Ailments of the musculoskeletal systems
Continued This week I would like to continue on the topic of bone infections (osteitis). According to which part of the bone is attacked by bacteria (usually) or fungi (seldom), a different descriptive name is given to the ailment. When the bone marrow is infected (inflamed), one speaks of osteomyelitis. If, on the other hand, [...]
Ailments of the musculoskeletal systems
Continued Fractures For our purposes of easy understanding, a broken bone (irrespective of cause – usually a hit) is a fracture. Mechanical trauma (a nice phrase for a ‘hit‘), if severe enough, will crack the bone or even shatter it. Here in Guyana, we have some weird ideas about fractures. I have heard people (non-medical, [...]
Ailments of the musculoskeletal system
Continued Sprains and strains Last week, I mentioned that lameness is a symptom, an expression of some deeper malady. Lameness could be due to injuries of the tendons, muscles (pulled muscles), bones (fractures), dislocated joints, degenerative/ congenital metabolic diseases and sprains. Let’s look at this latter category today. A sprain is an injury to a [...]
Ailments of the musculoskeletal systems
Continued from last week More general information Last week, we commenced sharing some general information pertaining to the bones, muscles, ligaments and joints of the animal’s body. Actually, the skeletal anatomy of man and dog has much in common, including similar terminology. Due to the fact that man evolved into a two-legged creature, there are [...]
Ailments of bones and muscles
Today we begin a new theme. Bones and muscles (the musculosketal system) are so interlinked that we have decided to treat their ailments together. Firstly, some general information is needed. In terms of basic data on the musculosketal system, I have not found a better description than that provided by Drs Carlson and Giffin in
Other causes of paralysis
Tick paralysis The saliva of some species of tick contains poisons, which affect the motor nerves of the dog. Clinical signs are usually associated with a heavy infection of ticks. During 48 to 72 hours the dog gets progressively weaker. There is no evidence of pain or an illness, other than lethargy. At first, the [...]
Ruptured disc
Continued Well, we have returned to ‘science’ after the holiday season. We will continue where we left off – namely with the discussion on herniated (ruptured) discs. Let us look at the problem in more detail. Herniated (ruptured) discs can come on gradually
What not to do to pets during the post festive season
As you read this, the New Year celebrations are just around the proverbial corner. A week from now, actually. Therefore, today we will again take a pause from the ‘science’ associated with pet care. Instead we will advise on what not to do to pets during the post-Festive Season. Underfeeding Actually, there are many who [...]
Ailments of the nervous system
Continued from last week Paralysis Usually parlayses are associated with problems of the spinal cord. The spinal cord is that thick bundle of nerve tissue which in vertebrates (animals with backbones) extends longitudinally from the brain to the tail. This bundle of nerves (like biological electric wires) gives off, at intervals, nerve groups to various [...]
Coma
For practical reasons, we can equate coma with unconsciousness. Some scientists speak instead of a very depressed level of consciousness, since they argue that there is never a complete state of unconsciousness. Well, we are not getting into that debate. For us, coma equals unconsciousness equals an unresponsiveness to pain that has physical pathological origins. [...]
Treatment of epilepsy
You will recall that in the Pet Corner of last week I promised to deal with the treatment aspect of epilepsy. Firstly, we must remember that, as is the case with many ailments to the brain, the true causes of the malady are obscure. There is a lot relating to the chemistry and physics of [...]
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a recurrent seizure disorder of cerebral origin. When it is due to a blow to the head, or the encephalitis of canine distemper, or bacterial infections of the brain, it is said to be acquired. When it is due to a birth defect, or a malformation of the brain,
Ailments of the nervous system in dogs and cats Fits
This ailment has many other names which are used loosely to define the same condition. People, when describing ‘fits’, would use words like seizures or convulsions, epilepsy, paroxysms, apoplexy, etc. Basically, in animals (I would not want to comment on the definition or symptomology in humans), a ‘fit’ or a seizure is a sudden and [...]
The nervous system
Head injuries Last week we commenced with a new chapter in the ailments that could afflict your companion animals. We made some general remarks about the nervous system, especially relative to its composition. The brain itself is surrounded by fluid and is suspended by strong ligaments. The skull is the bony structure which surrounds and [...]
Heart-worm control
Well, we have surely exhausted this topic – and perhaps even supersaturated you with facts about Canine Heart-worm Disease. We have dealt with the transmission, the life cycle, the symptoms, laboratory diagnosis and the treatment. This last episode – the series finale, so to speak – should deal with the control