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Diabetic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency that occurs when there is not enough insulin in the body to control blood sugar (glucose) levels. It is important for your veterinarian to perform appropriate tests in order to diagnose this disease as similar signs can occur with other medical conditions. Treatment involves hospitalization with IV fluids, short acting insulin and electrolyte replacement. The most important step in prevention is ensuring proper insulin dosing is being administered.
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Common conditions of pet ferrets include diarrhea, intestinal foreign bodies, parasites, heart disease, and various tumors. This handout outlines the causes, clinical signs, and treatment options for each of these conditions. Any variation from normal should be a cause for concern and should be immediately evaluated by your veterinarian.
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Even though e-cigarettes may be safer for humans than using traditional tobacco products, they are certainly not safe for pets. The nicotine associated with e-cigarettes, even without the tobacco, poses a serious health threat for dogs and cats.
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Eclampsia in cats is a rare emergent condition of hypocalcemia that generally occurs one to four weeks after giving birth but can occur before. Risk factors include a poor diet, abnormal parathyroid gland, and calcium supplementation during pregnancy. Signs of eclampsia start as restlessness, panting, and stiffness and can progress to disorientation, tremors, inability to walk, and convulsions. Treatment includes intravenous fluids, careful intravenous calcium supplementation, and other supportive medications followed by oral supplementation and weaning kittens as soon as possible or supplementing their diet with milk replacer.
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Eclampsia in dogs is an emergent condition of hypocalcemia that generally occurs one to four weeks after whelping but can also occur shortly before giving birth. Risk factors include a poor diet, small breed dogs, abnormal parathyroid gland, and calcium supplementation during pregnancy. Signs of eclampsia start as restlessness, panting, and stiffness and can progress to disorientation, tremors, inability to walk, and convulsions. Treatment includes intravenous fluids, careful intravenous calcium supplementation, and other supportive medications. This is followed by oral supplementation and weaning puppies as soon as possible or supplementing their diet with milk replacer.
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Egg binding is not uncommon in birds and may be resolved easily if treated early; if not, the bird may become critically ill. Egg binding occurs when the female bird is unable to expel the egg from her body. Egg-bound birds are usually weak, not perching, often sitting low on the perch or on the bottom of the cage and are straining as if trying to defecate or to lay an egg. Treatment varies depending upon how sick the bird is, as well as the location of the egg and the length of time the bird has been egg bound.
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Emergencies arise unexpectedly and it is important to stay calm. After realizing what has occurred, it is important to contact your veterinarian for recommendations in order to provide the best chance for a successful outcome. Once you have received initial instructions, it is important to transport your cat to your veterinarian for a complete examination as soon as possible.
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There are many types of emergencies, but initial care is similar: stay calm, keep your dog warm and quiet, contact your veterinarian, and get help to transport your pet to a veterinarian. Common emergencies are described including gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), acute hemorrhagic diarrhea, anaphylaxis, automobile injury, seizures, respiratory distress, eye injury, eclampsia, heatstroke, heart failure, toxin ingestion and, collapse. In the event of an emergency, owners are advised to bring their dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible, even if it appears normal.
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Epileptic seizures in pets are a diagnosis of exclusion and may be found in any dog but there may be some breed predispositions that are more common. The cause is often unknown. A variety of medications are available to help control the seizure activity if an underlying cause is not found.
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Many liquid potpourri products and essential oils, including oil of cinnamon, citrus, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree (melaleuca), wintergreen, and ylang ylang, are poisonous to cats. Both ingestion and skin exposure can be toxic.