Anal furunculosis (or perianal fistulas) are deep unsightly sinuses that track through the skin, sometimes with flat open areas of ulceration. They are usually confined to the skin around the anus, but in severe cases they can spread as far as the flanks and run down the inside of the hindlegs. Technically they are NOT fistulas because they course only within the skin and do not open into another organ. Although they are near the anal sacs (scent glands) the sinuses do not connect with them, nor do they connect with the rectum or colon.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Anal Furunculosis

Forest Veterinary Clinic, Epping specialises in Anal Furunculosis. Ask your vet for a referral. For More information contact Liz on 01738 710111.

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Cancer in dogs affects the skin, bone, and other organs. Some are slow growing and some progress very rapidly. There are effective treatments for many types of cancers, and research is regularly identifying new ones. Early diagnosis has a significant effect on the success of treatment.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Cancer

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1 in 4 dogs will develop cancer in their lifetime and lymphoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs. To help in the fight against this terrible disease, PetScreen has developed the first ever cancer screen for canine lymphoma.
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Chronic Degenerative Radiculomyelopathy (CDRM) occurs almost exclusively in the older German Shepherd Dog, although other large breeds may also be affected.

Full information can be found at this link Provet Healthcare - CDRM

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Although DM has been reported in other large breeds, the disease is relatively frequent in the German Shepherd breed, suggesting that there is a genetic predisposition for German Shepherds in developing DM. The age at onset is 5 to 14 years. DM is caused by an auto-immune disease attacking the nervous systems leading to progressive neural tissue damage. In many ways, DM is similar to what has been discovered about the pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in humans. In fact, DM is now known as MS in dogs.

Full information can be found at this link Canine Genetic Diseases - DM

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Ear disease is one of the most common conditions seen in pets. The medical name for inflammation of the outer ear canal is "otitis externa". It is estimated that up to 20% of the dog population is affected by this disease.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Ear Care and Disease

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Canine Epilepsy is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent seizures. Seizures are the result of muscle responses to an abnormal nerve-signal burst from the brain. The cause can be anything that disrupts normal brain circuitry:

Idiopathic Epilepsy, meaning "no known cause", also referred to as Primary Epilepsy, is possibly inherited. Secondary Epilepsy can be caused by:

• Low blood sugar.
• Low thyroid function.
• Infections causing brain damage.
• Ingestion of toxins.
• Brain tumours.
• Vaccinations.

Most dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy suffer their first seizure between the ages of one and five years. A genetic basis for Idiopathic Epilepsy is strongly suspected in several breeds including the German Shepherd.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Epilepsy

Canine Epilepsy Support

Practical and sympathetic support and the opportunity to talk to people who have learnt to live happily with an epileptic pet.
Telephone: 01903 784263
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Full information can be found at this link Working Dogs - Haemophilia A

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Heartworm is a major parasite of dogs in many parts of the world and causes serious health problems in unprotected animals.

In Europe the 'common' form of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) is prevalent in areas around the Mediterranean and is spread by mosquitoes. Vets occasionally see this form of heartworm in imported dogs arriving from affected areas. However this may become more of a problem as UK dogs travel on mainland Europe under the Pet Travel Scheme.

In the UK a different type of heartworm is already present. Up until quite recently the parasite Angiostrongylus vasorum (French heartworm) was thought to be limited to certain areas in Cornwall and Wales. Only one case had ever been reported in the south-east of England but that all changed at the end of 1999 and through 2000 as veterinary surgeons were presented with increasing number of these cases.

Although most cases have occurred in dogs that are known to eat snails we have found a few cases where owners were unaware that their pets had this habit so do not think that just because you have never seen your pet eat a snail that they actually do not.

It is suggested that the most likely way that this problem has been spread is by the fox population for which snails and slugs make up an important part of their diet. The foxes in turn pass on the parasite back to the slugs and snails in their stools.

What is Angiostrongylus vasorum?
Angiostrongylus is a parasitic worm, the adult lives in the heart and arteries of the lung of the dog, fox and other animals that are affected by it.

