Health A Flashcards
what does the thyroid gland do
production of thyroid hormones
where is the thyroid gland located
on the sides of the trachea
hypothyroidism
Affects middle-aged dogs mostly
Symptoms
Hair loss*
Weight gain*
Lethargy
Infertility
Diagnosis
Measure thyroid hormone levels in serum test
Common treatment?
Synthetic thyroid hormone (thyroid medication)
Figure out how much to supplement, start with low dosage and after time see results, if levels are still low then increase amount of medication
hyperthyroidism
Affects middle-aged to old cats most
Symptoms
Enlarged thyroid glands - can feel in neck
Why enlarged?
High production of the hormones, usually due to a tumor
Increased appetite
Weight loss
Increased drinking/urination
Increased activity
Diagnosis
Measuring high thyroid hormone levels in blood
Tumor discovery on thyroid gland
Treatment
Removal of thyroid glands
Methimazole - pill or transdermal (careful handling)
Radioactive iodine - How does this work?
Majority of iodine is absorbed by thyroid gland, will start to shrink or atrophied the thyroid gland
where is the adrenal gland located
near kidney
what does the adrenal gland produce
cortisol
produced under stress
also produces aldosterone
addisons disease? what else is it known as
also known as Hypoadrenocorticism’
Symptoms
Low blood pressure
Muscle shaking/weakness
Vomiting
Vascular collapse/death if serious
High potassium levels -> cardiac impairment
Diagnosis
Low aldosterone and cortisol in serum
Treatment
Fluids/electrolyte administration
Hormone supplements
cushings disease? what else is it known as?
also known as
Cause
Excessive corticosteroid production
Usually due to pituitary/adrenal gland tumors
Symptoms
Muscle weakness
Hair loss
Pot belly
Liver enlargement
Diagnosis
Tumor discovery; elevated blood cortisol concentrations
Treatment
Tumor removal; medications to stop corticosteroid production
chronic renal faiure
Kidney failure caused by numerous factors
Can’t concentrate urine
Produce more
Take in more water to keep up with production
treat with a strict diet
hip dysplasia
Degenerative arthritis
Genetic transmission - high heritability rating
Environment/nutrition also a factor
Body weight
Low exercise at peak growth
what are the different surgical treatments for hip dysplasia
Triple pelvic osteotomy
Femoral osteotomy
Pectineal myectomy
Total hip replacement
hip dysplasia is most common in what kind of dog?
juvenile cataracts
Lens becomes opaque
No light getting in
Required for processing images
Hereditary
Autosomal recessive
Linked to other eye diseases
hairballs
Common occurrence in cats
Ingesting hair while grooming
Three possibilities
Pass the hairball
Accumulate in stomach = vomit
Obstruction
Prevention
High soy lecithin diets - help breakdown of hairs
High sulfur amino acids - healthy skin/coat
Methionine, cysteine, homocysteine, taurine
Treatment
Laxatone - lubricate/flush hair through system
obesity
Most common nutritional disorder
Causes
Eating too much
Low activity lifestyle
Hyperadrenocorticism
Insulinoma
Hypothyroidism
what problems are stemming from obesity
Arthritis
Hip Dysplasia
Respiratory distress
Diabetes
Spine alignment issues
Cardiovascular Disease
Skin and Coat problems
what percentage over ideal weight is classified as obesity
20%
taurine deficency
Taurine critical for cats
Commercial diets have it
Don’t feed dog food
Don’t feed human food
Leads to 3 major issues
Vision Problems (possible blindness)
Reproduction issues
Cardiovascular health
Supplement potentially needed
Link to grain-free diets in dogs???
Leads to heart problems (dilated cardiomyopathy)
dilated cardiomypathy
Cardiac muscle issue
Leads to enlarged heart
Can not pump enough blood
Symptoms
Lethargy, anorexia
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Coughing
Fluid in lungs
Diagnosis
X-ray, ultrasounds, echocardiogram
Treatment
Drugs to aid in vasodilation/enhance heart contraction/diuretic
neoplasia
Aka cancer
Uncontrollable cell division
Occurs generally in older animals
Symptoms
Swelling
Sores
Difficulty eating/swallowing
Lameness; lack of stamina
Treatment options?
Remove the growth (depends on location), shouldn’t start removal if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body
Chemotherapy (systemic treatment)
Radiation (more targeted)
overactive immune system
It can attack the good cells within the body (blood cells, tissue cells)
Can lead to things like anemia
How do we diagnose an overactive immune system?
Blood work, looking for excessive amount of white blood cells
Treatment?
Glucocorticoids (knock the immune system down a little)
whats the difference between chemo and radiation
what is the link between grain free diets and dcm
bladder stones (whats the medical term)
Urolithiasis->Medical term for having urinary stones
Urolith = urinary stone
Contributing factors
Diet, urine pH, congenital, water balance, UTI
Treatment
Can pass on their own
Surgical removal
