Medical

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.

In the words of H.D. Hoard, "... this is the Home of Mothers. Treat each cow as a Mother should be treated." We need to take this thought to heart as we think about how we should treat the new moms and moms-to-be on our dairy farms. These cows are at great risk due to the great physiologic, metabolic, and management changes they go through in a relatively short time period.

Ataxia without paresis, mentally alert, intention tremors, nystagmus, truncal sway, base-wide stance, hypermetria, pick up feet and slam down hard, excellent muscle tone, fall over backwards, no conscious proprioceptive deficits, may lack menace response but have normal vision.

Salmonellosis has always been present within the US dairy and beef industries but has become an increasing problem on some dairies due to a variety of factors likely related to increasing herd size, production levels, and increased use of confinement housing.

Periparturient hypocalcemia (milk fever) is a common condition of dairy cows with an annual incidence of 5 to 8%. Effective treatment and control programs for milk fever are therefore required for dairy cattle.

The immune system has two arms of defense, nonspecific and specific. As with the immune system in total, there are many elements of the nonspecific arm of the immune response. These have in common their lack of strict recognition of foreign material and absence of memory.

Replacement heifers represent the future of the cow-calf operation. These females are the genetics behind the next generation of farm offspring. Efficient development is critical as raising a replacement heifer represents a significant asset that does not generate a return until the first calf is sold.

Fluid analysis: cytology and biochemistry

Each year in the United States millions of homeless or unwanted dogs and cats are euthanized in animal shelters and humane societies. While precise numbers are difficult to obtain the Humane Society of the United States estimates that between 3 and 4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year (HSUS 2006).

Immunology plays a huge role in diagnostics for infectious diseases. In addition, various assays are able to assess the immune system itself in an animal.

In general, shock is defined as abnormal oxygen delivery and/or oxygen utilization at the tissue level. Oxygen delivery to the tissues is one of the primary functions of the cardiopulmonary system and of primary importance to the patient manifesting signs of circulatory failure.

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.

Icterus occurs when bilirubin accumulates in the plasma and tissues to the extent that it causes visible yellow discoloration of the sclera, mucous membranes, and skin.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most common and costly syndrome afflicting beef cattle after weaning. A basic understanding of the disease syndrome is important to design a treatment and prevention program.

Molecular diagnostics have quickly become a mainstay in veterinary medicine, particularly in the area of infectious diseases. With the rapid advancement of technology, it is difficult to keep up with what is available as well as to understand what the results mean.

There are a plethora of commercially available vaccines available for use in cattle, the majority of which target viral and bacterial pathogens of the respiratory and enteric tracts.

Why??? One of two goals: Enhancing the immune response (e.g. infection, cancer); or 2) suppressing the immune response (e.g. autoimmune disease). Results are often broad in scope, when usually we want a focused effect; for example, enhancing certain components of the immune response, like CMI in FIP, or suppressing only certain components of the immune response, like B lymphocytes that recognize an allergen, and produce IgE.

The decision to mechanically ventilate or dialyze a dog or cat is a difficult one. It is challenging from an expertise, staffing, emotional, ethical, and monetary perspective.

History may be of help but be careful not to over interpret the description provided by the owner as it may be misleading. Often the owner may observe lameness in one limb when the condition is bilateral. With the latter, the dog will be lame in the limb that is more painful; however the lameness may shift from one side to the other.

Knowledge of breed predispositions and inherited disorders can direct your differential diagnoses and your diagnostic plan. For some of these diseases the genetic mutation has been identified and tests for the defect have been developed. For others, the phenotypical characteristics have been well-described but the genetic basis and mode of inheritance are unknown.

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.

Dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities occur commonly in cattle with gastrointestinal tract disease. Severe fluid and electrolyte abnormalities can result in death if left untreated.

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.

The bleeding patient is one of the more common emergency cases presented to veterinary hospitals. Although management of these cases is often initially symptomatic, it is imperative for the veterinary team to understand the diagnostic tests available to investigate the underlying etiology.

An epidermal, dermal, or subcutaneous mass lesion that is easily accessible to aspiration cytology

Organophosphates (OPs) competitively inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by binding to its esteric site. Without AChE, acetylcholine accumulates and causes excessive synaptic neurotransmitter activity.

A downer cow is "a cow unable to stand voluntarily". Many are periparturient and due to traumatic peripheral nerve injuries.

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.