Diseases Archives | Towne Center Animal Hospital | Veterinarian in Sanford, FL

Pyometra: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Towne Center Blogger — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:51:58 +0000

Pyometra is a condition that occurs in female, unspayed dogs, where their uterus becomes infected, leading to life-threatening illness. Middle-aged and older female dogs who have not been spayed are at risk for pyometra.

What causes it?

When a female dog is ready for pregnancy, her body will prevent immune system cells (i.e., white blood cells) from entering the uterus, because they would interfere with fertilization.

In addition, the lining of the female dog’s uterus will thicken for several weeks so her body is prepared to carry a litter. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the lining of the uterus will get thicker and thicker during each of her fertile cycles (known as “heat”). Eventually, the lining will be so thick that cysts will form.

Also during this time, the muscles of the uterus and cervix (i.e., the entrance to the uterus) are weakened. A relaxed cervix is necessary for fertilization, but it also means that bacteria can enter more easily. Weakened muscles of the uterine wall means that bacteria can’t be expelled–normally, the uterus would be able to contract itself to expel infected fluid.

The combination of an absence of white blood cells, a lining covered in cysts, and weakened muscles creates the perfect environment for a severe bacterial infection—known as pyometra.

What are the signs?

If the dog’s cervix is still relaxed, there will be pus and abnormal discharge draining out. This is known as open pyometra.

If the cervix is closed, which is the more dangerous situation, the pus will accumulate and cause the dog’s abdomen to swell. This is called closed pyometra. This will cause severe symptoms very quickly, including weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea.

An increase in water consumption and urination is a symptom is both open and closed pyometra, because the body is trying to flush the toxins released by the bacterial infection.

How is the diagnosis made?

If there is discharge from the cervix or a bloated abdomen in an older female dog that has not been spayed, these are indicators that diagnostic tests should be done to confirm whether a dog has pyometra.

Diagnostics would include a blood test to look at the white blood cell count and level of globulins in the blood. A urine test would also be conducted, because normally the concentration of urine is low due to the dog drinking an abnormally large amount of water.

As for looking for structural abnormalities, an x-ray or ultrasound of the abdomen could be done to see if the uterus is enlarged. An ultrasound can also identify thickened uterine walls and the presence of fluid in the uterus.

What is the treatment?

If pyometra is not treated, and quickly, the bacteria in the uterus will produce toxins that will most likely be fatal to the dog. Additionally, in closed pyometra, the uterus may rupture and leak into the body, also causing death. It’s very important to immediately seek treatment for this condition if you suspect your dog may have it, especially because treatments are more effective the earlier the condition is diagnosed.

There are two treatments for pyometra: surgical and medical. In the surgical treatment, the uterus and ovaries are removed (also known as “spaying”). This procedure is more complex than spaying a dog who is in good health, because in most cases, infection has already weakened the dog significantly. Antibiotics and IV fluids are also administered to the dog when using this method.

The other approach for treating pyometra is the medical treatment. Usually, owners who are using the dog for breeding may opt for this method, because it doesn’t involve spaying the dog. In this treatment, the dog is given hormones, called prostaglandins, that relax the cervix and cause the uterine muscles to squeeze out infected pus.

The medical treatment for pyometra comes with numerous risks and it’s efficacy is not guaranteed. For open pyometra, it has a success rate of 75-90%, but for closed pyometra, the success rate is between 25-40%. Also, there is a high chance of reoccurrence for pyometra using this treatment—about 50-75%. Moreover, the chance of successfully breeding the dog after it recovers is reduced to 50-75%.

The post Pyometra: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment appeared first on Towne Center Animal Hospital | Veterinarian in Sanford, FL.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)

Towne Center Blogger — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 06:40:17 +0000

If your cat has frequent, painful urination containing blood, or can’t urinate at all, there is a good chance your cat may have feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).

What is FLUTD?

FLUTD is an umbrella term for disorders that affect the feline bladder and urethra. It affects between 1-3% of cats, most commonly middle-aged, overweight cats. Cats at risk for FLUTD usually don’t exercise much, consume little water, and use indoor litter boxes.

