What is pancreatitis? The pancreas is a vital organ which lies on the right side of the abdomen. It has two functions: When the pancreas becomes inflamed, the disorder is called pancreatitis. It is a disease process that is seen commonly in the dog. There is no age, sex, or breed predisposition. There are two
What is constipation? Constipation can be defined as an abnormal accumulation of feces resulting in difficult bowel movements. This may result in reduced frequency or absence of defecation. The feces are retained in the large intestine or colon. Since one of the major functions of the colon is water absorption, the retained feces become hard
How common is dental disease in cats? Dental disease is one of the most common conditions seen by veterinarians. Approximately two-thirds of cats over three years of age have some degree of dental disease. The most common problems are due to periodontal disease, gingivitis and cervical neck lesions, also called oral resorptive lesions. What are
Feline immunodeficiency virus or FIV is an all too common and insidious virus affecting our feline companions. FIV is closely related to the human AIDS virus, hence it is commonly referred to as Feline AIDS, and while it has many similarities, it is not infectious to people. This virus is usually transmitted by deep bite
What is the thyroid gland and what does it do? The thyroid gland is one of the most important glands in the body. It is located in the neck near the trachea or “windpipe” and has two lobes, one on each side of the trachea. This gland is controlled by the pituitary gland, which is
Many of us have some knowledge of diabetes. What you may not know, is that it happens to be one of the most common metabolic conditions affecting dogs and cats. Sometimes referred to as ‘sugar diabetes’, it occurs when there is a deficiency or lack of response to the hormone insulin. This results in cells
What is cardiomyopathy? Cardiomyopathy is a term used to describe diseases of the heart muscle. In cats, three classes of cardiomyopathy have been described: hypertrophic, dilated and intermediate or restrictive cardiomyopathy. In all classes, the heart disease usually results in clinical signs of heart failure. Cardiomyopathy may be seen as a primary condition or secondary
What is feline herpesviral conjunctivitis? Conjunctivitis is a medical term used to describe inflammation of the tissues surrounding the eye. These tissues include the lining of the lids and the third eyelid as well as the tissues covering the front part of the eye or globe. Conjunctivitis may be a primary condition (caused by an
What is a corneal ulcer? The cornea is the transparent, shiny membrane which makes up the front of the eyeball. Think of it as a clear window. To understand a corneal ulcer, you must first understand how the cornea is constructed. The cornea is composed of three layers. The most superficial layer is the epithelium,
Inside the eye is a lens that focuses light on the back of the eye or the retina. Vision occurs at the retina. The structure of the eye is similar to a camera, which has a lens to focus light on the film. If the lens becomes opaque this is called a cataract. What causes
What is pyoderma? Pyoderma is defined as a bacterial skin infection. It comes from the Greek words pyon meaning “pus” and derma meaning “skin”. Pyoderma may also be referred to as impetigo, especially in puppies. What are the clinical signs of pyoderma? The most common clinical signs associated with pyoderma are papules or pustules that
What causes sarcoptic mange? Sarcoptic mange is caused by a parasitic mite that burrows just beneath the surface of the skin, Sarcoptes scabiei. The mite feeds on material in and on the skin. It is also known as scabies and is a zoonotic disease or a disease transmissible from pets to people. What does it
The ear mite Otodectes cynotis is a surface mite that lives on cats, dogs, rabbits and ferrets. It is usually found in the ear canal but it can also live on the skin surface. The entire ear mite life cycle takes place on animals. Cats become infested by direct contact with another infested animal. The
My dog’s skin has always been itchy and every summer he has to be treated. Recently, he underwent a lot of tests and I have been told that he has flea allergy dermatitis. The problem is that I have never seen a flea on him. Is this diagnosis correct? Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is the
What is an allergy? An allergy is a state of over-reactivity or hypersensitivity of the immune system to a particular substance called an allergen. Most allergens are proteins. The allergen protein may be of insect, plant or animal origin. Initial exposure of the dog, or more likely multiple exposures, to the allergen may over-sensitize the
It is estimated that 20% of middle-aged dogs and 90% of older dogs experience the pain of osteoarthritis in at least one joint in their body. This disease can be both crippling and painful. Proper management can offer hope for treating and preventing the disease. The pain and stiffness commonly called ‘arthritis’ can be one
As most people are aware, arthritis is a painful condition in both people and pets. Traditionally arthritis has been treated with a combination of therapies including pain relief, anti-inflammatories and medications such as cartrophen and glucosamine. At Anstead Veterinary Practice we have recently added a new weapon to the arsenal. After intensive training we have
This information sheet is provided to you to give you all the information you need to understand what a diagnosis of cruciate ligament disease means for you and your dog. It is one of the most common causes of lameness that we see in dogs and fortunately there is a lot that we can now
As our pets age, the tissues lining the bones and joints may deteriorate and degenerate. Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) describes chronic arthritis or osteoarthritis which is a gradual deterioration of articular cartilage within the joints. What is DJD? Joints consist of a tough fibrous joint capsule joining the bones. The joint capsule is lined by
Cnr Mt Crosby and Hawkesbury Rds
Anstead, Queensland 4070, Australia
2401 Warrego Hwy
Marburg , Queensland 4346, Australia
