Page 36 - Canine-Diseases

sweeteners. Symptoms include extreme lethargy, weakness, the problem is not with the thyroid gland itself, but with the pituitary
unusual behaviour, disorientation and confusion, muscle twitches, gland in the brain. Myxedema coma is a rare but serious aspect of
anorexia, trembling, incoordination, heart palpitations, blurred the disease that is a medical emergency. It affects all breeds and
vision, blindness, seizures, and unconsciousness. Small and toy in middle aged dogs (4-10 years), but it is often found in Golden
breed dogs are at risk, because they often use more glucose than Retrievers, Doberman Pinchers, Irish Setters, English Setters, Old
they are able to store. English Sheepdogs, Great Danes, Dachshunds, Boxers, Airedale
Terriers, Miniature Schnauzers, and Cocker Spaniels.
Hypopigmentation: Is a decrease in colouration within the skin
due to toxic or inflammatory damage to pigment creating cells Hypotrichosis: The presence of less than normal amounts of hair.
(melanocytes). Causes for hypopigmentation include bacterial and Congenital hypotrichosis is a condition where dogs experience
fungal skin infections, allergies, crusting scabs and pus on skin, the loss of their hair either at birth or just a few months of age,
inflammation of skin, albinism (genetic), vitiligo, systemic lupus due to faulty development or a complete absence of some or all
erythematosus, discoid lupus erythematosus, pemphigus foliaceus, of the hair follicles from which the hairs normally grow. Hair loss
pemphigus erythematosus, uveodermatologic syndrome (Vogt- is symmetrical and usually involves the head, ears, and trunk.
Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome), hormonal disorders, cancer, Regionalized or generalized alopecia may be seen. Alopecic
and drug reactions. Symptoms include leukotrichia (white hair), skin often becomes secondarily hyper-pigmented and seborrheic.
leukoderma (partial or total lack of pigment in the skin, erythema Abnormal dentition may be present. Several follicle dysplasias
(reddening of the skin), and erosion (loss of top surface of the are possible in dogs, to include color dilution alopecia, which
skin). Age-associated graying is a result of decreasing numbers can occur in dogs such as Doberman Pinschers, color dilute
of melanocytes and occurs most frequently in German Shepherds, Dachshunds, Italian Greyhounds, Greyhounds and Whippets
Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Irish Setters. There among other breeds. Other types of follicular dysplasia include
are breeds of dogs that are prone to a seasonal lightening of the seasonal flank alopecia found in Boxers and Airdale Terriers,
nasal planum such as Siberian Huskies, Labrador Retrievers, and woolly syndromes and post-clipping alopecia found in Spitz-type
Golden Retrievers. Sometimes referred to as “Snow Nose” these breeds, and alopecia X found in Pomeranians among other breeds.
dogs can have darker noses in the summer months and lighter Dogs that have been bred to be hairless include Mexican Hairless
noses in the winter. These same breeds plus German Shepherds, and Chinese Crested Dog.
Samoyeds, Afghan Hounds and Doberman Pinschers can also
experience a gradual or waxing and lightening or fading of their
nose color over time. This condition is known as “Dudley Nose”. I
Hypopyon: Is the accumulation of white blood cells or pus in
the front (anterior) chamber of the eye. Chemo attractants, the
chemical substances that influence the migration of cells, can act Iatrogenic: Resulting from clinical treatment such as drug therapy
as a conveyor for this cellular movement. The cells often settle in or surgery. An example is iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism which
place because of gravity, forming a fluid line in the lower front may be induced by administration of corticosteroids.
chamber of the eye. Any underlying condition which causes
uveitis (inflammation of the middle layer of the eye) can result in Idiopathic epilepsy: Is a specific term referring to a seizure
hypopyon. Most commonly, hypopyon is associated with severe disorder in dogs that has no identifiable cause. Idiopathic epilepsy,
forms of uveitis, but hypopyon can also result from tumor cell the most common cause of seizures in the dog, is an inherited
accumulation in cases that involve ocular lymphoma (eye tumors). disorder. Dogs with idiopathic epilepsy frequently begin seizing at
Bacterial, viral, and parasitic infection can also cause hypopyon. between one and three years of age. See Epilepsy.
Lyme disease is an excellent example of an infectious condition Idiopathic: Occurring without a known cause.
that can lead to hypopyon. Symptoms of hypopyon includes white
to yellow opacity within the anterior chamber, blepharospasm Immune mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA): Is a disease in
(twitching of the eye), epiphora (excessive tear production), diffuse which the body’s immune system, which is designed to attack
corneal swelling, aqueous flare, miosis (constriction of the pupil and kill germs, attacks and kills the body’s own red blood cells; it
of the eye), eye discoloration (yellowing), excessive blinking, eye occurs more often in dogs than in cats and in middle aged females
rubbing, swelling of iris, and vision loss/blindness 3 to 8 years old. In dogs, the most common cause of hemolytic
anemia is immune mediated (60% -75%), although toxins, red
Hypothyroidism: Is the most common endocrine disease in dogs. blood cells (RBC) trauma, infections, and RBC membrane
In 95% of cases, the direct destruction of the thyroid gland causes defects can also cause hemolysis. There are two forms of immune
hypothyroidism. It can be caused by autoimmune destruction mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA): primary (or idiopathic), and
(lymphocytic thyroiditis) or idiopathic atrophy of the thyroid secondary IMHA. With primary IMHA, the dog’s immune system
gland. Signs include decreased appetite, weight gain, hair loss, dry mistakenly produces antibodies that attack its own red blood cells.
skin/coat, skin that is cold to the touch, recurring skin infections, This is the most common cause of anemia in dogs. With secondary
and lethargy. The dog may also seek out warm places to lie. The IMHA, the surface of the dog’s red blood cells is modified by an
symptoms of hypothyroidism are shared with many other medical underlying disease process, drug, or toxin. The dog’s immune
conditions. Symptoms may not appear until 75% or more of the system identifies the modified red blood cells as something
gland is non-functional. In less than 10% of hypothyroidism cases,

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