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.
The exact cause of the disease is still unknown. However, as the disease occurs more frequently in some breeds, a hereditary component is suspected. Predisposed breeds include poodles, wire-haired dachshunds, Boston terriers, and Chihuahuas. The disease mainly occurs in dogs over the age of five.
The endothelial layer of the cornea regulates the fluid content of the cornea. Endothelial cells cannot be regenerated by the body. If they are destroyed, the aqueous humor can penetrate the cornea unhindered and cause it to swell. This results in clouding of the cornea, known as corneal edema.
A bluish clouding of the cornea, occurring on one or both sides, is the first sign of the disease that is noticeable to the owner. The clouding may occur in a specific area or be diffuse across the entire cornea. Affected animals may show itching, eye discharge, and increased blinking.
As the disease progresses and fluid accumulates, small blisters may form on the outside of the cornea. When these blisters burst, it is very painful for the animal. This results in corneal defects that can significantly impair vision or lead to complete loss of vision. The pain causes the affected animals to squint and try to scratch their eyes.
After a thorough clinical examination and review of the preliminary report, the attending veterinarian will usually be able to make an initial diagnosis. To confirm the diagnosis and rule out other causes of corneal opacity, a special examination of the eyes is necessary. This involves using various technical instruments (e.g., slit lamp, endothelium microscope) to examine the different areas of the eye in detail.
Since the destroyed endothelial cells do not regenerate, the disease is considered incurable. However, treatment of the affected eye is essential. Appropriate medication in the form of special eye ointments or drops can prevent the disease from progressing and new blisters from forming. In most cases, however, corneal opacity or corneal defects that have already developed cannot be completely eliminated in this way.
In cases of non-healing defects or persistent pain, the veterinarian will therefore recommend surgical treatment. This involves removing the damaged areas of the cornea and transplanting a thin section of the conjunctiva into the cornea. Although this procedure, known as a Gunderson flap, also restricts vision, the blood supply to the transplanted conjunctiva ensures that fluid is removed from the damaged cornea, allowing it to become clearer again. The operation also relieves pain and prevents the disease from spreading further. In parallel with the operation, animals suffering from endothelial dystrophy must be treated with appropriate eye drops for the rest of their lives.
The disease is incurable. The prognosis regarding the ability to retain vision depends greatly on the extent and severity of the disease. If the disease is treated surgically at an early stage, it is usually possible to preserve a large part of the patient's vision. Complete blindness can be prevented in most cases using the Gunderson flap.
Since it is largely a hereditary and age-related disease, prevention is virtually impossible.
"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.
Testicular tumors are the second most common type of tumor in male dogs and account for four to seven percent of all tumors in dogs overall. There are different types of tumors, with dogs with one or two undescended testicles (= cryptorchidism) having a significantly increased risk of developing a testicular tumor.
Liver disease has a complex effect on metabolism. Symptoms are nonspecific and only appear when 70% of the liver is no longer functioning. This means that liver disease is only detected once it is at an advanced stage.
Feline asthma, or cat asthma, is a chronic respiratory disease that, like asthma in humans, is triggered by an allergic reaction. Typical signs of feline asthma include severe coughing or wheezing. Young to middle-aged cats are most commonly affected.
For people who have always been around dogs, talking to their four-legged friends is probably easy and almost second nature. But at the beginning of the relationship, it is important to immerse yourself in the dog's world and meet it where it is coming from. So you have to learn its language—not the other way around.
Some dogs have long hair, others short, others trimmed... Dog groomers are becoming increasingly popular. And even dogs that don't really need a haircut can relax during a wash, cut, and blow-dry.
A hernia is a bulge in the abdominal wall through which the peritoneum and intestines can protrude. Perianal hernia, also known as perineal hernia, is a condition that occurs in 90% of older, unneutered male dogs, in which fat and abdominal organs protrude under the skin in the perineal area (the area between the anus and the external genitalia).
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 word distichiasis comes from Greek and means "two rows." In this condition, an extra row of eyelash-like hairs (distichia) grows out of the sebaceous gland openings at the edge of the eyelid. Since these misplaced, hard hairs grow toward the eyeball, they cause permanent irritation and damage to the cornea. Another form of distichiasis is ectopic cilia. These are scattered hair follicles that grow out of the inside of the eyelid as individual bristly hairs or as a whole tuft of hair, standing perpendicular to the cornea and causing permanent irritation to the eye. Ectopic cilia are most commonly found on the upper eyelid in dogs and very rarely in cats.
When the body develops antibodies against its own structures, this is referred to as an autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body, damaging certain functions and organs and even destroying them completely. Autoimmune diseases in dogs include individual forms of pemphigus and lupus, which will be explained in more detail below. The individual diseases are distinguished based on the different target structures in the body.