Both male and female cats can suffer from FLUTD. The condition is more serious in male cats, because their urethra can get blocked. While this can occur in female cats, it is extremely rare due to their shorter urethra which doesn’t narrow down.

Signs of Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Here’s a list of signs that you may want to keep an eye out for:

Difficult, painful urination—if your cat is crying out in pain during urination, it’s very probable your cat needs medical attention
Frequent urination
Producing minimal amounts of urine or, for male cats, no urine at all
Blood in the urine
Urinating outside of the litter box
Urine has very strong odor
Excessively licking the backside—this can even cause hair loss

What Causes Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease?

The source of FLUTD can be a variety of diseases, including:

Bladder/urinary stones
Bacterial infection
Urethral obstruction in male cats (urinary stones, crystals, plugs consisting of pus or mucous)
Anatomical defects
Tumors
Inflammation of the bladder (about 50% of the cats with bladder problems have Feline Idiopathic Cystitis, which is chronic inflammation with blood in urine and crystal forming without obvious reasons)

How to Diagnose FLUTD

Because there are so many sources of FLUTD, it can be difficult to diagnose. Veterinarians usually conduct a number of tests, including:

Urinalysis: to assess pH, look for crystals (formation affected by urine pH, but sometimes idiopathic—meaning the cause is unknown), internal bleeding, inflammation and infection
Urine culture: determine if a bacterial infection is present (usually in recurrent cases)
X-ray: identify stones, anatomical defects, suspected tumors (ultrasound and biopsy would be used for confirmation of tumors)
Blood work: determine dehydration, infection, kidney function–if kidneys are failing, toxic substances normally eliminated by kidneys build up in body and can cause damage to other organ systems
Ultrasound: identify stones, anatomical defects
Biopsy: conducted if a tumor is suspected

Some of the tests might need to be repeated after couple of days of hospitalization, depending on severity of the condition in order to monitor effectiveness of the treatment.

Does Your Cat Have Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease?

If you suspect your cat may have FLUTD, it’s time to make an appointment with your vet. If you’re looking for a vet in Sanford, Florida, you can make an appointment with us or visit us as a walk-in.

If your cat is not urinating at all (almost exclusively male cats), this is a medical emergency—take your cat to an animal hospital immediately. If the bladder cannot be emptied, kidney failure and/or bladder rupture will occur. These conditions lead to death.

How is FLUTD Treated?

Treating FLUTD depends on the cause. Generally, vets may treat FLUTD by:

Passing a catheter through the urethra in case of blockages—a procedure that requires anesthesia, hospitalization for up to several days (depending on how fast the cat recovers and other factors), and IV fluids.
Antibiotics to treat bladder infections.
Surgical removal of bladder stones and a special diet to try and prevent their reoccurrence.
In case of obstruction, even with the most aggressive treatment recurrence is relatively high (some cases even the next day). Some cats might need to have a special surgical procedure called Perianal Ureterostomy.
Cats with this problem will be placed on a special prescription diet to help prevent reoccurrences.

An owner’s role is very important in treating FLUTD as well. Here are things an owner can do to help a cat suffering from FLUTD:

Increasing a cat’s water intake. Methods include feeding more canned food, ensuring fresh water is always available, placing the water source away from the food source, giving a cat a source of running water, adding more water to canned food, and others. Some cats are very picky, so experimentation might be required to find out the best way to entice your cat to drink more water.
Playing with your cat and giving your cat sources of environmental stimulation. This can help promote exercise and reduce your cat’s stress.
Litter boxes should be cleaned frequently. Make sure your cat has privacy while in the litter box. If you have multiple cats in your household, be sure you have enough litter boxes. A general rule is at least one litter box per cat plus one additional litter box.

The post Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) appeared first on Towne Center Animal Hospital | Veterinarian in Sanford, FL.

Intestinal parasites in dogs and cats.

