Page 23 - Canine-Diseases

and platelets. This condition can lead to a disruption in normal defecating, protrusion of the 3rd eyelid and dilated pupils are
blood flow to the organs and excessive bleeding, both external consistent with canine dysautonomia. Later in the disease course,
and internal. Clinical signs include small pin-point bruising of the incoordination of the hind limbs can occur due to degeneration of
skin (petechiae), larger bruises (ecchymosis), bleeding from nose, motor nerve cells in the spine.
blood in the eye, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, blood
collecting in the chest and/or abdomen, bleeding from the mouth, Dysfibrinogen syndrome: See Disseminated intravascular
nose, anus or vagina, and excessive bleeding after injury, during coagulation.
surgery or after taking blood. DIC occurs in dogs of any breed,
age or sex. Dystocia: The act of delivering puppies, or whelping, is usually a
natural process for dogs, but there are occasions when normal birth
Distichiasis: A distichia (plural distichiae) is an eyelash that arises is difficult or even impossible. Dystocia is the medical term used
from an abnormal location on the eyelid or grows in an abnormal to diagnose a difficult birthing experience. This condition may
direction. The hairs will generally grow out of the meibomian occur as a result of maternal or fetal factors, and can occur during
glands at the lid of the eyelid. Depending on the number of hairs, any stage of the labor. Abnormalities of presentation, posture, and
the rigidity of the hairs, and the direction of the hairs, this can the position of the fetus within the uterus can negatively affect
cause problems to the eye itself. The condition in which these the temporal relationship between the birthing offspring and the
abnormal eyelashes are found is called distichiasis. Clinical signs maternal birth canal. Symptoms of dystocia include more than
of distichiasis are stiff cilia (eyelash), pawing at eye, abnormal tick 30 minutes of persistent, strong, abdominal contractions without
or twitch of eyelid (blepharospasm), overflow of tears (epiphora), expulsion of offspring; parturition that does not occur within 24
increased blood vessels in the cornea, change in iris pigmentation, hr after a drop in rectal temperature to <100°F (37.7°C); strong
and corneal ulcers. Left untreated, distichiae that are causing abdominal contractions lasting for 1-2 hr without passage of a
clinical signs will continue to cause irritation and pain, and the puppy; more than two hours between delivery of offspring; signs
irritation may lead to severe corneal ulcers and secondary bacterial of pain and constantly licking the vulvar area when contracting;
infections. These may lead to blindness or loss of the eye. It is more prolonged gestation - more than 72 days from the day of first
prevalent in American Cocker Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniels, mating; abnormal vulvar discharge; and presence of bloody
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Pekingese, Shih-Tzus, Lhasa discharge prior to delivery of the first offspring.
Apso, Miniature Dachshunds, Longhair Dachshunds, Bulldogs,
Shetland Sheepdogs, Golden retrievers, Chesapeake Retrievers, E
Boston Terriers, Pugs, Boxers, and Weimaraner breeds.

Dwarfism: Is also referred to as hypopituitarism, is defined as
underdevelopment of the body, or the state of being short in stature.
Most dwarf dogs have a condition called osteochondrodysplasia, Ear margin dermatosis: A keratinisation defect of dogs,
which refers to an abnormality in the growth and development particularly affecting breeds with pendulous ears (e.g. dachshund).
of bone, cartilage, or both. Dogs with skeletal defects can suffer Clinical signs include seborrhoea of medial and lateral margins of
discomfort and pain, depending upon the nature and severity of the pinna characterised by greasy plugs (follicular casts) adhering
their deformities. Symptoms include larger than normal head, to the skin and hairs. Lesion may start as a small focal area and
undershot jaw with shorter nose, crooked teeth due to shorter spread to include entire ear margin. Severe or chronic cases may
jaw, abnormal bone shape, poor or lack of growth, enlarged develop thick hard crusting on ear margins accompanied by
joints, sideways bowing of forelimbs, feet turned outward, spinal scratching, head shaking or rubbing of the area. Most pets do not
deviation to either side of the body, breathing difficulty, bulging display evidence of pruritus or itchiness. The advanced stages of the
eyes, smaller than littermates, and may seem slower mentally disease with chronic splitting and damaged tissue may be resistant
than the other pups. Some breeds, like Dachshunds and Corgis, to medical therapy, and may require laser or surgical removal of
have been selectively bred to be genetic dwarfs. Dog breeds the affected ear margin. Ear margin dermatosis is described mainly
that tend to be predisposed to this disorder are Great Pyrenees, in Dachshunds but other breeds may be affected most of which
Alaskan Malamutes, Samoyeds, Scottish Deerhounds, Labrador also have long hanging ears which include Doberman Pinschers,
Retrievers, Basset Hounds, Saarloos Wolfdogs, Czechoslovakian Dalmatians, Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Beagles, and
Wolfdogs, German Shepherds, Weimaraners, Spitz, and Norwegian Bassett Hounds. There have been reported cases in dogs with erect
Elkhounds. ears and dogs with ear crops as well.
Dysautonomia: Is a degenerative polyneuropathy characterized Ear mites: Otodectes cynotis mites, most commonly called ear
by neuronal degeneration within the autonomic, somatic, central, mites, are tiny, eight-legged parasites that feed on the wax and
peripheral, and/or enteric nervous system causing multisystem oils in a dog’s ear canal. An individual mite has a three-week
effects. In humans it is called Key-Gaskell syndrome and it life cycle, and is barely detectable by the naked eye. Causing
is usually fatal just as with dogs. Since dysautonomia affects irritation and inflammation, ear mites can infect the external and
the autonomic nervous system, the heart rate and breathing are internal canal, and lead to more serious skin or ear infections if
uncontrolled and this is ultimately the cause of death. While left untreated. Symptoms include scratching around the ears, head,
vomiting is common in dogs, straining or difficulty urinating/ and neck, head shaking, thick red-brown or black crusts in the

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