Common Diseases of Small Animals

1. Adapted from Ms. Daniels Dr. Smith Common Diseases of Small Animals

2. Objectives To analyze the diseases which affect small animals. To discover the common symptoms of various diseases. To examine treatment and prevention methods of various diseases.

3. Small Animals • Are as prone to disease as humans • Can be vaccinated to prevent disease • Can spread disease to humans

4. Dogs

5. Common Dog Diseases • Heart disease • Heartworm disease • Canine distemper • Canine parvovirus • Kennel cough • Lyme disease

6. Canine Heart Disease • Can be present at birth or acquired • Normally develops during middle age • Causes heart failure • results from the heart’s inability to pump blood at a rate required to meet the body’s needs

7. Canine Heart Disease • Symptoms: • early stages have no visible signs • heart enlargement • coughing • difficulty breathing • loss of appetite

8. Diagnosis • Is made by a veterinarian who completes a: • physical exam • blood or urine test • x-rays • EKG (electrocardiogram)

9. Canine Heart Disease • Treatment: • there is no cure, but medications can be provided by your veterinarian to treat the symptoms • Prevention: • regular check-ups • moderate exercise • balanced diet

10. Heartworms • Can affect any dog whether it is an indoor or outdoor pet • Occurs when an infected female mosquito bites a dog and the larvae migrate through the tissues and eventually into a dog’s heart • When mature are from six to eight inches long

11. Heartworms

12. Heartworms • Symptoms: • may not be visible until later stages of infection • are the same as congestive heart failure • dull coat • lack of energy • coughing • difficulty breathing • enlarged abdomen

13. Heartworms • Diagnosis: • is made through testing by a veterinarian

14. Heartworms • Treatment: • can be dangerous and expensive • involves a series of injections • no vigorous activity • large amounts of rest • preventive medication given once heartworms are eliminated • Prevention: • once-a-month heart worm oral medication year round • testing for heartworms at least once a year

15. Canine Distemper • Is a virus • Damages a dog’s nervous system • Is highly contagious • Is transmitted by contact with infected urine, fecal material or saliva

16. Canine Distemper • Symptoms • can be mild to extreme • constant squinting • congestion of the eyes • discharge from the eyes and nose • weight loss • vomiting

17. Canine Distemper • Diagnosis • can be difficult • is based on a dog’s: • vaccination history • symptoms • laboratory tests

18. Canine Distemper • Treatment: • there is no cure, but medications can be given to treat symptoms • Prevention: • vaccination is the best method • should occur when dogs receive early shots • isolation of sick dogs away from non infected dogs

19. Canine Parvovirus (CPV) • Is a viral disease which attacks the intestinal track, white blood cells and the heart • Is also called Parvo • Is spread by dog-to-dog contact, fecal material of infected dogs, can also be carried on the hair and feet of dog, contaminated cages or shoes

20. Canine Parvovirus (CPV) • Symptoms: • depression • loss of appetite • vomiting • diarrhea • fecal discoloration • blood in feces • Diagnosis: • fecal tests • blood tests • biopsy

21. Canine Parvovirus (CPV) • Treatment: • combat dehydration with water and electrolytes • antibiotics given in the form of a shot or IV • rest • Prevention: • vaccination • booster vaccinations • proper cleaning of kennels • keeping dogs away from fecal waste of other dogs

22. Kennel Cough • Is formally known as canine bordetellosis or bordetella • Is caused by the bacteria Bordetalla bronchiseptica • Causes a severe chronic cough • Is transmitted by contact with the nasal secretions of infected dogs

23. Diagnosis: is based on symptoms and history of exposure to other dogs performing bacterial cultures blood tests Kennel Cough • Symptoms: • dry hacking cough followed by gagging • watery nasal discharge • lethargic • fever • pneumonia

24. Kennel Cough • Treatment: • for mild cases, let the disease run its course with a cough suppressant being administered • for severe cases, antibiotics are administered • water should be kept available at all times to reduce the chance of dehydration • Prevention: • avoid contact with other dogs, especially puppies • vaccinations

25. Leptospirosis • Caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria known as a spirochete • Most canine cases are caused by Leptospiracanicola and L. icterohaemorrhagiae • Higher occurrence in warmer semi-tropical regions, in the late summer and early autumn • Dogs that have access to marshy or muddy areas, ponds, stagnant surface water in low lying areas, and heavily irrigated pastures are more at risk. • Large breed adult dogs are affected more frequently, but young dogs are affected more severely.

26. Leptospirosis • Symptoms: • Fever, shivering, wide-spread muscle pain and tenderness occur first • Vomiting, dehydration, decreased appetite, and increased thirst • Coughing, bleeding, jaundice, shortness of breath, red or weepy eyes

27. Leptospirosis • Diagnosis • Blood tests • Urine tests • Results take time, treatment usually begins before definite answer is obtained • Treatment • IV fluids to correct dehydration • antibiotics • Prevention • Vaccinations • Strict kennel sanitation • Isolation of infected dogs • Limiting access to stagnant water, marshy ponds, etc.

