Pet Corner
Ringworm ‘Ringworm’ has nothing to do with a worm. It is a fungus disease. (I really don’t know how prevalent fungus diseases are in Guyana, but in the clinic, we find several skin problems that do not react to antibiotic treatment and remedies against mange mites; nor do they respond to anti-allergy medication. This leads [...]
Pet Corner
Feline ‘Flu’ Continued Last week, we dealt with the situation whereby feline respiratory distress comes on rapidly and with great severity (acute form). As was mentioned, if the symptoms are pronounced, then the cat will very likely die, especially if you waited too long to ensure professional intervention. Nevertheless, many cats survive the viral onslaught. [...]
Pet Corner
Continued We said last week that, in addition to a few other infectious agents, two virus groups are primarily involved in this Respi-ratory Disease Complex that affects cats. It is quite immaterial which virus afflicts the animal, since the symptoms are pretty much the same. In any case, no general practitioner of the veterinary medical [...]
Pet Corner
Feline Viral Respiratory Disease Complex aka Feline Influenza General comments Ailments associated with the respiratory tract are pretty common – and understandably so. The upper respiratory passages contain a lot of bacteria and other infectious agents. With every breath of air comes a new horde of germs. Many of these germs will reside in the [...]
Pet Corner
Feline ‘Distemper’ This is a viral infection of cats. It has many names. The real technical name is also Feline Panleuko-penia. However, because of a similarity with the agent that causes Parvovirus in dogs, the disease is called Feline Parvovirus. Other names for Feline ‘Distemper’ are Feline Infectious Enteritis or Feline Ataxia (uncoordinated gait). I [...]
Pet Corner
Leptospirosis – infectious jaundice Over the years I have spoken and written so much about this disease that at one time my friends used to call me Dr Lepto. The reason for delivering the fire and brimstone message is that this infectious disease is very prevalent in Guyana, and not only in dogs. This is [...]
Pet Corner
Kennel cough Or, if you wish to get technical – Acute Infectious Tracheobronchitis. (Now you can go to your doctor and have him fix your dislocated tongue, which tried to pronounce that bit of science). Few professions can trivialize serious scientific erudition like veterinary medicine. For example, ‘Infectious Kerato-conjunctivitis’ is called “Pinkeye’ and “Bovine Ocular [...]
Pet Corner
Infectious canine hepatitis Infectious canine hepatitis (ICH) is a highly contagious viral disease, which, as the name suggests, attacks predominantly dogs, although the virus is known to cause illness in foxes, wolves and coyotes. The literature documents that even skunks and bears can be infected. Other carnivores (meat eaters) can become infected without exhibiting signs of [...]
Pet Corner
Distemper Here is another disease against which we can vaccinate, thus offering our dogs meaningful protection. Distemper is a highly contagious disease which is caused by a virus similar to the germ that causes measles in people. Worldwide, it is the leading cause of infectious disease deaths in dogs. This, I think, would not be [...]
Pet Corner
Canine Parvovirus (CPV) Continued Last week, we began with the big theme of specific infectious diseases against which we can vaccinate. Our first choice was Canine Parvovirus (CPV). We had delineated the following CPV symptoms: • Sudden onset of depression • Loss of appetite • Fever (104°-106°; 40°C-41°C). • Grey coloured diarrhoea as the [...]
Pet Corner
Specific infectious diseases Now that we have, over the past few weeks, discussed the basic principles of immunity and vaccination schedules, we can now turn to the many specific infectious diseases, including those against which we advocate vaccination. We can be very emphatic in stating that all of the diseases with which we will be [...]
A Gardener’s Diary
The gems that make it good to be alive The bulb is a development in plants which is designed to assist them survive long periods of dormancy. The bulb is a storehouse for food. It gives food to the emerging shoots and roots once a period of dormancy sets in. This may be a period [...]
Pet Corner
Canine vaccines Much of what was said last week in the general discussion of feline vaccines would be valid for dog vaccines as well. For example, it is much cheaper (and logical/practical) to have one’s dog vaccinated against several diseases via one single dose administered at set intervals. Nowadays, the vaccine manufacturers are placing more [...]
Pet Corner
Feline vaccines Well, I had promised that we would deal with the specific diseases today, but there was a change of mind. Sorry. Really, it makes more sense to continue the discussion on vaccinations (within the general context of immunity) by describing the vaccines that are available on the market to counteract individual diseases. Today, [...]
Pet Corner
Vaccines Well, now that we have, I hope, grasped the concept of immunity, let us have some superficial discussions on vaccines. Vaccines, as you would have gathered from the last three weeks of Pet Corner, may contain living and virulent bacteria, ‘living’ viruses, weakened bacteria and viruses, tissue containing viruses, or toxins. Usually, vaccines are [...]