| Disease |
Signs/Appearance |
Description |
|
Acanthosis nigricans |
darkening of the skin as a result of chronic inflammation |
A skin disease
where the skin becomes thickened and dark, primarily affecting the
axillae (armpits). |
|
Acral dermatitis |
licking on the forelegs; pinkish-red, shiny, and sore skin; thickening of the skin and hair discoloration and loss; |
A skin disease caused by an animal's licking a localized area excessively, especially on the legs and
paws. |
|
Acute moist dermatitis |
the skin becomes red, hairless and oozes fluid from the blood (serum); scratching or chewing of the hair; |
Known as "hot spots," a localized area
of a severely itchy, inflamed and oozing dermatitis exacerbated by
the animal's intense licking and chewing at the spot. |
|
Addison's disease |
loss of appetite, lethargy, depression; weight loss, vomiting, weakness |
|
|
Amyloidosis |
weight decreased muscle mass, swelling of the limbs, sometimes sudden blindness; loss of appetite, nausea, increased thirst |
A condition where abnormal deposits of
Proteinaceous material called amyloid are laid down in tissues and
impair their function. Common in Akitas and Chinese shar peis. |
|
Atopic dermatitis |
skin inflammation and itchiness; licking the paws, groin or armpits; rubbing the face; darkening of the skin; skin crusts, erosions, ulcers (result of infections) |
A skin disease caused by a dog's reaction
to an inhalant allergy. |
|
Basal cell tumor |
benign or malignant hard, raised nodules around the head or neck |
A cancer arising from a type of skin cell. |
|
Bladder cancer |
blood-tinged urine; straining in order to urinate |
Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the
bladder is prevalent in Scottish terriers and West Highland white
terriers. Herbicide exposure increases the risk of TCC, whereas
increased consumption of green leafy and yellow orange vegetables
the decreases the disease risk. |
|
Bloat |
swelling of abdomen; drooling, retching, wandering restlessly; animals may become listless or show signs of pain; shock |
Gastric Torsion - This is a life threatening hereditary problem prevalent in deep chested dogs such as Standard Poodles, Dobermans, Great Danes etc. Breeders should be very aware of this problem. Be alert to symptoms: abdominal swelling and unproductive vomiting. Signs that your dog is in discomfort also signal an alarm-anxiety, whining, pacing, groaning, inability to find a comfortable position.
Contact a veterinarian immediately. Time is critical. |
|
Bullous pemphigoid |
blisters and ulcers on the skin |
An autoimmune (i.e., the body attacking itself) disease associated with the formation of painful blisters.
34. Bundle branch block: an abnormality of the electrical
conduction mechanism of the heart. |
|
Cardiomyopathy |
lethargy; exercise intolerance; weight loss, night cough, swelling of the abdomen |
A disease of weakened heart muscles.
Associated with taurine deficiency in golden retrievers. Also, seen
in giant breeds, boxers, American cocker spaniels, Doberman
pinschers. |
|
Cataract |
foggy or opaque eye lens with yellowish cast |
A cataract is any opacity or loss of transparency of the lens of the eye. The opacity may be confined to a small area of the lens or capsule, or it may affect the whole structure. A complete cataract affecting both eyes will result in blindness, whereas small non-progressive cataracts will not interfere with vision. You may suspect your dog is having visual difficulties and/or you may notice discoloration of your dog's pupil(s). Cataracts can be removed surgically. The decision whether to do so |
|
Color dilution alopecia |
areas of blue or fawn hair become brittle, dry and dull; the hair falls out; the affected skin is flaky and prone to blackheads |
A form of follicular dysplasia
causing various degrees of hair loss in middle-aged blue and fawn
Doberman pinschers. |
|
Conjunctivitis |
inflammation of the conjunctiva (protective membrane); discharge from the eye; signs depend on the type of the disease (allergic, bacterial, fungal or viral) |
An inflammation of the conjunctival membrane
of the eye. |
|
Copper-associated hepatitis |
failure to thrive, jaundice, ascites |
Abnormal copper metabolism: (usually Bedlington terriers or
Doberman pinschers) an inability to utilize and store copper
properly, resulting in liver disease and other problems. |
|
Corneal dystrophy |
white, opaque ares in some places of the cornea (both eyes); may cause swelling of the cornea |
An abnormality of the cornea usually
characterized by shallow pits in the surface. |
|
Craniomandibular osteopathy |
animals may experience intermittent but considerable pain when using their jaws due to the developmental joint disease |
An abnormal development of the
bones of the face and the jaw. Seen in West Highland white and
Cairn terriers, among other breeds. |
|
Cushing's disease |
excessive thirst, hunger and urination; pot-belly appearance; hair loss (body); panting, weakness, lethargy, skin infections |
Hyperadrenocorticism; a disease characterized by an excess secretion of corticosteroids from the
adrenal glands. |
|
Degenerative myelopathy |
slow and painless loss of coordination in the hind legs resulting in partial paralysis |
Progressive disorder primarily in
German shepherd dogs where the spinal cord degenerates and causes
rear limb weakness and incoordination. Can end up with cauda equine
syndrome, where the nerve roots at the end of the spinal column
become atrophied. |
|
Demodicosis |
hair loss; oily skin; skin thickening; sometimes bacterial infections |
A kind of skin disease (mange) caused by
microscopic Demodex canis mites living within the skin layers and
producing an immunodeficiency syndrome. |
|
Diabetes mellitus |
increased appetite and thirst; increased fatigue, urination; weight loss; recurrent infections |
Diabetes mellitus is a disruption of the body's ability to use carbohydrates/sugars. The diagnosis is made based on the typical clinical signs - increased eating, drinking, and urination, with weight loss - together with persistently elevated levels of glucose in both the blood and the urine.
