This eye disease, also known as Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA), is a hereditary condition affecting Collies, Shelties, and some related breeds. It is a congenital developmental disorder of the back of both eyes that can lead to visual impairment or even blindness.
The disease is caused by a hereditary malformation and underdevelopment of the choroid and retina during the embryonic development of the eye. The defect can vary in severity but does not change during the course of life. It primarily causes holey tissue defects in the area of the optic nerve head and retinal underdevelopment. The resulting developmental disorder of the blood vessels can lead to bleeding into the interior of the eye and retinal detachment.
If only minor defects are present, affected dogs usually appear normal. In this case, the disease is usually discovered by chance during routine examinations. Severe defects manifest themselves in varying degrees of visual impairment or even blindness and are therefore usually diagnosed in puppies.
The veterinarian can only diagnose CEA with certainty in puppies before the end of the eighth week of life using ophthalmoscopy (eye examination), as the retina is not yet fully developed at this stage. Smaller defects are otherwise covered by the growing structures of the eye from the seventh week onwards, so that these dogs are considered to be healthy. This is particularly important for breeding, as mandatory eye examinations must be carried out before the eighth week of life. Another method of identifying carriers of the CEA gene is a genetic test, which is now available.
The disease is incurable, but does not progress. In cases of severe visual impairment, accompanying measures can help the dog cope with its disability in the home environment, thereby improving its quality of life. Retinal detachment can be successfully treated with laser surgery in some cases.
Although the defects are incurable, the life expectancy of affected dogs is not reduced compared to healthy animals.
The most important preventive measures are the identification and exclusion of affected animals from breeding. In many breeding associations for endangered breeds, eye examinations before the eighth week of life or a genetic test are now mandatory in order to obtain a breeding license. This data is collected in a central database so that the number of affected animals and the spread of the disease can be reduced in the long term.
A doping scandal in dressage brought this condition to the attention of riders. An increasing number of horses, particularly competition horses, are now affected by this neuromuscular disorder. The causes remain largely unknown. Shivering is considered incurable and can severely impair the horse in some cases. Large, heavy, and male horses between the ages of four and seven, as well as horses with naturally high muscle tone, are particularly at risk.
This disease, also known as endothelial dystrophy, is a change in the cornea of the eye and is similar to Fuchs' dystrophy in humans. This disease causes damage to the endothelial cells that form the innermost layer of the cornea.
Unfortunately, our pets are not immune to cancer either. Malignant lymphoma is a malignant tumor that originates in cells of the immune system. Since these cells are mainly found in lymph glands, it is also referred to as lymph gland cancer.
"My horse isn't too fat." That's what many horse owners think – and they're wrong. Assessing a horse's weight isn't easy, and horse scales aren't usually available on site. With a little practice, you can use body condition scoring to assess your horse's nutritional status yourself.
This infectious disease caused by the coronavirus affects only cats and occurs worldwide. The disease remains one of the most common causes of death in cats. The name is derived from the most common symptom of this disease, peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining).
The West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes between birds, but also to humans, horses, and other mammals. For a long time, it only occurred on the African continent. However, since 1999, the West Nile virus has also spread to the US. In 2018, it was detected for the first time in birds and two horses in Germany (Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt). Since then, infections have occurred in the summer and fall months. Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony are particularly affected. However, more and more cases are now also occurring in Thuringia, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Bavaria. West Nile infection is a notifiable animal disease.
When the body produces antibodies against its own structures, this is referred to as an autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body, thereby damaging certain functions and organs—in some cases leading to their complete destruction. Autoimmune diseases in dogs include various forms of the pemphigus and lupus complexes. The individual diseases are distinguished based on the different target structures in the body.
The prostate gland is the most important sex gland in male dogs. It is located behind the bladder and surrounds the beginning of the urethra. The secretion produced by the prostate gland is a component of semen and is ejaculated together with the sperm produced in the testicles. Prostate disorders are usually diagnosed in older, unneutered male dogs. These disorders can cause various changes in the gland.
Claw disorders are relatively rare in dogs. However, injuries, excessive licking or poor grooming can cause the claw bed to become inflamed due to the penetration of bacteria or fungi. Symmetrical lupoid onychodystrophy (SLO) is the most common form of claw bed inflammation in dogs. This rare but extremely painful disease of the claw bed mainly affects large dogs (Great Danes, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, German Shepherds) and can be triggered by various factors.
This brain disorder, which has not yet been fully researched in dogs, causes seizures that can be very frightening for dog owners. Epilepsy can be treated very effectively with medication, but its cause is still not fully understood.
Behind this complicated name lies an aggressive form of cancer in dogs, also known as malignant histiocytosis. This hereditary condition occurs primarily in Bernese Mountain Dogs, Retrievers, and Rottweilers. In Bernese Mountain Dogs, it is the leading cause of death. It primarily affects male dogs between the ages of two and eight. The disease is relatively rare in other dog breeds.
The soft palate is a muscle extension approximately 10 cm long that separates the nasal cavity from the throat. As the name suggests, dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) describes a change in position in which the soft palate temporarily or permanently covers the epiglottis, leading to coughing, difficulty swallowing, and breathing problems.