28. Lyme Disease • Is a bacterial infectious disease syndrome • Is spread primarily by ticks • Symptoms can last months after the disease has been treated

29. Lyme Disease • Symptoms: • fever • loss of appetite • acute lameness • swollen joints • arthritis • weight loss • Diagnosis: • blood tests • identification of symptoms

30. Lyme Disease • Treatment: • administering antibiotics • giving pain relievers • is a long process • Prevention: • avoiding ticks • applying tick dips • vaccinations

31. Cats

32. Common Cat Diseases • Heartworms • Feline Panleukopenia • Feline Leukemia Virus • Feline Respiratory Disease

33. Heartworms • Can affect any cat whether it is an indoor or outdoor pet • Occurs when an infected female mosquito bites a cat and the larvae migrate through the tissues and eventually into a cat’s heart • Can also reside in the pulmonary arteries • When mature are from nine to eleven inches long

34. Heartworms • Symptoms: • may not be visible until later stages of infection • are the same as congestive heart failure • dull coat • lack of energy • coughing and difficulty breathing • enlarged abdomen • convulsions • sudden death

35. Heartworms • Diagnosis: • clinical signs • blood tests • radiographs • ultrasound

36. Heartworms • Treatment: • no approved treatment for cats • can use some dog treatments, but there are some side effects which can cause pulmonary failure • can treat the symptoms of heart worms and hope the cat outlives the worms • Prevention: • once-a-month heart worm oral medication year round • testing for heartworms at least once a year

37. Feline Panleukopenia • Is also called feline distemper • Is a highly contagious viral disease • Usually occurs in groups of cats • Is passed from cat-to-cat by direct contact or by fecal waste from infected cats • Destroys a cat’s cells making them more susceptible to other diseases and infections • Has a very high mortality rate

38. Diagnosis: physical exam virus isolation history clinical signs Feline Panleukopenia • Symptoms: • loss of appetite • depression • high fever • lethargy • vomiting • diarrhea • dehydration

39. Feline Panleukopenia • Treatment: • if reached is limited to supportive therapy • there are no antibiotics • try to combat dehydration and malnutrition • strict isolation • constant attention • Prevention: • some cats will have immunity due to a survived mild case or have received the immunity from their mother • vaccinations

40. Feline Leukemia Virus • Is a fatal retrovirus affecting the cat’s immune system • Increases the cat’s susceptibility to other disease • Can be spread by contaminated nasal secretions, infected urine, feces and milk • Does not survive for long outside of a cat’s body

41. Diagnosis: clinical signs blood test is the most accurate Feline Leukemia Virus • Symptoms: • weight loss • recurring chronic illness • lethargy • fever • diarrhea • erratic breathing patterns • yellow color around the mouth

42. Feline Leukemia • Treatment: • there is no cure • confine cat to prevent exposure to non-infected cats • symptoms are treated • feed nutritionally balanced diets • avoid feeding raw foods • schedule check-ups for cat • Prevention: • avoidance of infected cats • vaccination

43. Feline Respiratory Diseases • Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis • Feline Calicivirus • Feline Pneumonitis • each cause respiratory diseases in cats • are highly contagious • transmitted from cat-to-cat through direct contact, through the air by sneezing or coughing or by humans if they have been close to infected cats

44. Feline Respiratory Diseases • Symptoms: • runny nose • sneezing • coughing • lethargy • fever • loss of appetite • Diagnosis: • clinical signs • vaccination and clinical history • rarely a blood test

45. Feline Respiratory Diseases • Treatment: • administering antibiotics • ensuring food and water intake • rest • Prevention: • vaccination • avoidance of infected animals

46. Rabies • Caused by a virus that infects many different animal species, including humans. • Mostly found in raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes • Is found worldwide. • Contracted through bites from infected animals, is found in their saliva • May take 3-8 weeks after the initial infective bite has occurred before any signs of disease begin

47. Rabies • Symptoms • Changes in behavior • Seek isolation • Refuse to eat or drink • “Furious” phase • Excitative • severe aggression • biting • roaming • “Dumb” phase” • Paralytic • increased salivation • dropping of the lower jaw • inability to eat • seizures • death within days

48. Rabies • Diagnosis • Brain sample • Difficult to diagnose animal while alive • Treatment • NONE • Prevention • specific vaccination schedule • dependent on county, state laws

49. Zoonosis • Is any infectious disease which is able to be transmitted from animals to humans or from humans to animals • Is a disease which normally exists in other animals but has the ability to infect humans

50. How Can Diseases Be Transmitted from Pets to People? • Biting • Scratching • Animal walking across a food preparation area • Eating outdoors • Unsanitary conditions • Direct contact • Not washing hands