Osteochondritis is an ossification problem that occurs during the development of an animal, generally less than one year of age. Consequently, a small area of the bone remains cartilagenous at the level of the subchondral region (located under the joint cartilage). This abnormal cartilage is predisposed to trauma and it can fissure and become detached, resulting in osteochondritis dissecans.

This problem is often encountered among large breed puppies and is considered rare among small breed dogs and among cats. The cause has not yet been well established; however, this disease is considered to be multifactorial, implicating genetic and environmental factors. The affected joints are: the shoulder, the elbow, the knee and the tarsus (heel) The clinical signs are: pain and joint swelling, lameness and muscular atrophy.

If your young pet has these clinical signs, X-rays will be recommended in order to evaluate the bone at the joint level and to check for the presence of arthrosis.

Open surgery or arthroscopy is recommended for this condition. It consists of joint exploration and curetting of the affected area.
For the shoulder lesions, the prognosis is good; it is guarded for the other joints.

Arthrosis is defined as a degenerative joint condition. It begins at the cartilage level and it spreads to the underlying bone and to the periarticular soft tissues. The cartilage becomes thinner, fissures and may sometimes disappear completely.

Two forms are recognized : primary (without apparent cause) and secondary. With pets, the primary form is very rare. An underlying cause is almost always present to explain arthrosis. Among these causes, one can find a trauma, an infection, a tumor and some instability of the joint. Clinical signs are the following : pain and joint swelling, difficulty getting up, lameness, decreased mobility of the joint and loss of muscular mass. If your pet presents these clinical signs, X-rays will be recommended.

No matter what the cause, treatment consists of weight loss, moderate activity without impact (leash walking, swimming) and a physiotherapy program (joint exercises, warm compresses, massages). Treatment with chondroprotectors (glucosamine/chondroitine) is also recommended for long term care, as well as an intermittent treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs, as needed.

Surgery is often recommended to correct the underlying cause (for example articular instability) or to help to control pain (arthroplasty or total hip replacement).

Hip dysplasia is a polygenic hereditary disease (transmitted by many genes) characterized by instability of the coxofemoral articulation (hip joint) that can lead to a hip subluxation (partial separation of the joint) and secondarily to osteoarthrosis (articular structure degeneration).

Genetics and reproduction : the disease is hereditary and caused by the interaction of many genes (polygenic); because of this, its eradication is difficult. Many dogs have dysplasia genes but do not show any sign of the disease. It is therefore important to be very strict with the criteria selection of breeding dogs and the study of their pedigree; that is to say the hip status of the parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, and if possible of brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts. For now, the only way to diminish dysplasia frequency is to selectively reproduce animals that are free of hip dysplasia.

Diagnosis: a dysplastic dog can be diagnosed very young by a veterinarian experienced in canine orthopedics. It is possible to palpate hip instability in a dysplastic dog as soon as the age of 3 to 4 months. On the other hand, to be certain that a dog is not dysplastic, one must wait until the dog is 2 years of age (age determined by the OFA - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals from the statistics on the age at which the radiographic signs of dysplasia appear). This is because some dogs, with apparently normal hips at the age of 6 or 12 months, show signs of hip dysplasia later in life.

CLINICAL SIGNS :

• Variable degree lameness, not always obvious (stiffness, abnormal gait)
• Exercise intolerance
• Difficulty going up the stairs or climbing into a car
• None (some dogs that are very affected may not show any symptoms)

Radiographic exam : sedated or anesthetized animal
(as soon as 4 to 5 months of age).
Indispensable to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment :

• Medical (medicines, weight loss, activity control)
  Many dogs that are minimally dysplastic will have only minor signs as they get older.
• Surgical : numerous treatments are possible to surgically treat hip dysplasia. The best treatment possibilities are for the young dog that is less than one year of age, before the hip degenerates. For the young dog, a triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) allows control of hip instability and prevention of cartilage degeneration. This procedure is the best procedure because it allows hip conservation and also permits, in the long run, a normal function for the patient. For the adult, arthroplasty or excision of the femoral head and neck allows control of the pain related to arthrosis but modifies the mechanical function of the hip. Generally the dog becomes tired faster. The hip prothesis allows for an almost normal function but it is a more complicated and costly procedure. Finally, a recent procedure called denervation of the articular capsule allows a dog that has a very degenerated hip to find a good level of activity by eliminating pain through destruction of the nervous endings of the articular capsule.

