Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of the most important acquired bleeding disorders seen in small-animal medicine. Dogs are affected far more commonly than cats, and patients often present with dramatic clinical signs—petechiae, bruising, nosebleeds, gastrointestinal bleeding, or lethargy due to anemia from blood loss. Fortunately, ITP is highly treatable, and…
It should come as no surprise to anybody who follows this blog that I love hematology and immunology! In previous posts I’ve written about various immune-mediated problems, including immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, and immune-mediated polyarthropathy. This week I’m sharing information about another immune-mediated condition: immune-mediated neutropenia or IMN. I…
The intestinal tract is quite long. It starts at the mouth and ends at the rectum. Near the end of the intestinal tract is the large intestine, otherwise known as the colon. When the colon becomes inflamed, we use the term colitis. Colitis is a relatively common problem in dogs…
Summer is upon us in the Northern Hemisphere. With the heat comes the potential for a painful skin condition called pyotraumatic dermatitis, often referred to as hot spots. Given the frequency with which this problem is diagnosed, I’ve dedicated some time to expound on it to increase awareness among dog…
No dog parent wants to clean up diarrhea. Cleaning up bloody diarrhea is even more unpleasant. Unfortunately, the development of acute bloody diarrhea is not an uncommon occurrence in our canine companions. Such a malady is called Acute Hemorrhagic Diarrhea Syndrome or AHDS. Formally called Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (HGE), this ailment…