How can your dog become infected?
This happens as a result of your dog eating a slug or snail that harbours the immature form of the worm.

Can my dog catch it from an infected dog or fox?
No, the only route of infection is from eating an infected slug or snail.

What are the signs of infection?
Some dogs with a subclinical condition (one which does not manifest itself outwardly) may have a low-grade infection for months or years without showing signs. However the most common signs of infection are rapid breathing and cough (occasionally blood is brought up). In more severe cases some dogs are presented in heart failure or collapsed and others show signs of bleeding problems.

What should I do if my dog starts coughing?
Don't panic! Take it to your vet. There are many reasons why a dog may start coughing. However if your dog is known to eat snails then a veterinary examination is definitely a good idea. If your vet is uncertain of the cause of the cough they will probably recommend doing various tests to investigate the cause. This may include chest x-rays, blood tests, stool analysis and obtaining samples of mucus or fluid from the airways in the lungs. Obviously if you have seen your dog eating slugs or snails remember to mention this to your vet.

Can this condition be treated?
If Angiostrongylus is identified early in the course of the infection anti-parasitic drugs can be used to treat it effectively. If complications have already occurred then treatment is less likely to be successful.

Can I prevent my dog from getting infected?
Yes, monthly treatment with an appropriate wormer obtained from Parkvets will be effective.

Prevention is so much better than cure so we recommend worming monthly with a prescription wormer containing Moxidectin or Fenbendazole.

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A form of cancer that originates in the endothelium, which is the lining of blood vessels and spleen. These tumours are highly malignant and can be found almost anywhere in the body. The spleen, pericardium and heart are prone to be affected. Quite often there is little warning of the presence of these tumours before they cause severe clinical signs of the disease. An estimate of the average time from discovery of the tumour until death occurs in affected dogs is six to eight weeks.

The most common initial symptoms include visible bleeding, usually in the form of nosebleeds, and signs associated with blood loss, such as weakness, tiring easily, paleness to the mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes, increased respiratory rates, and abdominal swelling. In some cases, dogs just suddenly die with no clinical signs.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Hemangiosarcoma

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Hepatic Encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder that occurs in animals and people with advanced liver disease. In dogs, it is most often seen when blood is diverted or shunted around the liver, called portosystemic shunting. Blood can be diverted around the liver because of a congenital shunt present at birth or an acquired shunt that occurs secondary to long-term liver disease.

Hepatic Encephalopathy is often manifested as a wide range of neurologic abnormalities. The first signs are usually behavioral. At first, the changes are subtle, and they may wax and wane. As the disorder progresses, the signs become more obvious. Signs may be precipitated by a meal. As the syndrome becomes more apparent, dogs usually has a few bad days, alternating with days in which the dog is acting fairly normal.

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Hip Dysplasia afflicts millions of dogs each year and can result in debilitating orthopaedic disease of the hip. It is caused when the femoral head does not fit properly in the hip socket, causing instability of the joint. Over time, this malformation can cause degenerative joint disease which causes increased pain and immobility.

Elbow Dysplasia may be due to different growth rates of the three bones making up the elbow. In affected dogs, the joint is lax or loose and, in mildly affected dogs, leads to painful arthritis. Severely affected dogs can develop osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), fragmented medial coronoid processes and united anconeal processes resulting from the stress in the joint.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Hip Dysplasia

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MRSA is an opportunistic infection that can kill vulnerable animals. It is most dangerous when infecting a surgical wound, and we are currently seeing even healthy animals losing limbs as a result of this infection.

The greatest risk of infection or colonisation tends to occur in veterinary practices, and research at the Royal Veterinary College, London has found that 20% or more of veterinary staff can carry the bug.

Good clinical practice can prevent infection and colonisation, and effective screening can reduce the risk further. These depend upon veterinary staff being well trained and skilled, and on pet owners understanding how to work with their vet in an effective and knowledgeable way.

