Page 24 - Canine-Diseases

outer ear, inflammation, discharge from the ears that can be dark with unilateral or bilateral ectopic ureters include the Golden
and waxy and resembles like coffee grounds, and foul odor from Retrievers, Bulldogs, Skye Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Siberian
the ear. Highly contagious, ear mites are most common in outdoor Husky, West Highland White Terriers, Miniature Poodles, Toy
cats, which can infect their canine companions. They are most Poodles, Fox Terriers, and Newfoundlands.
often passed from pet to pet in casual contact at home or outside.
Ectropion: Is an abnormality of the eyelids in which describes
Eclampsia: Also known as hypocalcaemia or puerperal tetany, is the margin of the eyelid rolling outward, resulting in exposure
an emergency medical condition associated with a life-threatening of the palpebral conjunctiva (the portion of tissue that lines the
drop in blood calcium levels that occurs in nursing mothers. inner lids). This causes the lower eyelids to appear “droopy”.
Eclampsia is usually due to an underactive parathyroid gland, the Some common causes of acquired ectropion include facial nerve
gland that is responsible for regulating the parathyroid hormone, paralysis, hypothyroidism, scarring secondary to injury, chronic
which in turn regulates the amount of calcium that is stored in the infection of the tissues surrounding the eyes, and neuromuscular
bones, to be removed as needed for use in the blood. Eclampsia disease. Clinical signs include sagging or rolling outward lower
is not due to an overall lack of calcium; it merely indicates that eyelid, mucoid discharge often accumulates along the eyelid
the nursing female cannot mobilize sufficient supplies of stored margin, eye and the conjunctivae may appear reddened or inflamed,
calcium quickly enough to meet her metabolic needs. Females tearing, and brownish staining of the fur beneath the eyes. Breeds
that are particularly good mothers, especially attentive to their associated with ectropion include the Cocker Spaniels, Saint
puppies, seem to be more likely to develop eclampsia. The lack Bernard, Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands,
of calcium results in tonoclonic contractions of the skeletal and Bulldogs.
muscles, where the muscles in the body contract convulsively,
and limiting movement. Signs of eclampsia include tremors, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: Initially identified in humans, Ehlers-
weakness, restlessness, nervousness, disorientation, vomiting, Danlos syndrome is a group of inherited connective tissue
diarrhea, fever, rapid and heavy breathing, and a form of paralysis disorders caused by a defect in collagen synthesis. See Dermal
called puerperal tetany characterized by stiff limbs and an inability fragility syndrome.
to stand or walk. This disease most often occurs with first litters
and in toy breeds. Chihuahuas, Miniature Pinschers, Shih-Tzus, Ehrlichiosis: Also known as canine rickettsiosis, canine
miniature poodles, Mexican Hairless Dogs and Pomeranians are at hemorrhagic fever, canine typhus, tracker dog disease, and
increased risk for eclampsia tropical canine pancytopenia, is a tick-born infectious disease
of dogs. Ehrlichia canis is the most common rickettsial species
Ectopic cilia: Are one or several hairs that grow abnormally involved in ehrlichiosis in dogs, but occasionally, other strains of
through the conjunctiva and come into contact with the surface the organism will be found such as Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma
of the eye (cornea). The offending hairs rub against the cornea, phagocytophila , and Ehrlichia ewingii. Ehrlichiosis is transmitted
often causing intense pain and corneal ulcers. These abnormal to dogs through the bite of infected ticks. The brown dog tick,
hairs most commonly occur on the upper middle eyelid. The most Rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the main carrier of the Ehrlichia
often reported signs of ectopic cilia are involuntary blinking, organism in nature. Clinical signs appear 1-3 weeks after exposure
watery eyes, pawing at the face and eyes, and depression. Other and include fever, lethargy, poor appetite, enlargement of lymph
symptoms include excessive tearing of the eye, teat marks on fur nodes, abnormal bruising and bleeding, chronic eye inflammation,
around the affected eye, redness of the eye, agitation, whining, vomiting, diarrhea, neurologic abnormalities, and lameness. The
bumping into things, and inflammation and discoloration of the disease seems to be particularly severe in German Shepherds and
eye. Ectopic cilia are not the same as distichia. Certain breeds have Doberman Pinchers.
a higher incidence of ectopic cilia than others and include Shih-
Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Dachshunds, Shetland Sheepdogs, Golden Elbow dysplasia: Canine elbow dysplasia is a disease of the
Retrievers, Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and Pugs. elbows of dogs caused by the abnormal growth of cells, tissue, or
bone in the elbow joint or it simply means ‘abnormal development
Ectopic ureters: Is an abnormality of the ureter (the tubular of the elbow’. As these developmental abnormalities worsen over
tissue that connects the kidney to the urinary bladder) where time, it leads to the degeneration and malformation of the dog’s
the ureter does not enter into the urinary bladder in the correct elbow joints. Not all affected dogs will show signs when young
anatomic position. It is the most common congenital cause of and clinical signs include acute episodes of elbow lameness,
urinary incontinence in dogs. Dogs with ectopic ureters usually intermittent or persistent forelimb lameness that is aggravated by
present with urinary incontinence and are predominantly young exercise, pain when extending or flexing the elbow, tendency for
females. Ectopic ureter is thought to occur because of disruption dogs to hold the affected limb away from the body, fluid build-up in
in normal embryogenesis and is commonly associated with the joint, grating of bone and joint with movement, and diminished
other abnormalities of the urogenital tract. Symptoms of ectopic range of motion. The causes are genetic, developmental, and
ureters include urinary incontinence (intermittent or continuous), nutritional. Elbow dysplasia is the most common cause of elbow
inappropriate elimination, persistent urine dribbling, dampness pain and lameness, and one of the most common causes of forelimb
around the external genitalia, foul-smelling and cloudy urine lameness in large and giant-breed dogs. Breeds that are commonly
(pyuria), and inflammation of vulva and vagina (vulvitis and affected include Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Golden
vaginitis). Dog breeds that have an increased risk of being born Retrievers, German Shepherds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Basset

24 Alphavetscience.com