Prevention : The best way not to have to treat hip dysplasia is to select dogs that do not have it. It is important to be very strict when breeding and think about the long-term well-being of the race. Dogs with « fair » hips should not be reproduced (just breed those that have a good or excellent status). Don’t reproduce a dog that has dysplastic brothers and/or sisters.

What is leptospirosis?
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by a bacteria named leptospira interrogans. This bacteria can survive a long time in the exterior environment when conditions are favourable. Leptospirosis survives well in a damp and warm environment, particularly in stagnant water. This is why the disease incidence among dogs is higher at the end of summer and in the fall.

Leptospirosis is found in the environment following contamination by wild animal urine. Many animal species can be a source of leptospirosis : among these are rats, skunks, raccoons, mice and more rarely cows, pigs and dogs.

HOW CAN MY DOG CONTRACT LEPTOSPIROSIS?
The dog gets infected by direct contact or by ingestion of contaminated water. It is particularly important to watch out for stagnant water areas which can be a potential source of leptospirosis. It can also get infected by direct or indirect contact with infected urine or with soil, food or contaminated objects (bowls, toys etc…).

HOW CAN LEPTOSPIROSIS AFFECT MY DOG?
Once the dog has ingested the bacteria, it enters the blood where it rapidly multiplies. It can then reach many organs, among these are the kidneys, the liver, the spleen and more rarely the nervous system, the eyes and the genital tract.

WHAT ARE THE CLINICAL SIGNS (SYMPTOMS)
THAT MY DOG CAN SHOW?

The clinical signs more frequently observed are the following:

• Vomiting
• Fever
• Weakness
• Increase in thirst and the amount of urine
• Difficulty moving

These clinical signs are not particularly specific for this disease. This is why when there is some doubt, the veterinarian will have to do diagnostic tests on the dog in order to better establish the diagnosis.

HOW CAN LEPTOSPIROSIS BE DIAGNOSED?
Many tests will be necessary in order to evaluate the situation well and to identify problems that can be present (renal and hepatic insufficiency and coagulation problems).

Blood tests, X-rays and abdominal ultrasonography can help in the diagnosis and identification of affected organs.

The final diagnosis can be made by measuring the level of antibodies (serology) against the leptospire in the blood. Unfortunately, the level of antibodies in the blood can take 1 to 2 weeks before going up; this can delay the final diagnosis. Therefore, it is not rare that treatment be recommended even before the final diagnosis has been known. Since letospirosis is a potentially fatal disease or a disease that can leave serious consequences (renal and hepatic) if it is not rapidly and aggresssively treated, the veterinarian will rarely take the chance to wait for serology results to begin treatment.

IS THERE A TREATMENT AGAINST LEPTOSPIROSIS?
Leptospirosis can be treated efficiently if treatment starts early. It always necessitates a hospitalization that can be prolonged (many days) in certain cases.

Intraveinous antibiotics and intravenous fluids are necessary to minimize the kidney repercussions. If the dog is in renal insufficiency at the time of its exam, other treatments will be necessary and they can sometimes reach dialysis.

It is possible to cure a dog affected by leptospirosis if treatment is started quickly. However, in some cases, it is possible that the dog keep after-effects at the kidney or liver level. Some dogs may also die during treatment even with all the efforts that were made. This happens when the renal or hepatic (liver) damage is too severe at the time of diagnosis.

Leptospirosis is therefore a disease that must be taken very seriously and must be treated early and aggressively to get maximum chances of survival.

PREVENTION AND SMALL HISTORY OF VACCINATIOn
Fortunately, for a few years now, there exists a vaccine against leptospirosis. The vaccine is efficient in preventing the disease and it must be given once a year since the immunity does not last more than 12 months.

There are many different vaccine strains against leptospira interrogans. They all have their own name. They are of the same family but they have small differences. Consequently, the presence of antibodies against one strain will not protect the dog if it is infected by a different strain. In Québec, the main strains implicated in infection cases are : pomona, bratislava, autumnalis and grippothyphosa.

