Gastroenterology
CVC IN SAN DIEGO PROCEEDINGS: Oct 01, 2011
Chronic hepatitis associated with abnormal accumulation of copper in liver cells is emerging as an important form of chronic liver disease in dogs.
CVC IN SAN DIEGO PROCEEDINGS: Oct 01, 2011
Giardia duodenalis (also known as G. intestinalis, G. lamblia) is a pear-shaped, binucleated, flagellated protozoan parasite that infects the small intestine, impairs mucosal absorption, and causes diarrhea.
CVC IN SAN DIEGO PROCEEDINGS: Oct 01, 2011
Molecular studies have determined that the intestines of dogs and cats harbor a complex population of commensal bacteria, referred to as the microbiota. Depending on its composition, the microbiota can be beneficial or harmful to the host.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
Small animal veterinarians prevent, diagnose, and treat parasitic infections every day, and most veterinarians are very comfortable managing these infections in their patients. However, when it comes to the zoonotic potential of parasitic organisms, it is challenging to keep up with new research, client questions can become tougher, and there becomes a fine line between educating a client about realistic risk and inducing unnecessary fear.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
When a new pet is acquired, numerous factors become part of the owner's decision of which diet to select. A pet owner may consider feeding advice from family, friends, the pet's breeder, trainer, or their local veterinarian. The internet has also become a large available source of information for pet owners regarding feeding options and other health issues for pets.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
The gallbladder is a thin-walled, muscular tear-dropped shaped sac that lies on the visceral surface of the liver, between the quadrate lobe and the right medial lobe. The gallbladder consists of a fundus, body, and neck, which opens into the cystic duct. The cystic duct then empties into the common bile duct which travels to the duodenum, ending in the major duodenal papilla.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
Liver disease is common in both dogs and cats, but acute liver disease is far less common than chronic hepatic disease in either species. Also, it should be noted that many patients with an acute onset of clinical signs suggestive of liver disease actually do have chronic liver disease.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
Most chronic vomiting and chronic diarrhea in cats originate in the small bowel
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
Clinical signs of gastrointestinal disease, such as vomiting and diarrhea are extremely common in small animal patients. When seeking advice from a veterinarian pet owners expect an accurate diagnosis and definitive therapy of the problem.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
The canine esophagus is a complex structure comprised of two layers of oblique skeletal muscle traversing the thorax from the upper esophageal sphincter in the pharynx to the lower esophageal sphincter entering the stomach.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
The large intestine is comprised of the colon, cecum, rectum, and anal canal, and in dogs and cats comprises roughly one quarter of the total intestinal length. The colon includes the ascending, transverse, and descending components.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
Canine parvovirus 1 was first isolated from the feces of military dogs in 1967. It was named for its small size (18-26nm), from the Latin word parvus, meaning small. Initially, canine parvovirus 1 was thought to be nonpathogenic; however it can cause gastrointestinal disease, pneumonia, and myocarditis in young pups.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
The liver is an important organ, responsible for breakdown of nutrients and for the synthesis of many molecules such as albumin, coagulation factors, cholesterol, glucose, and many others. The liver has an enormous regenerative capacity. For example, in humans half of a liver can be transplanted from a living donor to a recipient and within 6 weeks both the transplanted liver and the remaining liver of the donor will reach a hepatic volume.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
The mammalian GI tract is sterile during fetal development, and the fetus is originally exposed to bacteria during passage through the birth canal. Bacteria are ingested from the local environment and travel through the GI tract, competing with other bacteria and ultimately colonizing in their ideal niche.
CVC IN KANSAS CITY PROCEEDINGS: Aug 01, 2011
Adverse reactions to food are quite common in both dogs and cats. However, contrary to common believe, only few cases of adverse food reactions are due to true food allergies. Adverse food reactions represent a group of disorders that are defined by gastrointestinal, dermatological, and less commonly respiratory signs in response to ingestion of a certain food. It should be remembered that there are other specific conditions that are either thought to be due to or worsened by diet that are not considered adverse food reactions such as acute pancreatitis, megaesophagus, or portosystemic shunts.