Towne Center Blogger — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 21:51:00 +0000

Dogs and cats can fall victim to many different types of parasites. Because many of these parasites live in their intestines, veterinarians will take stool samples during your pet’s annual wellness exam to check for signs of intestinal parasites. Intestinal parasites are not uncommon, especially in young animals, which is why wellness exams are so important for maintaining your pet’s good health.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of these parasites are diarrhea, weight loss, a dull coat, coughing, and fatigue. With some parasites, you may be able to see worms in your pet’s stool, bedding, or under their tail. Puppies and kittens are especially at risk for health complications from intestinal parasites and, in serious cases, these parasites can be fatal. Another risk is caused by some parasitic infections being “zoonotic,” which means that they can be transmitted to humans. These parasites can cause serious health issues in adults and children, including scarring inflammation.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Your veterinarian will take a stool sample to test for the presence of microscopic eggs laid by adult worms. The veterinarian will then mix the sample with a solution that makes the eggs more visible underneath the microscope.

In some cases, a routine stool sample test may be insufficient to diagnose a parasite. For example, detecting the single-celled parasite giardia requires a special solution to be added to the sample. In another case, testing for tapeworm eggs can sometimes cause false negatives. And if the intestinal worms infecting a dog or cat are not mature enough to be producing eggs, the fecal sample test will give negative results–which is why multiple fecal tests over a period of time are sometimes needed to successfully diagnose infection by an intestinal parasite.

After a diagnosis has been made, intestinal worms can be treated by using a dewormer solution. Other types of parasites have require different types of medications to treat. There are some over-the-counter treatments for intestinal worms, but these don’t work very well. Veterinarians have the most powerful and effective dewormers available for treating your pet.

Prevention

Preventing infection by intestinal parasites is highly dependent on good sanitation practices.

Clean up your pet’s droppings as quickly as possible to prevent the spread of infection.
Make sure your pet has a source of fresh, clean water, because these parasites can often be found in contaminated water.
Prevent your pet from eating soil or grass, which can contain parasitic eggs.
Remember that droppings from other dogs might be infested–be sure that your dog doesn’t interact with these while out on walks.
Use a monthly heartworm preventative medicine for your pet.
Use a monthly flea prevention treatment to prevent parasite transmission to your pets from infected fleas.
Don’t allow yourself or your family become infected–wash your hands after playing with your pet and make sure that outdoor play areas for your children, like sandboxes, do not contain any animal droppings.

Types of Intestinal Parasites

Roundworm

The most common type of intestinal parasite, roundworms infect dogs and cats through contact with fecal matter, where the roundworms hatch their larvae. Pets can become infected by roundworms through ingestion of infected soil, licking fur and paws that have come into contact with a contaminated source, drinking contaminated water or coming into contact with cockroaches that carry roundworm eggs.

Roundworms are the most dangerous for young puppies and kittens, because the parasite will drain nutrients away from the pet’s body, which can lead to malnutrition, respiratory issues, and intestinal blockage. Infected female dogs and cats can pass an infection to their young through nursing, but only dogs can pass on their infection in the womb.

Roundworms can also infect humans through ingestion or skin contact. This can cause serious health problems, including organ damage as the larvae enter organs and travel through the body.

Roundworms can lay over 200,000 eggs every day, which makes it very important to catch the infection early before any health complications occur. Symptoms in your pet can include a potbellied appearance, lack of growth, coughing, and vomiting. You may be able to see roundworms in your pet’s stool–they are thin, long and pale.

Hookworm

The second most common intestinal parasite, hookworms are found in dogs and cats, but most commonly in dogs. A pet can become infected by coming into contact with hookworm larvae that enters their body through either their skin or the lining of their mouth. Puppies can become infected by drinking contaminated milk from their mother, but this does not occur in cats.

Hookworms bite into the intestinal lining and drain the blood of their host. This can cause blood loss, weakness and malnutrition, which is especially dangerous for kittens, puppies, and elderly pets.

Like roundworms, hookworms can infect humans through ingestion or skin contact. Ingestion can cause intestinal symptoms, while infection via skin contact can create itching and redness as the hookworm larvae moves through the skin.

Tapeworm

Dogs and cats can become infected with tapeworms when they eat fleas, lice or rodents that are already infected by tapeworms.

Tapeworms live in the small intestine and take nutrients away from the food being digested there. This can cause malnutrition in the pet. You may be able to spot tapeworm’s segments in your pet’s stool or backside. They look like grains of rice.

Whipworm

Whipworms are more commonly found infecting dogs than cats. A whipworm infection results from contact with whipworm larvae found in feces, which can occur by eating infected soil or licking contaminated fur and paws.

