DrBarchas.com is a free resource for people with pets. Searchable articles are available on diseases, behavior, symptoms, and medical treatments for dogs and cats.
Primarily dogs; occasionally cats
Aural hematomas occur when blood accumulates underneath the skin in the external portion of the ear. A noticeably swollen area develops on the ear. The area is often painful or irritating to the pet.
Aural hematomas develop when trauma occurs to the ear. Direct trauma or chronic, violent head shaking can break blood vessels in the ear. Broken blood vessels allow blood to accumulate under the skin, forming a hematoma.
Dogs
Collapsing trachea is a common syndrome in middle-aged and elderly small dogs. In the syndrome, the structures that support the wind pipe, or trachea, weaken. This causes the trachea to narrow during the course of respiration, leading to irritation of the wind pipe and coughing.
Collapsing trachea is a chronic, progressive, and non-curable syndrome. However, it rarely causes severe compromise to quality of life, and very rarely contributes to premature death.
Dogs
Hot spots are areas of skin that rapidly become irritated and infected, resulting in hair loss, moistness, and inflammation of the area. They are called “hot” because they develop very quickly–in many cases overnight. Often, self trauma such as excessive licking or scratching is involved in the development of hot spots. However, hot spots can occur in the absence of licking or scratching.
Most instances of trembling in pets are the result of temporary excitement, fear, or cold. Therefore, in most cases, trembling is not a serious concern. However, some instances of trembling may be caused by serious medical problems.
More common causes are listed first. Less common causes are listed later.
Ringworm affects dogs, cats, people, rodents, rabbits, and other mammals.
Ringworm is a fungal infection of the skin. Contrary to its name, worms are not involved in ringworm infections. In pets, ringworm primarily is a nuisance. However, the infection can spread from pets to people. This makes ringworm infections in household pets a serious concern.
A wide variety of problems may cause a pet to smell bad. They range from simple grooming-related issues to serious medical conditions.
More common causes are listed first. Less common causes are listed later.
Cats and dogs.
Constipation is a syndrome in which a pet has difficulty defecating or is unable to defecate. It is characterized by repeated attempts to defecate that produce only small amounts of feces or no feces at all.
Cats and dogs
IBD is a common syndrome in which the stomach, intestines, or colon (or a combination of the three) becomes chronically irritated. This results in chronic or intermittent diarrhea, vomiting, or both.
Dogs
Hormone-based urinary incontinence is a common problem in middle-aged and elderly spayed female dogs. The syndrome occurs less frequently in male dogs.
In affected individuals, an imbalance of hormones in the body causes urine to leak from the bladder. Affected dogs usually are not aware that urine is escaping from their bodies.
Most cases of urinary incontinence are manageable with a medication called PPA.
Dogs of any age or breed.
Separation anxiety is a common and frustrating syndrome in dogs. Dogs suffering from the syndrome show symptoms of fear or agitation when the owner is absent. Treatment of separation anxiety is challenging, and may involve medications as well as behavioral modification tactics.