In the diabetic dog without any other illness, the goals of therapy are to achieve near-normal blood glucose levels and minimize the daily variation in those levels to prevent the complications. |
|
Distemper |
fever, lethargy, runny eyes and nose, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, coughing, yellow eye and nose discharge |
Viral infectious disease |
|
Eclampsia |
restlessnes, panting, heavy breathing, jerky movements, muscle spasms, loss of coordination, seizures (female dogs) |
Convulsions usually seen around the time of
parturition (whelping). |
|
Ectropion |
the lower eyelids turn outward, causing the pink conjunctiva to be visible and contact with debris |
An abnormal rolling out of the eyelids. |
|
Elbow dysplasia |
lameness that gets worse with exercise; in severe cases elbows gets swollen and is held away from the body. |
An abnormal development of the elbow joint. |
|
Encephalitis |
depresssion, behavior changes, seizures, loss of coordination; sometimes fever |
An inflammatory condition of the brain causing
signs of central nervous system dysfunction and epilepsy
(seizures). A unique form of encephalitis is prevalent in the pug
breed and is called Pug Dog Encephalitis |
|
Endometritis |
usually no signs; when used for breeding affected females fail to conceive |
Inflammation of the internal layer of the
uterus. |
|
Entropion |
irritation of the surface of the eye; excess tear production |
Entropion (rolling in of the eyelids) and ectropion (rolling out of the eyelids) are conditions caused by abnormal eyelid position in relation to the globe itself. Entropion will often cause abrasions of the cornea and/or irritation of the conjunctiva. This is very painful and will require surgery to correct. Most cases of entropion and ectropion are heritable. Entropion or ectropion may also occur due to scarring from previous injury or surgery. |
|
Epidermal dysplasia |
itchiness, loss of hair from feet and trunk; scaly and greasy skin; thickening and darkening of the skin; secondary bacterial infections |
Abnormal development of the outer layer
of the skin. Common in West Highland white terriers and begins in
puppyhood. |
|
Epilepsy |
frequent or recurrent seizures |
Seizures are the result of a disturbance in the electrical activity of brain cells. They can occur for a variety of reasons, in any breed of dog. Epilepsy is the term used for recurrent seizures where no underlying disease process can be identified as the cause (also called idiopathic epilepsy).
Treatment depends on factors such as the severity and frequency of the seizures. A dog that experiences the occasional mild seizure probably needs no treatment other than watchfulness on the |
|
Fibrosarcoma |
NA |
A cancer arising from certain types of fibrous
cells. |
|
Folliculitis |
pustules within the inflamed hair follicles; often the follicles develop into widened cavities that drain on the skin in the armpits, abdomen, and groin |
An infection of the hair follicles. |
|
Gingival hyperplasia |
overgrowth of the gum tissue; gums cover the teeth leading to periodontal disease |
Overgrowth of the gum tissues. |
|
Glaucoma |
squinting, excess production of tears, oversensitivity to light; fixed stare, hazy cornea; eyeball may be enlarged |
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness in dogs. It is the result of increased fluid pressure within the eye (elevated intraocular pressure or IOP). If the pressure can not be reduced, there will be permanent damage to the retina and optic nerve resulting in visual impairment.
Glaucoma is one of the conditions your veterinarian will suspect if your dog has a painful eye. It is diagnosed by measuring the intraocular pressure with a tonometer.
