Pet Animals

What is osteoarthritis in Dogs? Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease) is the most common form of "arthritis" (which means joint inflammation). It mainly affects the cartilage which is the slippery tissue over the end of the bone in the joint. In the healthy dog, this allows the bones to glide over each other, & acts as a shock absorber. There are no … [Read more...]

The anal sacs (also known as anal glands) are two small sacs located on either side of the anus at the five and seven o'clock position. Their role is similar to scent glands and they secrete a oily, foul smelling substance which helps other dogs to identify the individual. When a dog defecates, the sphincter muscle contracts & squeezes the anal glands, emptying them. … [Read more...]

What is Addison's disease in Dogs? Also known as 'hypoadrenocortism', Addison's Disease is an endocrine disorder caused by a deficiency of corticosteroids which are produced by the adrenal glands. It is more commonly found in dogs, and is in fact extremely rare in dogs. It is generally caused by the destruction of the adrenal cortices, resulting in hormonal … [Read more...]

Also known as a "cutaneous abscess or subcutaneous abscess", a skin abscess in dogs is a localised pocket of pus under the skin. They are the result of infection (usually bacterial or parasitic) which causes the body to send white blood cells to the area to fight the infection. During this process, pus forms, which is a collection of dead white blood cells and cellular debris, … [Read more...]

Glomerulonephritis in dogs is an immune-mediated disease that involves inflammation of the glomeruli, which are the filtering units of the kidneys responsible for filtering waste products  & excess water from the blood. Glomerulonephritis occurs as a result of immune complexes (an immune complex is an  antibody which is bound to an antigen) becoming trapped in the  … [Read more...]