disinfectant to kill the virus

Common Canine Viral Diseases Prevention: Vaccine Treatment: No real cure Treat symptoms Hospitalization with supportive care If dog recovers they have long term immunity for parvovirus, but their immune system has been weakened. The dog can contract parvo again if exposed to it later in life

Common Canine Viral Diseases Kennel Cough (infectious canine tracheobronchitis) Caused by one or more of the following: Bordetella bronchiseptica, parainfluenza virus, mycoplasma, canine herpes virus, reovirus and the canine adenovirus Most common: parainfluenza virus causes gentle symptoms that last less than a week, unless there is an involvement with other bacteria

Common Canine Viral Diseases Clinical Signs: Dry hacking cough (honking) Retching Watery nasal discharge Severe cases: pneumonia, anorexia, pyrexia, lethargy, and even death

Common Canine Viral Diseases Prevention: Vaccine Treatment: Mild cases do not require antibiotics, but anti-inflammatory drugs are given to reduce coughing Severe cases: antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, supportive care

Common Canine Fungal Disease Ringworm zoonotic

Common Canine Protozoan Diseases Giardia Contaminated water Zoonotic Coccidia Contaminated water or soil Species specific

Common Canine Rickettsial Disease Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Tick borne disease Rickettsia rod-shaped microorganisms that resemble bacteria, but behave like viruses, reproducing only inside living cells Rickettsia rickettsii Causes RMSF Lives parasitically in ticks Transmitted by bite to vertebrate hosts

Common Canine Rickettsial Disease Clinical Signs: Depression Lethargy Anorexia Blood in the urine Irregular heart beat (arrhythmia) Discolored spots along the skin, often bruised or purplish in color Inability to walk normally, loss of coordination (ataxia) Swelling or edema (fluid retention) in the limbs Bleeding that occurs suddenly, most often from the nose, or in the stools Difficulty with blood clotting, which can lead to shock or death Swollen lymph nodes Pain in the eyes Inflammation, hemorrhage, or conjunctivitis in the mucosal membranes, most commonly in the eyes

Common Canine Rickettsial Disease Prevention: Check your dog for ticks each time they go outside Apply monthly flea and tick prevention Treatment: Antibiotics (usually doxycycline) Supportive care Possible blood transfusion if RBC and platelet count become too low Monitoring for swelling of the brain, body, and lung tissue Corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs

Common Canine Parasites External Fleas Ticks Mites Ear Skin sarcoptic mange (zoonotic) demodectic mange Lice (species specific) Internal Heartworm Roundworms Hookworms Whipworms Tapeworms