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Disease

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Feline Immunodeficiencty Virus (FIV) Infections

What is Feline Immunodeficiency Virus?

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) is a virus specific to the cat family. It was first recognized in the mid 1980’s and it has been found in cats worldwide. Although widespread, it is not a common infection in cats. Only 1 – 2% of cats shows evidence of exposure to the virus. In some cats exposure to the virus leads to signs and symptoms that result in deficiency in the immune system. There are different strains of FIV and some seem more harmful than others.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

What is feline infectious peritonitis?

 
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is an important disease of domestic cats and most other members of the cat family (Felidae). It occurs worldwide in cats of all ages but the disease is most often seen in cats up to 2 years of age. Although FIP is not a particularly common disease, it is important because once a cat develops the disease, the outcome is almost invariably fatal.

Feline Leukememia Virus

 
Until the development of vaccine to protect against Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) infection in the mid-1980’s, the complex of diseases associated with FeLV was the most frequent cause of death in cats.

Feline Poxvirus

What is feline poxvirus and what diseases does it cause?

Feline poxvirus is a member of the Orthopoxvirus group, which also includes vaccinia virus, the virus used as a vaccine in the successful eradication of smallpox. The virus cannot be distinguished from cowpox virus that causes a rare infection on the teats and udders of cattle. In cats, the first sign of infection with feline poxvirus is the presence of a single skin lesion, usually on the head, neck or forelimb.

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

 The purpose of this procedure is to make a diagnosis of the disease that has been causing your pet’s clinical signs of vomiting, diarrhea, or both.
 

Glaucoma

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is an increase in Intra-ocular Pressure (IOP). This is measured using an instrument called a tonometer. The cause of glaucoma is related to inadequate drainage of aqueous rather than its over production. Glaucoma may be primary or secondary.

Heart Disease 1 - Dilated Cardiomyopaty

What is dilated cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy is degeneration of the heart muscle. As a result of this degeneration, the muscle becomes thinner, particularly the thick muscle wall of the left ventricle. The pressure of the blood inside the heart causes these thin walls to stretch resulting in a much larger heart. This condition is described as Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Heart Disease 2 - Heart Failure

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is the inability of the heart to maintain sufficient blood circulation to meet the body’s needs. Heart failure usually describes a failure of the heart muscle (myocardial failure) or heart valve (mitral valve insufficiency). This can affect the right or the left ventricle.

Heart Disease 3 - Congestive Heart Failure

What is congestive heart failure?

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a term that refers to the heart’s inability to pump adequate blood to the body. There are many causes of CHF in dogs. The two most common causes are mitral valve insufficiency (MVI) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
 
Clinical signs vary depending on whether the dog has left- or right-sided heart failure. The most common symptoms are decreased stamina, coughing or difficulty breathing.

Heartworm Disease

What causes heartworm disease?

Heartworm disease (dirofilariasis) is a serious and potentially fatal disease in dogs. It is caused by a blood-borne parasite called Dirofilaria immitis.
 
Heartworms are found in the heart and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. The female worm is 6 to 14 inches long (15 to 36 cm) and 1/8 inch wide (5 mm). The male is about half the size of the female. One dog may have as many as 300 worms.