Articles
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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the inability of the kidneys to efficiently filter the blood of waste products. In dogs, chronic kidney disease is associated with aging. For most small dogs, the early signs of kidney disease occur around 10 to 14 years of age, while it may occur in large dogs as early as seven years of age. This handout describes clinical signs, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and nutritional management.
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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a slowly progressing cancer of a type of white blood cell called a lymphocyte. It can develop at any age but is more typically detected in middle-aged to senior dogs. It also seems to be more prevalent in German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers. This disease is often asymptomatic and detected on routine lab screening. Further diagnostic procedures, as well as treatments and prognoses, are described in this handout.
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Chronic upper respiratory tract disease in cats results from long-term inflammation of any part of the upper respiratory tract. It can occur for a variety of reasons. Common signs include sneezing, nasal or eye discharge, and noisy breathing. It is often associated with chronic viral infections and secondary bacterial infections.
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Chylothorax is a relatively rare condition in cats in which lymphatic fluid (called chyle) leaks into the pleural cavity (an area between the lungs and the inner lining of the chest wall), causing lung compression and the inability of the lungs to fill with air. This occurs more commonly in purebred cats. The causes, diagnostics, treatments, and prognosis are explained in this handout.
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Clostridial enterotoxicosis is a complex and poorly understood syndrome characterized by diarrhea that is associated with the bacteria Clostridium perfringens (CP). It is associated with acute or chronic diarrhea. Clostridial enterotoxicosis is not caused by the bacteria directly, but by a toxin produced by the bacteria.
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Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the soil fungus Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadii. The early signs of coccidioidomycosis include fever, lethargy, poor appetite, coughing, and joint pain. Diagnosis is by biopsy of lesions or blood testing for antibodies to the Coccidioides organism. The prognosis for recovery is dependent of the extent of lesions in the cat’s body.
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Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the soil fungus Coccidioides immitis or Coccidioides posadii. The early signs of coccidioidomycosis include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, and joint pain. Diagnosis is by biopsy of lesions or blood testing for antibodies to the Coccidioides organism. The prognosis for recovery is dependent of the extent of lesions in the dog’s body.
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Colitis refers to inflammation of the large intestine (colon). Colitis most commonly describes diarrhea or loose stools associated with the large bowel. Large bowel diarrhea is another term for colitis. This handout discusses signs, causes, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Collie eye anomaly (CEA), also called “collie eye defect,” is an inherited, developmental disease in dogs in which there is a mutation of the gene that determines the development of the eye. This mutation results in defects of many layers of the back of the eye. The most common sign of CEA is blindness.
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Color dilution alopecia (CDA) is a genetic, recessive, inherited condition that causes patches of hair thinning or loss and may also include flaky and/or itchy skin. Some dogs will also be affected by secondary bacterial infections so topical management and pruritus treatments may be needed to improve the dog's comfort. Affected dogs and their relatives should not be bred.