Anthrax is an acute, often fatal infectious disease that mainly affects cattle and sheep, but horses are also highly susceptible. The disease gets its name from the "burnt" appearance of the spleen in infected animals. Anthrax is found worldwide and is considered a zoonosis, as it is also dangerous to humans. It is a notifiable animal disease, but is now rarely observed in Germany. The anthrax bacterium is considered one of the most dangerous pathogens and could also be used by terrorists as a biological weapon.
The pathogen that causes anthrax is the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. The actual infectious form is the spores produced by the pathogen, which are a permanent form of the bacterium. These spores are very resistant and can survive in the soil for many years. They are considered the most resistant permanent forms in the bacterial kingdom. Even decay, dryness, the tanning process, and leather preservation do not kill them.
For a long time, pasture soils were contaminated for years or decades by the excrement of animals infected with anthrax or by carcasses. Transmission occurs through feed or water contaminated with anthrax spores; there is no infection from animal to animal. In the animal or human organism, the spores transform back into reproducible pathogens, where they secrete highly potent toxins that destroy tissue through bleeding, severe inflammatory reactions, and edema (water retention).
Thanks to comprehensive official control measures and modern animal carcass disposal facilities, the disease has been virtually eradicated, at least in Germany. However, the disease still occurs regularly in the Middle East, so there is still a risk that the pathogen could be introduced through imports of animal raw materials such as hides, skins, hair, or wool.
After an incubation period (the time between infection and the onset of symptoms) of only one to two days, the first symptoms appear. Different courses of the disease have been described.
In horses, peracute forms of the disease can occur, in which the animals suddenly collapse and die before clinical symptoms appear, while working, in the stable, or even in the pasture.
The acute form is characterized by high fever, increased heart rate, labored breathing, pale blue mucous membranes, and colic with bloody diarrhea. The animals are initially highly agitated, then show depressive behavior, increasing weakness, unsteady gait, and muscle cramps. Death occurs within a few hours to several days due to suffocation.
During the subacute course, symptoms similar to those in the acute form occur, but there is intermittent improvement in the symptoms. Recurrent colic, only slightly elevated body temperature, and lower jaw edema (= water retention) may occur. The subacute course can last for months, and the affected horses may recover or ultimately die from colic.
Horses can also develop a local form of anthrax called cutaneous anthrax. This usually occurs after infection with the pathogen through blood-sucking insects, causing pus-filled boils and fluid accumulation in the skin and subcutaneous tissue. These so-called carbuncles are commonly found on the neck, chest, abdomen, and limbs.
The veterinarian can and may only make a suspected diagnosis on a live animal, as taking samples is too dangerous due to the potential spread of the pathogen. The disease is a notifiable animal disease, which means that even a suspected infection must be reported immediately to the competent veterinary authority.
Since the blood of dead animals contains large quantities of the pathogen, which would immediately form spores on contact with the outside air, the carcasses must not be cut open on site under any circumstances. Due to the high risk of infection, tests to detect the pathogen are carried out exclusively in special high-security laboratories.
As this is a notifiable animal disease, independent treatment attempts are prohibited. Once a suspected case of anthrax has been reported, the competent authority will initiate the control measures prescribed by the state. These may include the killing and safe disposal of sick and suspect animals.
With the exception of cutaneous anthrax, the prognosis for anthrax infection is poor. Due to reporting requirements and legal regulations, sick or suspected animals must usually be killed anyway.
Thanks to legal regulations for combating anthrax, the disease has already been virtually eradicated in Germany. There is currently no approved vaccine for animals.
If an outbreak of anthrax occurs in a herd, the following preventive measures can help to prevent the pathogen from spreading further:
Just like us humans, our pets may also require surgical or diagnostic procedures that cannot be performed on an awake animal. Most operations and some diagnostic procedures, such as endoscopies or dental treatment, require anesthesia (a medically induced state of sleep), which carries certain risks even in healthy animals and during routine procedures. We will explain what you need to bear in mind before and after such a procedure in order to minimize these risks and what complications can arise during anesthesia.
Lens dislocation, medically known as luxatio lentis, is an eye condition in which the lens becomes detached and displaced from its natural position. By obstructing the flow of aqueous humor, this condition can quickly lead to a dangerous increase in intraocular pressure. If not treated in time, it can result in blindness.
The weather is beautiful this weekend and you are going for a long ride on your horse. But right at the start of the first gallop, the horse suddenly becomes very stiff and starts sweating unusually heavily. It hardly wants to move and is pressing its back down. However, these signs seem too severe for simple muscle soreness, especially since you haven't done anything with the horse in the last few days. Avoid any further movement of the horse and always contact a veterinarian immediately in such cases, as the symptoms described above are very painful and may be the first signs of a cross-ties. As this muscle disease occurs frequently after horses have not been worked for one or more days with the same feed ration, it is also known as "holiday sickness" or "Monday morning disease." However, horses that are worked regularly can also fall ill. Young horses of heavy breeds are particularly at risk. This disease was greatly feared in the days when carriage and work horses were heavily used. Today, it only occurs sporadically, mostly in easy-to-feed horses with good nutritional status.
This condition, which has been known since the Middle Ages, is a movement disorder that exclusively affects the hind legs of horses. When the horse is being presented, one or both hind legs are bent excessively and jerkily so that the fetlock almost touches the belly and is then brought down again just as abruptly. The staccato gait is reminiscent of a rooster strutting, which is where the name comes from.
Tumors of the urinary bladder or urethra are relatively rare in dogs, but are often malignant. In most cases, they are transitional cell carcinomas. Older female dogs are primarily affected. A higher incidence has been observed in Scottish Terriers, Airedale Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, and Beagles.
This tumor, which originates in the spleen, is one of the most malignant cancers in dogs. The spleen tumor grows very quickly and spreads metastases to all other organs, often before the actual primary tumor is discovered. Older dogs between the ages of eight and ten are most commonly affected.
Skin fungal infections are also common in chinchillas. The most common are ringworm and bald patch, which cause changes to the fur and skin of chinchillas. Skin fungal infections are not life-threatening, but can lead to persistent problems due to their contagious nature. Skin fungi can also be transmitted to or from humans to animals, which is referred to as a zoonosis.
It's wonderful that you're thinking about adopting a dog from abroad, because you want to save a life, and that's great! But please be prepared that your new dog may not immediately show you love and gratitude. You should also ask yourself whether you might want to give one of the many dogs in a US animal shelter a chance. Rescuing a dog from abroad also involves risks and problems.
Surgery describes the treatment of diseases and injuries through mechanical intervention on the body. This usually takes place under various forms of anesthesia (numbing). During the procedure, bodily functions and the depth of anesthesia are monitored using modern equipment.
Gynecology and andrology are separate fields of medicine. Gynecology deals with the female reproductive organs, while andrology deals with the male reproductive organs. Both fields cover diseases of the reproductive organs and reproductive medicine. Obstetrics is a branch of gynecology.
With increasing mobility, open borders, and a wide range of travel options, this insidious infectious disease has also become more prevalent in our part of the world. Many dog owners want to have their four-legged friends with them on vacation and therefore travel south with their dogs. More and more rescue dogs are also being brought to Germany from southern Europe and rehomed here, with the result that diseases can also be imported.
Like many other pets, our dogs can also suffer from skin fungus. Skin fungal infections occur mainly in young animals, those with weakened immune systems, or those that have been affected by parasites or other diseases. However, the disease is not only a danger to your dog, as many skin fungi are also transmissible to humans and are therefore zoonoses. Elderly and weakened people are particularly at risk of developing a dangerous fungal infection.
