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Diagnosing Cushing’s Disease in Dogs

Sometimes life-threatening illnesses develop so slowly that no one pays much attention. An older dog who's always thirsty drinks huge quantities of water. He's hungrier than usual and has developed a thin coat and pot belly. He pants all the time, and now his hind legs are losing muscle tone and getting weak. Many owners dismiss these as normal signs of aging, but they are classic symptoms of Cushing's disease, which affects an estimated 100,000 dogs in the U.S. every year.

Chemotherapy for Dogs: What to Expect

Cancer. My heart dropped to my stomach. In February 2010 my Border Collie Daisy became one of an estimated six million dogs diagnosed with cancer each year. Chemotherapy. My stomach tumbled to my feet. The diagnosis was scary enough; how could I possibly consider chemotherapy? I had visions of a treatment worse than the disease itself. As it turns out, my preconceptions of chemotherapy were far worse than its reality. Chemo hasn't cured my dog – more on that later – but it's given us more than 18 months (and counting) of joyful, quality time together.

Merial Runs Out of Immiticide for Heartworm Treatment

The supply of Immiticide (melarsomine dihydrochloride), the only drug approved to treat heartworm infections in dogs, has been low since December 2009, but now it’s completely gone. Merial confirmed that it was officially out of the drug on August 9, 2011. The current situation is due to a new and separate manufacturing challenge related to technical issues with the company who provides the finished product, according to a Merial spokesperson. Merial said the company is working hard to make the drug available again, but cannot speculate when that might happen.

Holistic Care for Dogs with Addison’s Disease

While treatment of Addison's disease focuses on prescription drugs and electrolyte tests, holistic veterinarians add various support therapies to help their patients. Nutrition is the cornerstone of every holistic therapy, and while diet cannot cure Addison's disease, foods made of poor-quality ingredients or diets that lead to nutritional deficiencies are a significant source of stress, and additional stress is just what Addison's dogs don't need. Because wheat, corn, and soy are problem ingredients for some dogs, many holistic veterinarians recommend avoiding them. Some tell their clients to avoid grains altogether.

Daisy’s Chemotherapy Day

We arrive at the veterinary clinic at 7:45 AM. Daisy leaps out of the car and heads for the grass in front of the door; after a long squat, she makes a beeline for the entrance, pulling me behind her. It's always at this point I watch carefully to see if I can observe any signs of distress or apprehension about this almost weekly visit.Instead, she is excited about going in to seeing her buddies; if I were a betting person, I would put money on the notion that she enjoys these outings.

Addison’s Disease in Dogs: Detection and Treatment

Something’s wrong with your dog but you’re not sure what. She seems listless, her eyes have lost their spark, and she just seems “off.” You might notice intermittent muscle weakness, tremors, and an inability to jump into the car or onto a sofa. Or your dog frequently ignores her dinner, vomits, or has diarrhea. These vague symptoms, which may improve and then return, could stem from a dozen canine illnesses – or they might point to Addison’s. Addison’s disease, named for the 19th century physician who defined this adrenal gland dysfunction, is also known as hypoadrenocorticism or adrenal insufficiency. While fatal if left untreated, with appropriate treatment Addison’s can be managed so that affected patients lead normal, active lives. First diagnosed in dogs in the 1950s, it is considered an uncommon canine disorder.

Rabies Challenge Fund Studies are in Year Four

Rabies is nearly always fatal to the animals (including humans) who become infected with the disease. That’s why vaccinating our dogs against this deadly virus is required by state law – in order to protect public health, by preventing transmission of this disease from infected wildlife to our pets and to us. Each states requires that dogs and cats be vaccinated for rabies every one, two, or three years.

Heartworm Resistance Update September 2011

In “Time to Step It Up” (WDJ July 2011), we described one small study that showed only Advantage Multi was 100 percent effective against the MP3 strain of resistant heartworms after a single dose. The report was true as far as it went, but new points have emerged that make this a more complex story and one for which we do not have all the answers yet.

Diagnosing and Treatment Options for Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy or SLO

Dog nails aren’t supposed to fall off, thought first-time dog owner Terrie Huberman some 18 months ago. That’s when she first realized that finding one of her Pug-Poodle mix’s nails on the floor of her Sherman Oaks, California, apartment wasn’t an isolated incident. It all started when, after coming in from a walk, Terrie picked up what would turn out to be the keratin shell from one of Bonzo’s claws. At the time she thought it was something he’d tracked in from outside. Only later did she learn the shell was a telltale sign of Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodystrophy, SLO for short.

Treating Your Dog’s Corns and Warts

Corns and plantar warts may be common on human feet, but they’re rare in dogs – unless the dog is a Greyhound. This breed is prone to corns. Corns are keratin calluses on the front center paw pads, such as under the second toe bone, which lacks subcutaneous tissue or padding. A common treatment for corns is their removal with a small curette or scalpel, followed by smoothing with a pumice stone and the application of salicylic acid pads or ointments. Roberta Mikkelsen of Pearl River, New York, hoped that hulling (surgical removal) would help her Greyhound, Chip, recover from his painful corns. “This is such a common problem in the breed,” she says, “that there is an online forum where people list the things that did or didn’t help. So far there isn’t a cure.” After Chip’s corn was removed, it grew back.

Identifying and Treating Skin Conditions that can Affect Your Dog

Yikes! What happened to Fido’s nose? And what’s wrong with Fluffy’s paw pads? The possibilities are many, and a surprising number of nose and paw pad problems are related. Because illnesses in this category often have similar or identical symptoms, a veterinarian’s diagnosis can be important. The following overview will help you identify, prevent, or treat these disorders. The most frequently asked questions about dogs’ noses concern color. Dogs have black or dark noses and paw pads because of melanin, a pigment that darkens skin. When melanin production slows or stops, the skin lightens uniformly or in patches. The term nasodigital refers to both nose and toes. A thickening of the outer layer of skin (hyperkeratosis) at the edges of the nose or paw pads can develop into painful cracks, fissures, erosions, and ulcers.

Jean Donaldson’s Prep Training for Orthopedic Brace Casting

The following protocol was written with a specific process in mind: preparing a dog to happily hold still long enough to make a cast of the dog’s leg (needed for making a custom-fit mobility brace). But with a little imagination, you can customize Donaldson’s protocol to train your dog to accept any equipment. You will need 1) Glad Press ‘n Seal Wrap; 2) a roll of gauze; 3) a measuring tape; 4) six jars of meat baby food; 5) your dog’s normal ration for one meal (to be hand-fed); 6) six days lead time before your casting day. Plan on spending about 5 minutes per day in place of one of your dog’s meals; don’t cram multiple sessions into one day.

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