Preserving vision in an eye wi |
|
Hemangiosarcoma |
NA |
A cancer of blood vessels involving liver,
spleen or skin. |
|
Hemeralopia |
blindness in full daylight; affected dogs retain some vision in dim light |
Inability to see in daylight. |
|
Histiocytoma |
benign skin tumor with a round, raised, hairless, and often red appearance |
A common benign tumor of certain skin tissue
cells (i.e., histiocytes). |
|
Histiocytosis |
malignant skin condition with skin nodules; affected animals lose weight and are lethargic |
The most prevalent cancer of Bernese mountain
dogs, usually leading to early death. |
|
Hydrocephalus |
seizures and, sometimes, vision loss |
A condition where there is an abnormal
accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the brain. |
|
Hypothyroidism |
symmetrical hair thinning, hair loss; patchy hair loss; oily skin; increased skin pigmentation; thickened skin; ear infections |
A common endocrine disease where the body
produces an abnormally low amount of thyroid hormones. An
autoimmune destruction of the thyroid gland which affects more than
50 dog breeds. |
|
Malabsorption syndrome |
large, greasy, and smelly stools; oily hair around the anus; dogs look malnourished although they eat a lot |
A disease where the intestinal tract
does not absorb nutrients properly. Also known as protein-losing
enteropathy as a consequence of inflammatory bowel disease. In
Irish setters there is also a wheat-sensitive enteropathy. |
|
Myasthenia gravis |
full paralysis or paralysis that only affects face, vocal cords, mouth or esophagus |
A syndrome characterized by muscle fatigue
due to an autoimmune disease which produces chemical abnormalities
of the muscles and nerves. An enlarged esophagus called
megaesophagus can result and causes regurgitation of food. |
|
Nasal solar dermatitis |
crusting of the nose; nasal calluses |
A skin disease of the nose and muzzle
which is greatly affected by exposure to sunlight. Common in
collies. |
|
Nodular panniculitis |
lumps in the fat layer under the skin which ulcerate and drain, leaving scars on the skin surface |
A skin disease characterized by nodules
of inflammation under the skin. |
|
Osteochondrosis |
lameness, altered gait |
A group of developmental diseases resulting
in abnormal formulation of joint cartilage. Commonly involves the
shoulder, stifle, hock or elbow. |
|
Otitis externa |
smelly, inflamed, hot ears; dogs shake their heads and scratch their ears |
An infection of the external structures of the
ear. |
|
Pannus |
brown patch of pigment on the cornea, reddened by blood vessels |
An immunologic eye disease characterized by abnormal
growth of tissue over the cornea. |
|
Patellar luxation |
hopping, not bearing weight on the affected leg |
A condition where the knee cap slides in and
out of place. |
|
Perianal adenoma |
benign tumor in the tissue surrounding the anus |
A cancer arising from a cell of a gland
found near the anus. |
|
Protein-losing enteropathy |
vomiting, diarrhea, fluid buildup under the skin or in the abdomen |
A relatively common genetically
predisposed condition also called inflammatory bowel disease.
Vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss are the common signs. Seen in
many breeds but mostly in soft-coated Wheaten terriers, rottweilers, Bernese mountain dogs, German
shepherd dogs, golden retrievers, Dalmatians, Akitas, Irish
setters, English setters. |
|
Pyometra |
discharge of mucus (pale green, creamy or bloody) from the vagina after the estrus stage of the cycle |
An bacterial infection of the uterus where it fills
with pus. |
|
Sarcoptic mange |
chewing, licking, and scratching; elbows and ear tips are inflamed and lose hair. |
|
|
Sebaceous adenitis |
skin inflammation; yellow scales on the skin and hair loss |
A skin diseases that has come to life in the last few years. Although not normally life threatening is does make the appearance of the animal unpleasant. |
|
Ulcerative keratitis |
inflammation of the cornea resulting in its ulceration; squinting, excess tear production |
An inflammation of the cornea
characterized by the formation of ulcers. |
|
Vitiligo |
parts of the body spontaneously lose pigment (either seasonally or permanently) |
A lack of pigment in the skin (called vitiligo in
man and hypopigmentation in nonhuman animals). Common in
rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, Old English sheepdogs and
dachshunds. |
|
von Willebrand's disease |
unexpected bruising, nosebleeds, blood in the urine or feces |
Canine von Willebrand's Disease is an inherited deficiency in one of the clotting factors of the blood. It is similar to hemophilia in some respects, but may appear in either male or female. Dogs affected with VWD may have symptoms varying from very mild to severe or lethal. These bleeding problems include prolonged bleeding from toenails cut too short, hemorrhage from even minor surgical procedures, lameness, hematomas, and so on. |
|
Zinc-responsive dermatosis |
scales on the foot pads and nose leather, around the eyes, ears, mouth, prepuce, and vulva; crusting and hair loss |
A condition where the skin is abnormal (scaly, hair loss, etc.) but which responds to the
administration of zinc in the diet. |