Clinical

Brachycephalic ocular syndrome in dogs

The cornea, tears and eyelids are a functional unit. A good analogy would be the windscreen of a car, which relies on wipers and washer water and additives to stay clear and functional. There are...

Alternative drugs to phenobarbital in canine epileptic patients

Several drugs have been studied as possible anti-epileptic medications. Further studies are warranted to confirm their efficacy as alternatives or adjunctives in dogs affected by epilepsy. Moreover,...

CPD article: Fractures of the femur

Radiographic assessment should include, as a minimum, mediolateral and craniocaudal views of both femurs. The craniocaudal view can be obtained either by extending the limb with the animal in dorsal...

Immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia, part 1: pathophysiology and diagnosis

Normally, canine red blood cells have a life span of 100–120 days (McCullough, 2003) while feline red blood cells remain in circulation for approximately 72 days (Eibert and Lewis, 1997). Once...

Pulmonary hypertension in dogs: an overview

The systemic circulation consists of veins, venules, arteries, arterioles and capillaries, and is a high-pressure system. There is a significant pressure difference between the arterial and venous...

Poisons affecting the kidney

Poisoning can result in adverse effects on the kidney through a variety of mechanisms, including formation of toxic metabolites, interference with normal physiological process and, in some cases,...

Role of cats in human toxocarosis

The two ascarid species that can produce patent infections in domestic cats are Toxocara cati (Schrank, 1788) (syn. Toxocara mystax, Fusaria mystax, Ascaris felis, Ascaris cati, Belascaris mystax, and...

Vertebral fractures and luxations in dogs and cats part 2: treatment and surgery options

Minimal neurological deficits, medically manageable spinal pain and lack of spinal instability in cases of vertebral fractures and luxations usually do not require surgical intervention and can be...

Approaches to common conditions of the gastrointestinal tract in pet hamsters

Hamsters’ dental formula is 2 I1/1, C0/0, P0/0, M3/3. Their incisors are continuously growing and coloured yellow because of iron deposits in the enamel. The crowns of the molar teeth can retain food,...

Histopathology: how to get the best from gastrointestinal biopsies

It is beyond the scope of this article to provide a detailed discussion on appropriate case selection for gastrointestinal biopsy. Gastrointestinal signs are a common presentation and reaching a...

Parasites in the UK: trends and themes of 2020

No one could have predicted the hot topics for 2020. We expected a large focus on pet travel as Brexit agreements were confirmed and pet travel legislation was ironed out. The end of 2019 also saw the...

Otitis externa: a roundtable discussion

Otitis is a very common condition in veterinary practice, occurring in 15–20% of all canine and 4–7% of feline patients. It is one of the most challenging and frustrating diseases for veterinarians...