Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that primarily affects cats but can also be transmitted to humans, which is why it is classified as a zoonosis. Humans are considered intermediate hosts, although clinical symptoms do not usually occur. It only becomes truly dangerous when pregnant women come into contact with toxoplasma for the first time and the pathogen infects the unborn child.
The pathogen that causes toxoplasmosis is a single-celled parasite whose main host is cats. Cats excrete certain stages of the toxoplasma, which can survive in the outside world as resistant spores for up to several years. These can then be ingested either by another cat or by a so-called intermediate host. The pathogen can therefore go through different stages of development.
Due to the many different intermediate hosts and the pathogen's resistance in the environment, there are many other sources of infection for humans besides cats, such as raw and undercooked pork and lamb, unwashed vegetables, unpasteurized goat's milk, contaminated soil, and sandboxes contaminated with cat feces.
Whether the disease breaks out and clinical symptoms appear in cats depends primarily on the type of infection. If cats infect each other, clinical symptoms rarely develop, although infection via an intermediate host almost always leads to the onset of the disease.
Older cats show only mild signs of illness, if any, such as slight diarrhea. Once infected, cats are immune to the pathogen and no longer shed any stages of the disease. However, younger or immunocompromised animals may experience much more severe symptoms. These include diarrhea, swollen lymph nodes, coughing, breathing difficulties, jaundice, eye infections, inflammation of the heart and skeletal muscles, and meningitis. Kittens may also die suddenly.
Chronic toxoplasmosis can only develop in cats with a compromised immune system. It is characterized by gait disorders, convulsions, emaciation, digestive problems, and eye inflammation.
Since most cats show no or very few symptoms of toxoplasmosis infection, they are rarely taken to the vet. The focus is rather on determining whether an otherwise healthy cat is a carrier of toxoplasma in its developmental stages. This can be determined by a stool test, but only during the initial infection, which lasts about three weeks. Young animals are particularly affected, although only about one to two percent of all cats excrete toxoplasma.
In adult cats, treatment is usually not necessary due to the mild symptoms. The infection is often discovered by chance during other examinations. In young or weakened animals with more severe cases, treatment with antiparasitic and antibiotic drugs is necessary.
The best measure to effectively protect your cat from infection with toxoplasma is to feed it only meat that has been heated or frozen for a long time, or ready-made food. This significantly reduces the risk of infection, at least for cats that live indoors. Due to potential contact with rodents, the risk of infection cannot be completely ruled out for cats that go outdoors.
This muscle disease, which was only discovered in recent years, occurs primarily in Quarter Horses and cold-blooded animals and is characterized by the storage of excessive amounts of glycogen (animal starch stored in cells) in the horse's muscles. It is known as polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM).
This infectious disease, medically known as foal septicemia, is often fatal and affects newborn foals up to 4 weeks of age. The pathogens enter the bloodstream in various ways and can spread throughout the entire organism. However, the disease most commonly manifests itself in the joints, which is why it is colloquially known as foal paralysis.
Dogs and cats can go blind for various reasons. However, this does not mean "the end" for our beloved four-legged friends. Dogs and cats in particular, who live together with us humans, are very good at compensating for their loss of sight with other senses and can continue to lead almost normal lives.
Syncope refers to fainting or circulatory collapse that occurs suddenly without warning and leads to a temporary loss of consciousness in animals. The dog collapses suddenly and shows no signs of life. After a short time, it regains consciousness and behaves as it did before the syncope.
Ectropion is a malposition of the eyelid that mainly affects the lower eyelid. The outer edge of the eyelid is turned outward and hangs down, which is why it is also referred to as a "drooping eyelid." This malposition prevents the eyelid from closing normally, leaving the eye permanently slightly open.
Tracheal collapse is a condition in dogs that causes the windpipe (trachea) to collapse. It mainly affects small breeds such as Yorkshire terriers, miniature Spitz, poodles, and Pekingese. The condition often manifests itself in the first few months of life, sometimes with severe breathing problems.
The air sacs of horses are part of the upper respiratory tract. They develop in foals as a mucous membrane protrusion on both sides of the Eustachian tube (the connection between the middle ear and the nasopharyngeal cavity), each with a capacity of approximately 300 ml. Air sacs are found exclusively in equines and some other odd-toed ungulates, making them a unique feature. There are various theories about the function of the air sacs. The most likely is that they serve to cool the brain. There is a connection between the horse's throat and the air sacs, which is why infections of the upper respiratory tract can also spread to the air sacs. The most important diseases of the air sacs are described below.
Sticker's sarcoma is an infectious tumor of the external genital organs of male and female dogs. It is also known as transmissible venereal tumor or venereal sarcomatosis. The disease occurs worldwide, but is primarily found in tropical and subtropical countries (Mediterranean region, Africa, Eastern Europe, South America) where there is a large population of stray dogs.
Botulism is a serious neurological disease caused by the ingestion of botulinum toxin (a poison) from contaminated feed. Even the smallest amounts of this toxin can cause severe poisoning in horses, leading to death.
This term refers to a deforming disease of the spine. It occurs mainly in large dogs and involves spur-like or bridge-shaped bony growths on the underside, side, or, in rare cases, the top of the vertebral body.
The topic of deworming is a recurring discussion among horse owners. For anyone wondering whether it is necessary to deworm their horse, the answer is yes. Anyone who has ever seen how vast numbers of worms can completely block parts of the small or large intestine during colic surgery will no longer ask this question. Without treatment, worm infestation can become life-threatening for horses. Initially, a noticeable increase in tail rubbing may be an indication of this. As the infestation progresses, internal organs can be damaged and colic can occur. The horse loses weight despite being fed adequately. The parasites weaken the horse more and more. Regular deworming is necessary to reduce the infestation to a level that is tolerable for the horse's organism. It is almost impossible to completely rid the horse of worms, as new infections will always occur through the environment. There are two methods of deworming: strategic and selective deworming. You should avoid alternative deworming methods.
Many riders get it at some point: tournament fever—the desire to compete and measure themselves against others who share the same passion. However, it's not quite as simple as just jumping in. In competitive sports, you have to meet a few requirements before you can embark on your adventure as a rider-horse team. Depending on the type of riding or driving, there are various rules and regulations that must be observed. Below you will find the most important information for classic English riding.
