Library
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Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) is an often fatal condition that damages the nerves of the gastrointestinal tract in birds. These nerves stop stimulating the muscles of the digestive tract, so food in the intestinal tract moves very slowly or not at all. Signs, treatment, and prognosis are discussed.
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Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is a serious condition in parrot species for which there is no cure. The highly contagious virus attacks fast-growing epithelial cells, commonly causing visibly abnormal formations of the beak and/or feather follicles. The clinical signs vary depending on the species of bird and the age at which it was infected. Diagnostic testing is available and precautions must be taken when purchasing a new bird.
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A barking mop on springs, the Puli is a perky and personable dog that gets lots of second looks for his Rastafarian locks.
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The horse's hoof is a very complex structure. The tough outer wall surrounds layers of sensitive laminae ('leaves') that support, nourish with blood and, in turn, cover the underlying pedal bone.
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Infection in the foot is by far, the most common cause of acute (sudden), single-leg lameness in the horse. Infection results in painful inflammation and pus (abscess) formation.
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Pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection that can affect all areas of the skin, including skin folds, often seen as red, pus-filled pustules. Treatment may require oral or topical medications and it is always a good idea to practice good hygiene. Pyoderma carries a good prognosis for recovery but recurring or chronic cases may require longer treatment and additional testing to determine an underlying cause.
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A herder through and through, the Pyr Shep is an energetic dog that needs a job. They become very attached to their owners, with a keen sense of their mood.
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Quittor is an old term for a condition that involves death and destruction (necrosis) of the collateral cartilages of the foot (see our information sheet on sidebones), following an infection in the foot (see our information sheet on pus in the foot).
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Radiation is a type of energy produced naturally by the sun, earth, and rocks and artificially by machines. Although several types of tumors can be treated with radiation therapy alone (e.g., nasal tumors, brain tumors, and certain types of lymphoma), radiation therapy is most commonly used to destroy or limit the growth of cancer cells left behind (i.e., microscopic disease) after a tumor has been surgically removed. Side effects depend on the type and location of the tumor and its surrounding tissues.
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Rain scald is a bacterial infection of the skin that results in the formation of matted scabs usually affecting the back and rump but occasionally the lower limbs.