Dog other health concerns

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a rare form of heart disease in dogs which results in enlargement of the heart muscles. Excessive enlargement narrows the internal size of the heart chambers, reducing blood flow.

Septicemia, sepsis, septic shock, and septic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are potentially life threatening related conditions that occur during severe infections. Septicemia specifically refers to bacteria, or their toxins, in the bloodstream.

Dropped jaw (trigeminal neuropathy) is a disorder of the cranial nerve that controls the movement and sensitivity of the jaw in dogs.  The characteristic symptom is the inability to close the mouth.

Facial nerve paralysis describes the inability of a dog to move the muscles in its face because of a dysfunction in the nerves. This appears as ‘droopiness’ or sagging of the facial muscles, lips, ears, and eyelids.

Prostatitis is a common condition that occurs most frequently in intact male dogs when the prostate gland becomes inflamed. Prostatitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection from the urinary tract.

Dentigerous cysts are formed when a tooth does not emerge properly out of the gumline. A fluid-filled cyst forms around the crown of the tooth and gradually increases in size. 

Tumors of the liver describe cancerous growths of the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder. Dogs with liver tumors often show no symptoms, and diagnosis often occurs while performing tests for other conditions.

Stomatitis is a broad definition of inflammation of the gums and mucous membranes of the mouth. Refers to serious cases of gingivitis, periodontitis, pharyngitis, that include widespread irritation and ulceration of the tongue, gums, back of the throat, and palate.

Taurine deficiency is a lack of taurine, an important amino acid, in the blood and body. Taurine is not an essential amino acid for dogs, meaning dogs manufacture taurine themselves as long as they eat enough of the necessary building blocks.

Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a life threatening viral infection of the gastrointestinal system in dogs. It primarily affects dogs under 2 years old but is most common in puppies between 3-8 months old.

Congenital heart defects are abnormalities of the heart that are present at birth. Development of the heart structures and function in the unborn puppy may be defective due to genetic predisposition, environmental factors in the womb, or infection.

Bartonella infection in dogs is a disease caused by bacteria from the Bartonella species. The infection targets the blood vessels of various organs, including the heart, liver, lymph nodes, eyes, nose, and joints.

Sialocele describes the leakage and accumulation of saliva in the tissues surrounding the salivary gland. Dogs with a sialocele present with a firm, painful swelling around the head and neck, which sometimes fluctuates in size.

Constipation is characterized by difficulty defecating with the resulting feces being dry and hard. This symptom is slightly different from tenesmus, which is straining to defecate with an empty or irritated colon, however both of these symptoms appear similarly to pet owners

Gallstones are solid formations of bile and other compounds that coalesce in or near the gallbladder. Gallstones occur when the chemical makeup of bile is altered, or when the movement of bile is disrupted

Canine epilepsy is a disorder where abnormal, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain causes seizures.

Limping, also known as lameness, is when a dog is walking abnormally, unevenly, or with difficulty.

A hernia is a swelling caused by abdominal contents bulging out due to a defect in the surrounding muscles. Most hernias are either present at birth or result from injuries

Hair loss, or alopecia, is characterized by hair loss leading to bald patches and places in the coat that are abnormally sparse.

Weakness is a symptom where dogs move slowly, struggle to rise from rest, are reluctant to exercise, and sometimes have muscle shaking.

Anal scooting describes the behavior of a dog when it drags its rear end across the floor; usually characterized as sitting, lifting hind legs, and using anterior legs to drag the body forward while the anus area drags on the floor

Pale gums are when the normal pink color of the gums turns pale or white, usually due to a serious underlying health problem.

In a dog with Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism), the adrenal glands fail to produce stress hormones due to damage to the adrenal gland or the pituitary gland.

Brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS) is a group of anatomic deformities of the airway system common in dogs with flat, pushed-in faces.

Rapid breathing (also called tachypnea, polypnea, or shortness of breath) is characterized by sustained periods of short, frequent breaths.

Difficulty whelping (delivering puppies) is known as dystocia. Dark green discharge from the vulva is a normal sign of labor,

Unexplained weight gain is specifically characterized by the occurrence of weight gain in spite of a reduction in calories and appetite.

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture is the most common cause of hind limb lameness in dogs, and occurs due to traumatic injury or progressive degeneration of the ligament.

Undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) is observed when one or both testicles are not present in the scrotum after 4 months of age.

Joint swelling is caused by the buildup of fluid or excessive bone growth within a joint.