At present, existing vaccines have the strains that are most frequently found in dog clinical infection cases. However, there is no vaccine that can protect against all existing strains of leptospira interrogans.

It is therefore possible that a vaccinated dog contract the disease if it is infected by a different strain than those that are found in the vaccine it has received.

In fact, this is what happened at the end of the 1990s. At that time, cases of leptospirosis reappeared. They were caused by « new » strains of leptospira interrogans against which there was no vaccine.

In the 1980s, veterinarians frequently vaccinated against leptospirosis with a vaccine containing the icterohemorragiae and canicola strains. Because the vaccine more frequently caused allergic reactions among dogs and because cases of leptospirosis were becoming extremely rare, it was decided to stop vaccinating against this disease. The disease was well controled until the end of the 1990s where new cases of leptospirosis reappeared. This time, they were mostly caused by the pomona and gryppothyphosa strains. This is when a new vaccine containing these two « new » strains was invented and veterinarians began to vaccinate all dogs against this disease once again.

Vaccination against this disease is strongly recommended for all dogs no matter if they live in an urban or rural area.


ZOONOSIS
Leptospirosis is a disease that can also affect humans. Zoonosis is the name given to a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans; leptospirosis is one of these. This is partly why veterinarians put a lot of effort in order to prevent this disease in dogs. This way, indirectly, they better protect humans in contact with dogs.

Canine parvovirus, commonly called « Parvo » is extremely contagious and debilitating. It severely affects puppies that are not adequately vaccinated. The virus is mostly transmitted by infected excrements. For two weeks, a contaminated animal eliminates the virus in large quantities in its stools. However, the virus can persist in the environment for more than six months.

On an average, symptoms can occur 5 days after exposure. At first, they are weakness, loss of appetite and a high fever. Vomiting and diarrhea (often with blood) develop afterwards. Parvovirus causes serious damage to the intestinal mucosa and there can be bacteria absorption (blood poisoning). All these signs lead to important dehydration; in severe cases, the virus can cause shock and even death.

Certain breeds seem to be more sensitive : Doberman, Rottweiler, PittBull, Labrador and English Springer Spaniel.

If the veterinarian suspects that your animal suffers from Parvovirus, he or she will be able to obtain the diagnosis with the help of an Elisa test done on the stools. A blood test (hematology) can also help establish the diagnosis. Since the virus can affect the immune system, white blood cells such as neutrophiles are often not very numerous.

Unfortunately, there is no anti-virus treatment. Therefore, the treatment is a support treatment and it depends on the gravity of the infection. Most dogs require an intravenous fluidotherapy for rehydration and injectable antibiotics. Fasting is important as long as the animal vomits; the use of antiemetics may be considered. In some cases, the loss of protein because of the profuse diarrhea requires a plasma transfusion or the intravenous administration of colloides. In general, symptoms can last from 4 to 7 days. An animal that recovers from parvo should be isolated from other dogs for 3-4 weeks. Desinfection of the area and of contaminated objects with diluted concentrated bleach (1:30) is effective.

Female dogs that have acquired immunity from vaccination or from previous exposition transmit antibodies to their puppies through their milk. These antibodies protect the puppies for the first weeks, but afterwards, they must be vaccinated!

Therefore, vaccination is the best way to protect your dog against infection. Puppies should be vaccinated every 3 to 4 weeks until they are 16 weeks old.

Certain pets have the bad habit of swallowing everything they come accross! Dogs seem to be more affected because of their eating habits which are less discriminatory. However, cats too can be attracted by certain threads or objects. Beware of puppies that nibble and may swallow almost anything!

To give you an idea, here is a non-exhaustive list of foreign bodies that can cause intestinal obstructions : toys, balls, bottle caps, coins, buttons, bones, rocks, corn cobs, clothing, fabric, nylon stockings, plastic bags, plastic wrap, tampons, Christmas icicles, wool, needle with thread, fishing line, carpet, rubber bands, razors, pieces of plastic, cell phones, fruit pits, nails, hooks, etc.