Whipworms bite into the lining of the large intestine and drain the body of blood. However, they are much less harmful than hookworms and generally do not cause serious health problems. Usually, the only symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea, and blood loss. Whipworms also rarely infect humans. Whipworms look like tiny pieces of thread when found in the stool.

Coccidia

Coccidia is a single-celled organism that can infect cats and dogs through contact with fecal matter containing the parasite. A pet can become infected by eating contaminated soil, drinking contaminated water, or licking paws and fur that has come into contact with infected feces.

After infection, coccidia travels to the intestines and destroys the intestinal lining, which prevents absorption of nutrients. This causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. In some cases, infection can even lead to death.

Coccidia is very contagious to puppies and kittens, so frequently cleaning up feces and frequent changes of water to prevent contamination is especially important around young pets.

Giardia

Giardia is another single-celled intestinal parasite that can infect dogs, cats, and humans. Infection is caused by ingesting giardia through contact with contaminated food, water, soil, or fur.

Like coccidia, giardia travels to the intestines and damages the lining of the intestinal wall, reducing the absorption of nutrients. Unlike coccidia, infections often have no symptoms. If there is diarrhea, there is usually no blood in the stool.

Diagnosing giardia can sometimes be difficult due to the lack of symptoms and multiple stool samples are needed to confirm the infection because of the specialized tests of giardia.

The post Intestinal parasites in dogs and cats. appeared first on Towne Center Animal Hospital | Veterinarian in Sanford, FL.

Canine influenza virus: What is the risk?

Towne Center Blogger — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 04:21:27 +0000

Recently, you may have seen news stories about canine influenza breaking out in Chicago. What is canine influenza, exactly, and how could it affect your pet? Also known as dog flu, it’s a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by a virus known as the canine influenza virus (CIV). Dogs of any age, breed and vaccine status are susceptible. The first strain of CIV was identified by medical experts in September 2005 as “a newly emerging pathogen in the dog population” in the United States.

Infection spreads quickly between dogs through both direct contact and contact with contaminated objects. The virus can stay alive on surfaces for up to 48 hours, on clothing for 24 hours, and on hands for 12 hours. Almost all dogs that are exposed to the virus become infected. There is no evidence that canine influenza virus can be transmitted to humans or other animal species, with the exception of reports that the strain currently detected in Chicago can be transmitted to cats.

Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Prognosis

Common symptoms of canine influenza include cough, runny nose and fever. Some dogs may experience sneezing, lethargy, and reduced appetite as well. About 80% of infected dogs will have a mild form of the disease. The other 20% of infected dogs do not exhibit symptoms of disease, but can still spread the infection to other dogs as carriers of the virus.

Testing to confirm canine influenza virus infection is available. Your veterinarian can tell you if testing is appropriate. Tests can be performed using respiratory secretions collected at the time of disease onset or using two blood samples; the first collected while the animal is sick and the second 2 to 3 weeks later.

The mortality rate for canine influenza is low (10%). Deaths are usually caused by secondary complications, such as pneumonia, and generally only seen in cases with severe infections.

Treatment

If your dog is presenting any of the symptoms listed above, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian so that they can evaluate your pet and recommend an appropriate course of treatment.

Treatment largely consists of supportive care to help the dog mount an immune response. There is no specific antiviral medication available, because antiviral medication has only been developed and approved for humans at this time. Therefore, supportive care and appropriate treatment of secondary infections are both important. In the milder form of the disease, this care may include medication to make your dog more comfortable and fluids to ensure that your dog remains well-hydrated. Broad spectrum antibiotics may be prescribed by your veterinarian if a secondary bacterial infection is suspected. Your veterinarian may advise the following to soothe your dog while the condition runs its course:

Good nutrition and supplements to raise immunity
A warm, quiet and comfortable spot to rest
Medications to treat secondary bacterial infections
Intravenous fluids to maintain hydration
Work up and treatment for pneumonia

Be advised, while most dogs will fight off the infection within 10 to 30 days, secondary infections require antibiotics and, in the case of pneumonia, hospitalization.

