Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is also known as aseptic (= without the involvement of pathogens) femoral head necrosis (= death of the femoral head) and describes a non-inflammatory growth disorder in young dogs. It mainly affects miniature dog breeds and small dogs between the ages of three and ten months.
As a result of impaired blood circulation in the growth plate of the femoral head (the head of the thigh bone), the bone loses its resistance and begins to deform. As the condition progresses, cartilage and bone tissue continue to break down, leading to osteoarthritis in the hip joint. The exact cause of the circulatory disorder remains unclear. Hereditary and autoimmune factors are suspected.
The disease can occur on one or both sides. Affected animals usually show signs of lameness on one or both sides and pain in the hip area. Mobility of the hip joint may be restricted and, as the disease progresses, muscle wasting may occur in this area. The animals begin to increasingly favor the affected leg until they eventually stop putting any weight on it. By the time clinical symptoms appear, destruction of the femoral head is often already well advanced.
After a detailed preliminary report and a thorough clinical examination, the attending veterinarian can usually make an initial diagnosis. To confirm the diagnosis and rule out other diseases with similar symptoms, an additional X-ray examination is usually performed. The X-ray image allows for a precise assessment of the joint space, the growth plate, and the condition of the femoral head.
Conservative treatment with painkillers and strict restriction of movement usually does not bring the desired success, as the changes are already too advanced at the time of diagnosis. In most cases, therefore, surgical intervention is necessary to help the affected animals. In this operation, known as femoral head and neck resection, the head and neck of the thigh bone are removed. Connective tissue then forms between the remaining thigh bone and the hip socket, creating a kind of "replacement joint" that allows pain-free movement. In the first few weeks after the operation, the healing process, mobility, and muscle development can be promoted with the help of supportive physical therapy.
This surgical procedure allows animals to continue living a virtually pain-free life. As the owner, you should simply ensure that your dog gets regular exercise. Very intense exercise or irregular movement should be avoided.
If the operation is performed early, the prognosis is good. Lameness is rarely a lasting effect. Since most of these dogs are very small, their limbs are exposed to significantly less stress than is the case with large and heavy dogs.
Kissing spines is a condition that causes the vertebrae to grow into each other. It is a change in the horse's spine. This results in a significant narrowing of the spaces between the vertebrae in the thoracic and lumbar spine, often in the saddle area. The diagnosis requires riders and owners to be vigilant and provide the right training.
Since the liver has a very high regenerative capacity and functional reserve capacity, most liver diseases in horses initially progress without visible signs of disease and are only diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Mitral valve disease (MMVD) is a chronic degenerative disease of the heart valves. It is the most common heart disease in dogs and mainly affects older dogs of smaller breeds. An exception is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which often develops the disease at the age of 1.5 to two years.
Your cat is sure to appreciate a change of scenery now and then, especially if it lives indoors all the time. Of course, it's not just indoor cats that like to play with their humans—outdoor cats enjoy it too.
Are you also fascinated by the beauty, intelligence, and strength of character of these cheerful, playful companions? Wonderful! Then we have some tips for you.
As in many other sports, doping plays an important role in equestrian sports when it comes to competitions and performance comparisons. Unlike in athletics, however, it is not the human being who tries to enhance their own performance by taking certain substances, but the animal whose performance is to be enhanced by administering these substances. Since the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, the issue of doping in equestrian sports has also come into the public spotlight due to numerous proven cases of doping, which has resulted in considerable damage to the image of equestrian sports.
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.
Leukosis is a tumorous disease of the hematopoietic system and, unlike in dogs or cattle, is relatively rare in horses. Lymphatic leukosis is the most common form in horses and develops as a result of the degeneration of cells in the immune system.
Tooth fractures are relatively common in dogs and are usually caused by playing with stones or sticks, biting, or accidents. This can result in small, sharp chips in the enamel or larger defects that expose the pulp (nerve and blood vessels). If the pulp cavity is exposed, the tooth should be treated as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infection and preserve the tooth. The incisors, canines, and fangs are primarily affected. Young dogs are particularly at risk because their teeth are still developing and are therefore much more unstable than those of adult dogs.
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.