Foreign bodies can remain in the stomach or lodge in any portion of the intestine. Most often, this condition requires surgery as rapidly as possible. In some cases, if the foreign body is found in the stomach, a gastroscopy (stomach exam with an optical instrument) can allow for the withdrawal of the foreign body without having to do surgery.

HOWEVER, IN ALL CASES, IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT YOU CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN. A physical exam is necessary and X-rays of the abdomen may be suggested.

If your pet ingests a foreign body, it may present different clinical signs (symptoms). Among the most frequent are:

• Vomiting, a result of obstruction with the passing of water and/or food
• Stomach distension, abdominal discomfort
• Diarrhea
• Anorexia
• Loss of liveliness
• Dehydration

Certain foreign bodies can cause severe damage to the intestinal mucosa and sometimes even perforations with peritonitis. In some cases, one will not only need surgery to take out the foreign body (gastrotomy or enterotomy), but it can also be necessary to remove a portion of the damaged intestine (enterectomy) for example. The patient is hospitalized and followed closely during the post-operative period. Hydration can be maintained with intravenous solutions. Different medicines can be administered if necessary, some of which are antibiotics, analgesics, anti-acids and mucosa protectants. Afterwards, an easy to digest diet is offered; then a gradual return to the normal diet is finally considered.

If you have seen your pet swallow or nibble on a foreign body or if you have any doubt, consult your veterinarian!

If your pet suddenly starts to vomit and has diarrhea, it may be suffering from gastroenteritis.

It can occur following the ingestion of food your pet is not used to, following the ingestion of rotten food or the contents of garbage cans. It is sometimes of infectious origin (viral such as parvovirus or bacterial such as salmonella for example).

This disease is often seen with other problems such as an intestinal obstruction caused by foreign bodies, pancreatitis, an intestinal parasitosis, an endocrinal disease or another metabolic disease.

In some cases, the gastroenteritis can be hemorrhagic and it is characterized by the presence of blood in diarrheic stools and even sometimes blood in the vomit.

If your pet has gastroenteritis, it may present one or many of the following clinical signs (symptoms) :

• Vomiting (sometimes with blood)
• Diarrhea (sometimes hemorrhagic)
• Anorexia
• Loss of appetite
• Dehydration
• Abdominal discomfort
• Occasional fever

When your pet has such signs, it is important to rapidly consult your veterinarian; a physical exam is necessary. Depending on the case, different tests could be proposed to establish the diagnosis such as abdominal X-rays, blood tests, a parvovirus detection test, a fecal analysis, etc.

Your pet may need to be hospitalized and receive an intravenous solution to be rehydrated. It is kept without food until the vomiting has ceased. Different medicines can be administered according to the cat’s needs, such as antibiotics, anti-acids, mucosa protectants. An easy to digest diet is then offered, and after, if it feels better, a gradual return to the cat’s normal diet is considered.

If your pet has vomiting and/or diarrhea, consult your veterinarian!

Stomach dilatation occurs when this organ distends excessively with air, liquid or food. The stomach can remain distended in its normal position or twist around itself.

The exact cause for this condition is unknown. It seems that intense exercise following a meal could precipitate torsion. It has also been suggested that multiple dilatations could lead to torsion. Stress (hospitalization, pension etc.) could also be a cause.

The problem is mostly encountered among large breed dogs with a deep thorax, but occasionally it can also be seen with small breeds.

THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY!

Here are the clinical signs (symptoms) that you may notice:

• Repeated non-productive efforts, excessive salivation
• Abdominal distension, discomfort
• Difficultés respiratoires
• Faiblesse, dépression
• Parfois même moribond

Renal insufficiency occurs when the renal function deteriorates to a point where the kidneys are unable to fulfill their functions to eliminate waste, maintain a water and electrolyte equilibrium, and produce hormones. Generally, chronic renal insufficiency has been present for a certain time (months or years) when the diagnosis is made and the disease is irreversible. Dogs and cats with chronic renal insufficiency cannot be cured but in certain cases their clinical signs can be controlled with success.

Animals are born with such an abundance of renal cells that the signs of renal insufficiency only appear when more than 2/3 of the kidneys are already damaged. Because of this great reserve of renal cells, it is often difficult to diagnose chronic renal insufficiency at an early stage. Consequently, chronic renal insufficiency is a deceitful disease that declares itself just when the renal damage is already advanced.