Full information can be found at this link The Bella Moss Foundation

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Osteochondrosis (OCD) is a degeneration of bone underlying the cartilage layer of joints. It can affect the shoulder, ankle or elbow joint and almost always shows up during the growth phase - between six to nine months of age - of larger breeds. It may start as an intermittent limp in one leg. Many young dogs with OCD run and play as though nothing is wrong but when they slow down they realize the limb hurts and the limp returns. Contributing factors to OCD include both environmental and genetic factors. Dogs whose parents had OCD are much more likely to also suffer from this disease and physical trauma to the joints may also cause the already weakened cartilage to chip and crack.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - OCD

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Pancreatitis literally means inflammation of the pancreas. If the condition is sudden in onset it is called acute pancreatitis, whereas chronic pancreatitis is a continuing inflammatory process with sub-acute recurrence's of the disease. Both forms of the disease can lead to permanent damage and reduced functionality of the pancreas with serious consequences for the animal. When the pancreas is inflamed local release of enzymes occurs including trypsin, kallikrein, elastase, lipase, phospholipase A, amylase and lysosymes. These cause local problems in adjacent tissues and affect the range of clinical signs that develop including causing peritonitis.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Pancreatitis

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Also known as "long bone disease", "wandering lameness", or "pano". Most commonly seen between the ages of 5 to 12 months, and for unknown reasons, is common in the German Shepherd breed. Pano is caused by excessive bone production on the long bones. Normally, a dog affected by this condition will grow out of the problem, but it is painful.

Diet is thought to be a contributing factor in the development of Pano. High protein puppy diets may make the puppy grow too fast and increase the chance of the pup experiencing Pano which is also sometimes described as "growing pains." Pano can also show up in any leg and may come and go without warning. Puppies usually completely outgrow Pano by the age of 18 months and it rarely goes beyond two years.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Panosteitis

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This condition is caused by a twisting of the stomach and thus trapping the stomach contents and gases resulting in a rapid swelling of the abdomen accompanied by pain and eventual death if untreated. It is a true emergency, requiring immediate veterinary action. This condition is most often found in large deep chested breeds. Anyone owning a deep chested breed, susceptible to Twisted Gut should be prepared to handle the emergency procedures necessary, including having readily available the name and phone number of emergency clinics and/or who to call after hours.

Symptoms can be subtle. You should learn to recognize them:

• Continuous pacing and/or lying down in odd places.
• Salivating, panting, whining.
• Unable to get comfortable.
• Acting agitated.
• Unproductive vomiting or retching (may produce frothy foamy vomit in small quantities).
• Excessive drooling, usually accompanied by retching noises.
• Swelling in abdominal area (may or may not be noticeable).

It is recommended that large dogs are fed on a stand to help reduce the chances of this condition occurring.

If ANY combination of these symptoms are noticed, CALL YOUR VET and get the dog there as fast as possible. Bloat is LIFE-THREATENING.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - Twisted Gut

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vWD is a common inherited disorder. Certain breeds, including German Shepherds, have a higher than normal incidence of this disorder.

The main symptom of vWd is excessive bleeding, generally occurring after an injury or surgery. Dog's with Von Willebrand's disease may also develop nosebleeds or bleeding from the gums; bleeding in the stomach or intestine may also occur; and some dogs may have blood in their urine. Symptoms similar to those of arthritis may also occur if bleeding is into the joints.

Full information can be found at this link Pet Education - von Willebrand's Disease

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Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used in candy and chewing gum. It is also found in some pharmaceuticals and oral health products such as chewable vitamins and throat lozenges.

While Xylitol is safe for humans, it can be harmful to dogs. The compound doesn't affect glucose levels in people, but when ingested by dogs it can cause a dangerous surge of insulin. (In as little as 15 minutes,the blood sugar of a dog that has eaten gum containing Xylitol may register a marked drop in blood sugar.) At higher doses, Xylitol is believed toxic to the canine liver.

A dog that has eaten an item containing Xylitol can be rapidly hit by a dangerous drop in blood sugar that causes weakness, lethargy, loss of coordination, collapse, and seizures. Those symptoms can develop within 30 minutes, and a dog so afflicted will need immediate veterinary treatment to survive. Without help, irreversible brain trauma occurs and the patient dies.

More information

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