Prevention

Canine influenza virus can be spread to other dogs via contact with aerosolized respiratory secretions (i.e., particles from coughing or sneezing) from infected dogs. Infection can occur either directly from contact with infected dogs or indirectly through exposure to objects that have been contaminated by infected dogs. Therefore, sick dogs should be isolated from other dogs for about 2 weeks until the infection subsides. Clothing, equipment, surfaces, and hands should be cleaned and disinfected after exposure to dogs showing signs of respiratory disease.

Currently, there are approved vaccines available. Efficacy trials have shown that vaccination significantly reduces the severity and duration of the illness, including diminishing the incidence and severity of damage to the lungs. Additionally, vaccination reduces viral shedding, which means that vaccinated dogs who become infected develop a less severe form of the illness and are less likely to transmit the virus to other dogs.

To date, there is no evidence of transmission of canine influenza virus from dogs to people and there has not been a single reported case of human infection with the canine influenza virus. However, human infections with new influenza viruses (against which the human population has little immunity) would be concerning if they occurred. Influenza viruses are constantly changing and it is possible for a virus to change in such a way that it could begin to infect humans and spread easily between humans. For this reason, the CDC and its partners are monitoring the present strain of the canine influenza virus in Chicago (as well as other animal influenza viruses) very closely. In general, however, canine influenza viruses are considered to pose a low threat to humans.

The post Canine influenza virus: What is the risk? appeared first on Towne Center Animal Hospital | Veterinarian in Sanford, FL.

Itchy dog? It could be flea allergy dermatitis (FAD).

Towne Center Blogger — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 05:43:38 +0000

Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the leading cause of itching in dogs. In this post, we’re going to explore how it works, how we diagnose it, and how we can prevent and treat it to keep your pets itch-free.

What is FAD?

As in any allergic reaction, the immune system is overreactive and produces antibodies to a substance that it would normally tolerate (in this case, the saliva of fleas). Adult fleas require a blood meal in order to reproduce. However, they do not usually remain on the dog except when they are feeding. When they feed, they inject a small amount of saliva into the skin. Proteins in the saliva cause an intensely itchy response to sensitive dogs.

“A single fleabite can cause itching for days.”

Dogs with FAD do not have to be infested with fleas to be itchy. In fact, a single fleabite can cause itching for days.

Are only certain dogs allergic to fleas?

FAD can affect any adult dog although some breeds appear to be more prone than others are.

How is flea allergy dermatitis diagnosed?

Clinical signs often give the first clue that your pet may suffer from FAD. Itching and hair loss in the region from the middle of the back to the tail base and down the rear legs (the “flea triangle”) is often associated with FAD. Intradermal allergy tests (skin tests) or specialized blood tests (IgE blood tests) can confirm a flea allergy in your dog.

What does treatment involve?

Since the injection of flea saliva causes the allergic response, it is important to prevent fleas from biting your dog. Strict flea control is essential. Even if you have not seen fleas on your dog, it is important that you continue rigorous flea treatment and maintain environmental control. Outdoor dogs pose a particular challenge.

What about desensitization?

Desensitization or administering “allergy injections” involves injecting increasing doses of a diluted flea antigen over a prolonged period. In some cases, these allergy injections may be required for the pet’s life. Desensitization therapy is successful in approximately half of FAD cases.

What about steroids or other drugs?

Corticosteroids, “cortisone” or “steroids” are widely used to treat FAD. They often bring about miraculous relief from the itching. However, there are significant potential side effects to steroid use. The long-term use of corticosteroids can ultimately result in more harm than good. Steroids can be safely used for short-term relief while flea control is being implemented. Combining corticosteroids with antihistamines and/or Omega fatty acid supplements is an ideal regimen for many patients. The goal is to use the lowest dosage of corticosteroids as possible, as infrequently as possible, preferably on an alternating-day basis. If your dog has developed a secondary bacterial skin infection because of the scratching, antibiotics may also be necessary.

We will be happy to discuss the pros and cons of the various treatments for FAD with you during your pet’s examination, and will recommend the safest and most effective treatment plan for your pet’s individual needs.

The post Itchy dog? It could be flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). appeared first on Towne Center Animal Hospital | Veterinarian in Sanford, FL.