Typically, the first signs of chronic renal insufficiency are an increased water consumption and an increased quantity of urine. Other signs are weight loss, a dull coat and an increasingly difficult appetite. As renal insufficiency progresses, the kidneys are unable to eliminate metabolic waste and clinical signs become worse : vomiting, loss of appetite, ulcers in the mouth region, halitosis, weakness and depression. Other consequences of chronic renal insufficiency are anemia and hypertension. Anemia can worsen the loss of appetite, weakness and depression. Hypertension can cause eye damage (sudden blindness), cerebrovascular accidents and heart and kidney damage.

The diagnosis of renal insufficiency is confirmed with blood and urine analyses. Other diagnostic tests are sometimes necessary (X-rays, urinary culture, ultrasonography, measuring the arterial blood pressure, fundoscopic eye exam etc.)

Fortunately, some animals that have renal insufficiency can be treated (not cured however) and have a good quality of life for months or years. Depending on the stage of renal insufficiency, many treatments can be useful for the affected animal : a diet change (low in protein, salt and phosphorus), fluidotherapy and some medicines (anti-acids, anti-vomitives, appetite stimulant etc.).

With humans, chronic renal insufficiency can be controlled with dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) or a renal transplant. With small animals, dialysis usefulness is limited
because of the cost involved and the decrease in the quality of life that is associated with it.
With certain cats that have renal insufficiency, renal transplant is possible but very expensive. Renal transplant is reserved to cats for which the standard medical treatment does not work.

External otitis is a frequent disease of the ear of small animals. It consists of an acute or chronic inflammation of the ear canal and sometimes of the ear pinna.

If your dog or cat shakes its head frequently, scratches its ears or rubs them on the ground, if its ears are red, dirty and smell bad, they are perhaps the center of a problem called otitis. This disease can imply one or both ears simultaneously. Sometimes liquid discharges can be noticed. In severe cases, the animal can lean its head towards the side it has otitis.

Certain breeds are predisposed. Indeed, dogs with dropping ears (Cockers, Setters, Labradors), those that have a lot of hairs in the ear canal (Poodle for example), or those that produce a lot of sebum (Cockers) are more subject to develop otitis. Shar-Pei are also predisposed because of their narrow ear canal.

Factors responsible for external otitis are numerous and varied; foreign substances such as shampoo, inadequate medicines, water entering the canal during swimming and foreign bodies predispose to the occurrence of inflammation. Certain parasites can also colonize the ear (ear mites). Allergy problems (food and others), hormonal imbalance and auto-immune diseases can still induce the occurrence of otitis. Finally, the presence of tumors in the ear canal can also be a cause for this type of inflammation.

An otitis that is not treated can lead to severe complications. Bacteria and/or yeast multiplication can be seen with the occurrence of infection; proliferation of these microorganisms aggravates inflammation of a weakened ear. To cure otitis, it is necessary to treat the underlying causes and complications. Your veterinarian will do a cytology by taking a sample of the secretions to examine them under a microscope. When there is a bacterial infection, a culture with an antibiogram may be necessary. After having determined the otitis cause, your veterinarian will prescribe the appropriate treatment. He or she can show you how to clean the ears and how to apply the chosen ear medicine. If the bacterial otitis is severe and/or chronic and/or if there is presence of an otitis media, systemic antibiotics may be indicated. It is also good to know that when the external ear is affected and it is not treated correctly, this can spread to the middle ear and to the internal ear; dogs and cats can then have loss of balance and be deaf. If you have doubts concerning the health of your pet’s ears, consult your veterinarian!

Dogs and cats share our everyday environment and live longer than they used to, thanks in part to preventive veterinary medicine and dedicated owners. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that certain chronic conditions, including cancer, are commonly diagnosed in pets.

No one wants to discover cancer in their own pet. However, it is important to be able to recognize certain warning signs that are relatively typical, though not specific, as it may lead to early diagnosis and possibly a better chance of longer survival with appropriate therapy. Below are certain signs commonly seen in pets with cancer.* The presence of one or more of these signs is reason enough to recommend a more thorough exam and certain diagnostic tests: