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165 results for “Fecal exam”
What Are the Symptoms of Epilepsy in Dogs?
Epilepsy is a condition marked by repeated seizures that can range from brief, mild episodes to severe ones that last a long time and recur often. Because seizures take many forms and can be triggered by a wide range of underlying diseases, spotting the four key signs helps dog owners respond correctly. A seizure may be generalized, causing a dog to collapse and paddle with no awareness of its surroundings, or focal, affecting only one part of the body. Dogs often show subtle restlessness beforehand, and may seem confused and unsteady afterward. Many illnesses can cause seizures, so a vet must rule out each one. Most seizures are not immediately dangerous, but any episode lasting over five minutes needs emergency care.
Common Items in a Dog Health Checkup
A routine dog checkup covers coat and skin, weight, temperature, eyes, ears, teeth, feces, X-rays, and blood work. Many diseases show no early signs and become serious or even untreatable by the time they appear, and older dogs face organ decline and age-related illness, so yearly exams are worthwhile. A typical visit measures rectal temperature (normal 38-38.9°C), checks eyes and ears for cleanliness, assesses coat and weight, examines the mouth for gum or tooth disease, and may add fecal, X-ray, or blood tests as needed.
Iron Metabolism Disorders in Dogs and Cats
Iron metabolism disorders in dogs and cats include iron deficiency, microcytic hypochromic anemia with weakness and poor endurance, and iron overload from excess intake or poisoning, causing gut signs and acidosis. Deficiency is corrected with dietary iron and treatment of blood loss or parasites.
Cervical Spondylomyelopathy (Wobbler Syndrome) in Dogs and Cats
Cervical spondylomyelopathy, also called Wobbler syndrome, is a progressive compression of the cervical spinal cord that causes weakening and incoordination of all four limbs. It is most often seen in young Great Danes and middle-aged to older Dobermans, and both conservative and surgical care may be needed.
Anemia in Dogs and Cats: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Anemia is not a disease itself but a sign of many conditions in which red cells or hemoglobin fall short, depriving tissues of oxygen. Pets become weak, pale, and breathless, and treatment corrects the underlying cause while rebuilding red cells through diet, supplements, or transfusion.
Constipation in Dogs and Cats
Constipation is the difficult or absent passage of stool as fecal material hardens and accumulates in the bowel, eventually distending the intestine. It most often affects older dogs and cats and causes straining, discomfort, and loss of appetite; management ranges from enemas and stool softeners to surgery in severe cases.
Colitis in Dogs and Cats
Colitis is inflammation of the colon that causes acute or chronic diarrhea in dogs and cats, often with straining, mucus, and blood in the stool. Treatment combines anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory medication with dietary management.
Peptic Ulcer in Dogs and Cats
Peptic ulcers are chronic sores that form in the stomach or duodenum when digestive acid erodes the protective mucosal lining. Affected dogs and cats show reduced appetite, vomiting (sometimes with blood), abdominal pain after eating, dark tarry stools, and weight loss; perforation can lead to sudden, life-threatening peritonitis.
Sarcoptic Mange in Dogs and Cats (Scabies): Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei, leading to intense itching, redness, hair loss, and crusting. It spreads by direct contact and is treated with parasiticides plus control of secondary infection.
Canine and Feline Trichomoniasis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Trichomoniasis is a protozoal parasite infection of dogs and cats, most often caused by Pentatrichomonas, that produces stubborn, mucoid, sometimes bloody diarrhea. It spreads through contaminated food and water and is managed with antiprotozoal therapy plus supportive care.