10
10, 2020
Dog and Cat Allergic Dermatitis
Allergies are a common cause of skin conditions in dogs and cats, along with other species. This type of allergy goes by several names; the most common are atopy, allergic skin disease, or allergic inhalant dermatitis (AID). The main difference between us and dog and cats is that allergies in pets tend to cause skin conditions and ear problems, as opposed to the runny eyes, runny noses, and sneezing we encounter in people. Symptoms typically include scratching and itching, although many other skin conditions can cause itching. This itching is called pruritus. Allergies can be hard to control and
8
10, 2020
Kidney Disease (Chronic Kidney Disease) or Chronic Renal Failure
This page describing kidney disease is very thorough, with pictures and information on anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, in addition to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. If you pace yourself and set aside the time to read it you will get through it. We have a summary page on kidney disease if this page is too detailed. Even though this page is thorough, the physiology of the kidneys is complicated, and only a summary of how the kidneys work is presented on this page. How the kidneys regulate water consumption and urine production are controlled by complex and highly refined interactions between plasma
7
10, 2020
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Many dogs and cats are living longer than in the recent past, and unfortunately, are acquiring diseases that were not commonly seen in the recent past. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of these diseases. High blood pressure (BP) can be primary, where the cause is unknown. In most animals though, it is secondary to some other disease. The increase in blood pressure affects many organs, particularly the liver, eyes, kidneys, and heart. Hypertension hastens the progression of these diseases, and substantially predisposes your cat to blindness. Dogs can get high blood pressure due to various diseases, but we see the problem more
21
09, 2020
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is a serious disease, but if caught early enough, there is much we can do about it. Vigilance on your part is the key to noticing any abnormalities warranting an exam by one of our doctors. It occurs in dogs and cats, although much more often in cats. There are two predominant versions of this disease; the skin version and the oral version: The skin version of SCC is caused by excessive amounts of sunshine, so the disease is prevalent here in California. White-haired cats have more than a 13 times greater risk of getting this
18
06, 2020
Mast Cell Tumor
Up to 20% of dogs will get a malignant Mast Cell Tumor (MCT) in their lifetime, making it the most common tumor we encounter in dogs. Other names for MCT are mast cell sarcoma, histiocytic mastocytoma, and mastocytosis. This disease has a cutaneous form (skin) and a systemic form (internal organs). The cutaneous form is more prevalent, and is sometimes referred to as the “great pretender” because the skin growth appearance is so variable. What might seem like just a minor swelling or inflamed area can be a highly malignant cancer. It might also be called the “great fooler” because most people